Learning Environment Advocacy Committee
The Learning Environment Advocacy Committee (LEAC) is a committee composed of faculty, staff, students, residents, and Carilion health professionals appointed by the dean.
The committee is charged with:
- promoting a learning environment that best supports student education;
- raising awareness about what constitutes mistreatment and unprofessional behavior through educational sessions for medical students, residents, and faculty;
- investigating allegations of mistreatment and unprofessional behavior in the learning environment; and
- resolving reported incidents through a committee process that determines appropriate disciplinary action to address the unacceptable behavior.
Committee Members
Felicity Adams-Vanke, MD, Committee Chair
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Beth Ipock, MAEd, MSW, QMHP, Staff Representative
Director of Clinical Skills Assessment and Evaluation
Tammy Barry, Carilion Clinic Administration Representative
Human Resources Consultant, Employee Relations
Jerrie Patterson, RN, Carilion Clinic Nursing Representative
Unit Director
Karen Burns, Administrative Support
Executive Assistant to the Dean
VTCSOM Faculty Representatives
- N.L. Bishop, DMin
Sr. Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Student Vitality - Sarah DeWitt, MD
Professor of Internal Medicine
- Emily Faulks, MD
Professor of Surgery - Robert Moylan, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology
- Kris Rau, PhD
Assistant Professor of Basic Science Education
VTCSOM Student Representatives
- Merly Konathapally, M1 Representative
Class of 2025 - Doug Murray, M2 Representative
Class of 2024 - Samantha Speroni, M2 Representative
Class of 2024 - Luma Abunimer, M3 Representive
Class of 2023 - April DeStefano, M3 Representative
Class of 2023 - Yazdi Doshi, M4 Representative
Class of 2022 - Aryo Sorayya, M4 Representative
Class of 2022
Carilion Clinic Resident/Fellow Representatives
- Nazik Abuelgasim, MD
Neurology - Kevin Leal, MD
Pediatrics - Badr Ratnakaran, MD
Psychiatry - Tyler Wilson, MD
Family Medicine
Committee Advisors
- Tracey Criss, MD
Associate Dean for Clinical Science 3 and 4 - Daniel Harrington, MD
Vice Dean - Aubrey Knight, MD
Senior Dean for Student Affairs - David Musick, PhD
Senior Dean for Faculty Affairs - Richard Vari, PhD
Senior Dean for Academic Affairs
