Task Force Members

Task Force Sponsor

Lee A. Learman, Dean
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

Task Force Chairs

Task Force Liaisons

Nathaniel L. Bishop, DMin
Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Student Vitality
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

Karen Eley Sanders, EdD
Chief Diversity Officer
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

Task Force Consultants

Alicia Cohen
Director of Diversity Programs
Virginia Tech

Erin McCann
Director for Strategic Planning
Virginia Tech

Task Force Steering Committee

Dr. Michael Jeremiah (Co-chair), Professor and Chair, Family and Community Medicine
Dr. Fidel Valea (Co-chair), Professor and Chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Patricia Wooten (Co-chair), VTCSOM Human Resource Manager

Dr. Michael Bergen, Assistant Professor, Radiology
Dr. Nathaniel L. Bishop (Liaison), VTCSOM Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Student Vitality / Associate Professor, Interprofessionalism
Dr. Elda Stanco Downey, Senior Instructor, Interprofessionalism
Casey Engel, M1-Student
Paul Hudgins, Carilion Clinic - SVP, Chief Human Resources Officer
Dr. Don Kees, Carilion Clinic - Designated Institutional Official for Graduate Medical Education (GME)
Dr. Brittany Lloyd, Resident, General Surgery
Giovanni Malaty, M4-Student
Sahana Nazeer, M2-Student
William Reis, M3-Student
Kim Roe, Carilion Clinic - VP, Family and Community Medicine
Dr. Karen Eley Sanders (Liaison), VTCSOM Chief Diversity Officer / Senior Instructor, Interprofessionalism
Kennny Young II, M2-Student

Group #1: Phase 1 Curriculum (M1 and M2 years)

Emily Holt Foerst, MA (Co-leader), Director, Academic Counseling and Enrichment Services / Instructor, Basic Science Education
Shashank Somasundaram (Co-leader), M2-Student

Dr. Angelica Witcher (Facilitator), Director, Student Affairs / Instructor, Interprofessionalism

Mallory Blackwood, M3-Student
LB Canary, M1-Student
Dr. Helena Carvalho, Assistant Professor, Basic Science Education
Katie Hardin, M2-Student
Dr. Kris Rau, Assistant Professor, Basic Science Education
Atreyi Saha, M1-Student
Neha Singh, M2-Student
Dr. Cynthia Unwin, Assistant Professor, Interprofessionalism

Group #2: Phase 2 Curriculum (M3 and M4 years)

Ayesha Kar (Co-leader), M4-Student
Dr. Charles Paget (Co-leader), Associate Professor, General Surgery

Elvir Berbic (Facilitator), Student Affairs Manager

Dr. Olivia Asamoah, Resident- Pediatrics
Dr. Malek Bouzaher, class of 2020 alumnus
Dr. Hoa Nguyen, Chief Resident- Obstetrics & Gynecology
Dr. Ijeoma Okogbue, Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine
Ryan Perry, M4-Student
Anna Shvygina, M4-Student
Vaish Sridhar, M4-Student
Dr. Tom Stoecker, Assistant Professor, Radiology

Group #3: Student Support

Adenike Adenikinju (Co-leader), M4-Student 
Dr. Benga Bankole (Co-leader), Associate Professor, Internal Medicine

Carrie Knopf (Facilitator), Student Affairs Coordinator

Dr. Bri Beach, Assistant Professor, Family & Community Medicine 
Ron Bradbury, Director for Admissions
Anna Buhle, M2-Student
Dr. Mebratu Daba, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
Hassan Farah, Executive Chair Roanoke Graduate Student Association, FBRI-TBMH Grad Student
Dr. Tamera Howell, Carilion Clinic - Obstetrics & Gynecology
Ilona Jileaeva, M1-Student
Margarite McCandless, MLS, Head Librarian / Instructor, Interprofessionalism
Rebekah Sayre, M2-Student
Cameron Worden, M4-Student

Group #4: Community Engagement

Annette Lewis (Co-leader), President & CEO, Total Action for Progress
Macy Marcucci (Co-leader), M2-Student

Courtney Powell (Facilitator), Community and Culture Manager, VTCSOM
Stephanie Hairston (Facilitator), Riverside 4 Receptionist

Dr. Azziza O. (Kemi) Bankole, Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Crystal Barnett, Medical Education Coordinator - Research, VTCSOM
Lee Clark, CEO, Rescue Mission of  Roanoke
Dotsy Clifton, Community Activist
Joe Cobb, Vice Mayor, Roanoke City Council
Dr. Joy Collins, Associate Professor, General Surgery
Alyssa DeWyer, M2-Student
Shaylyn Fahey, M1-Student
Jane Gay, M3-Student
Robin Haldiman, CEO, CHIP of the Roanoke Valley
Brenda Hale, President, Roanoke Branch, NAACP
Samantha Hoover, Director of Alumni Affairs and Special Events, VTCSOM
Neeka Karimian, M1-Student
Dr. Leslie LaConte, Associate Professor, Basic Science Education
Rev. Dr. William Lee, Retired Pastor, Loudon Avenue Christian Church
Kameron Melton, Attorney, Woods Rogers
Karen Michalski-Karney, Executive Director, Blue Ridge Independent Living Center
Kevin Patel, M2-Student
Rabbi Jama Purser, Beth Israel Synagogue
Vivian Sanchez Jones, Student Support Specialist at Roanoke City Public Schools
Dr. Bert Spetzler, Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Janine Underwood, Executive Director, Bradley Free Clinic
Damon Williams, Regional CRA officer, First Citizens Bank

Group #5: Admissions

Dr. Violet Borowicz (Co-leader), Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
Sarah Yosief (Co-leader), M2- Student

Karen Burns, (Facilitator), Executive Assistant to the Dean and Vice Dean, VTCSOM

Dr. Patricia Beauzile, Carilion Clinic - Obstetrics & Gynecology
Dr. Kimberly Clay, Carilion Clinic - Endocrinology
Yash Desai, M3-Student
Brandon Ganjineh, M1-Student
Jake Hartman-Kenzler, M3-Student
Stephanie Masters, M3-Student
Vemmy Metsutnan, M1-Student
Dr. Sam Nakat, Assistant Professor, Radiology
Dr. Mark Schleupner, Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine
Michael Spinosa, M2-Student

Group #6: Faculty and Staff Recruitment, Development, and Retention

Chukwuemeka Uwakaneme (Co-leader), M2 Student
Dr. Shari Whicker (Co-leader), Associate Professor, Pediatrics and Interprofessionalism

Karyna Nevarez (Facilitator), Inclusion Coordinator, VTCSOM

Oscar Alcoreza, M3-Student
Patrick Barrett, M2-Student
Douglas Crowder, Carilion Clinic - Director,  Workforce Intelligence
Dr. Heidi Lane, Associate Professor, Interprofessionalism
Dr. Renee LeClair, Assistant Professor, Basic Science Education
Taylor Lynch, Standardized Patient & Clinical Skills Manager, VTCSOM
Mira Nicchitta, M3-Student
Dr. Charles Schleupner, Professor, Internal Medicine

Group #7: Learning and Working Environment

Dr. Michael Nussbaum (Co-leader), Professor and Chair, General Surgery
Meredith Rahman (Co-leader), M4-Student

Dani Backus (Facilitator), Senior Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation, VTCSOM

Dr. Felicity Adams-Vanke, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Dr. Aysegul (Aisha) Aydogan, PGY-2, Resident-Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Caitlin Bassett, Medical Education Coordinator-Evaluation & Assessment, VTCSOM
Nina Budaeva-Harding, M2-Student
Katie Brow, M2-Student
Yazdi Doshi, M3-Student
Dr. Felicia G Gallucci, PGY-3, Resident-Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Dr. Janet Osborne, Associate Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology
Katelyn Stebbins, M1-Student
Satya Vedula, M2-Student