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.

Chair

Felicity Adams-Vanke, MD, Committee Chair
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

VTCSOM Faculty Representatives

• N.L. Bishop, DMin
  Sr. Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Student Vitality
• Chad J. DeMott, MD
  Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
  
• Emily Faulks, MD
  Professor of Surgery
• Robert Moylan, MD, PhD
  Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology
  
• Badr Ratnkaran, MBBS
  Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
• Kris Rau, PhD
  Assistant Professor of Basic Science Education

VTCSOM Student Representatives

• Matthew Drescher, M1 Representative
  Class of 2027
• Roger Luong, M2 Representative
  Class of 2026
• Lilian Brouwer, M2 Representative
  Class of 2026
• Alana Hall, M3 Representive
  Class of 2025
• Merly Konathapally, M3 Representative
  Class of 2025
• Melissa Leaf, M4 Representative
  Class of 2024
• Doug Murray, M4 Representative
  Class of 2024

VTCSOM/CarilionClinic Resident/Fellow Representatives

• Rebecca Gates, MD
• Surgery
• David O'Neil, MD
• Pediatrics
• Chinomso Ogumerem, MBBS
• Neurology
• Elise Zhao, MD
• Internal Medicine

Committee Advisors

• Jed Gonzalo, MD
  Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education
  
• Aubrey Knight, MD
  Senior Dean for Student Affairs
• David Musick, PhD
  Senior Dean for Faculty Affairs
• Rebecca Pauly, MD
  Vice Dean

VTCSOM Staff Representative

• Beth Ipock
  Standardized Patients

CarilionClinic Administration Representative

• Tara Wiedeman
  Senior Director, Education and Organizational Development

Administrative Support

• Beth Bond
  Administrative Support

CarilionClinic Nursing Representative

• Jerrie Patterson, RN
  Unit Director