As The Roskies Move to the West Coast, They Fondly Remember Pittsburgh Connections and Community
Type: News
Marge Petruska, Dodie Roskies, Deb Caplan, Karen Feinstein, and Jim Denova have a farewell meeting in Squirrel Hill.
When Dodie and Ralph Roskies were living in Palo Alto, Calif. in 1971, they couldn’t have predicted the life awaiting them in Pittsburgh.
Ralph, on a fellowship from Yale University, had received a call about a promising academic position in Pittsburgh, and though he initially went alone to experience for himself, the vibrant, bustling city won him over. In time, the family—now with two young daughters—relocated, settling into Pittsburgh’s tight-knit Squirrel Hill community, known for its thriving Jewish life.
For Ralph, the journey that began with a professorship at the University of Pittsburgh blossomed into a pivotal role in the national scientific community. In 1984, together with Professor Michael Levine of Carnegie Mellon University and James Kasdorf from Westinghouse, he developed the proposal to the National Science Foundation for what became the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC), which has become a national leader in providing the highest computing capability to the U.S. national research community. One of the first in the country, this center eventually funneled millions of dollars into Pittsburgh, helping to position it as a technology hub.
As Scientific Director until 2017, Roskies oversaw operations, planned its future course, and concerned himself with its scientific impact. Roskies was also co-PI of the NSF Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) project, the NSF’s largest cyber infrastructure project. He has served as advisor to, and as reviewer of, many U.S. and international supercomputing centers.
Roskies retired from PSC in 2017 and became Vice Chancellor for Research Computing at the University of Pittsburgh, where he headed the Center for Research Computing (CRC) at Pitt. The CRC provides leading-edge computational resources to Pitt researchers, provides training in their use, and offers personalized consulting to Pitt researchers. Roskies retired from Pitt and CRC in 2021 and became an Emeritus Professor.
Dodie, meanwhile, was driven to make her mark in health care. Returning to school, she earned her master’s in public health with a focus on administration. Her career spanned significant roles in Pittsburgh’s healthcare system, from supervising at Mercy Hospital to positions at South Hills Health System, Forbes Health System, and ultimately as Chief Operating Officer for primary care at UPMC. She also spearheaded a proposal to establish hospice care in Westmoreland County, ensuring comprehensive support across multiple hospitals.
Her commitment to Pittsburgh extended well beyond her professional life. Volunteering extensively with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, she was eventually asked to join the Board of Jewish Family and Community Services (JFCS). As Chair of the JFCS Board, she led the organization through challenging times, including leadership transitions and organizational changes that tested the resilience of the community. During her tenure, she championed an independent space for JFCS, leading to the creation of a dedicated facility on Bartlett Street, providing a sense of privacy and dignity for those seeking services.
It was through her work on the JFCS Board that she crossed paths with Karen Wolk Feinstein, PhD, President and CEO of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF). Though initially unfamiliar with one another, the two forged a deep bond and friendship. By 1991, Dodie joined the JHF Board, where she and Bill Rackoff pioneered the inclusion of outcome management into JHF grant proposals, emphasizing accountability and measurable impact.
In her later career, she worked on numerous initiatives at JHF as a consultant, including projects supporting the nursing pipeline. One standout for her was an initiative to fund childcare for women pursuing nursing qualifications, which allowed many to transition from support roles to full-time healthcare professionals.
Another lasting achievement was the development of the Squirrel Hill Health Center (SHHC). Recognizing the lack of medical services in certain Pittsburgh neighborhoods, Dodie, JHF COO/Chief Program Officer Nancy Zionts, and many on the JHF team crafted a compelling proposal, securing federal funding and community backing. Today, SHHC is a model for health centers across the country, ensuring quality healthcare access to underserved populations in the area.
A lifelong commitment to health and genetic research was also sparked when her youngest child was born with Down Syndrome in 1976. This experience opened her eyes to the needs and rights of people with disabilities, later influencing her work on the board of Achieva, where she advocated for inclusive programs.
In 2010, she helped launch a genetic screening program for young Jewish adults in partnership with the JHF. Working closely with Albert Einstein University’s genetic screening program, the Victor Center, she raised awareness among healthcare providers and young families about the importance of screening for genetic markers, a project known as JGenesPittsburgh, that served over 700 people in the Pittsburgh region by assessing, testing and counseling an individual or couple’s risk for having a child with a genetic disease.
After COVID, her husband, who had since left the supercomputing center to become the Asst. Vice Chancellor for Research at Pitt, retired.
“Over the years, Karen and I have stayed friends. We’ve traveled together for healthcare conferences; we’ve enjoyed having dinner with our spouses together. I think of Karen as being one of the smartest, far-seeing, energetic, creative women that I know,” Dodie said.
Reflecting on decades in Pittsburgh, the couple cherishes the city’s spirit of collaboration and community that make it a place like no other. The couple will carry with them memories of Pittsburgh’s rivers, bridges, and close-knit neighborhoods—pockets of heritage that have endured for generations.
“It’s the people I’ll remember – their generosity and dedication to making this place better for everyone.” As the couple start their new life on the West Coast, they both look forward to spending time with family and both remain open to opportunities to stay engaged in their new community and in the academic work that have defined their lives to date.
“If you have family that loves you, and you love them, spend time with them while you can talk, move, and enjoy each other. Aging is unpredictable, but this feels like the right choice at the right time,” Dodie said.