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Office of Undergraduate Medical Education (OUME) Staff Listed Alphabetically

		Emily Brunelli Education Program Specialist II emily.brunelli@umassmed.edu S1-130J Emily joined the OUME team in 2022. She received a bachelor’s degree in 2020 from UMass Amherst where she double majored in Economics and English and minored in Spanish. She worked several administrative and customer service focused roles throughout college. She also has a background in education and working with students; she has experience as a Summer Camp Director and as a building substitute for Newton Public Schools, where she became very passionate about education. In her free time, Emily enjoys writing, cooking, traveling, exploring new restaurants, exercising, and spending time with friends and family.
		Colleen J Burnham MBA Educational Specialist III \| FCE, FPE, CSD, OEE, 4th Year Electives Instructor, Department of Medicine Colleen.Burnham@umassmed.edu 508–856–5137 Colleen joined UMass Chan Medical School in 2009 after 15 years in higher education as a professional teaching associate in psychology and an information specialist in the library, computer, and audiovisual "sciences." A nontraditional student, Colleen earned her MBA from Thomas College in 2009, specializing in adult online learning and conflict management. Colleen’s scholarly interests include information literacy, the ethical use of subjects (human and animal), and scholarly writing. She is a proud 13th generation Mainer, has three amazing grown children (and 2 grandsons!), and is a past cornet player in Civil War Era Serenade bands. Personal websites include: Academic ePortfolio \| Professional ePortfolio \| Personal Blog
		Pawel Stefan Chojnowski Education Program Specialist II Pawel.Chojnowski@umassmed.edu S1-130S Pawel joined the OUME team in 2021. He received his bachelor's degree from Suffolk University in 2015 having double majored in international affairs and history. He is also a graduate of the Macquarie University Global Leadership Program. In his free time, Pawel enjoys spending time with his friends and family, cooking, and watching movies. He loves to travel where he likes to pack light, only bringing a few changes of clothes and his trusty Sony camera. He tries to see as much as he can and to meet as many interesting people as possible to learn their stories. "The wide world is all about you: You can fence yourselves in, but you cannot forever fence it out." —J.R.R. Tolkien
		Manas Das, MD, MS Associate Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education Associate Professor Division of Translational Anatomy, Department of Radiology Manas.Das@umassmed.edu S1-131 Dr. Das joined UMass Chan from the University of South Dakota in 2018 and has held instructional and educational leadership positions all over the world. He received his medical degree from Calcutta National Medical College, though he stopped practicing medicine to focus on his love of teaching. He is co-leader for the development, structure, and function (DSF) course for the MS1s and the organ system diseases (OSD) course for the MS2s, and in his Assistant Dean role will oversee and spearhead innovation throughout the biomedical pillar of our curriculum. Interacting with students is his true passion – he loves to teach! When not teaching, he travels, sings, listens to music, watches sports/TV/movies (several of his teaching sessions have references from 'Friends' or a Brad Pitt movie!), and cook. Finally, he is a believer of 'to err is human, forgive divine' and 'to live and let live.'
		Paula Halligan MEd Educational Program Specialist II Paula.Halligan@umassmed.edu Paula joined the OUME team in 2022. She received her undergraduate bachelor’s degree in science from the University of Vermont and a Master’s of Education from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has taught secondary science for urban school districts in California, Colorado and most recently Worcester, Massachusetts. She worked with GBH Education and PBS Learning Media as an educator ambassador and curriculum advisor. Paula is passionate about environmental and animal conservation and spends most of her free time outdoors with her family and their dogs
		Christopher Ives Educational Program Specialist Christopher.Ives@umassmed.edu Chris is a U.S Army Veteran having served as an Airborne Combat Medic and Physical Therapy Technician before ending his service and moving to Massachusetts. After leaving the Army, Chris went to work at the U.S. Army Solider Systems Center, Natick, as a Data Integrity Specialist for the U.S. Army Procurement Division. He left that position to take full advantage of his G.I. Bill and received a B.A. (’15) and M.A. (’17), with a primary focus on Early American History and Public History, from Worcester State University. He comes to us after teaching at various private institutions throughout Massachusetts. In his free time, Chris is a world traveler and Phish follower who enjoys spending time with family and friends. “It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.” - Aesop
		Gariella Knight Education Program Specialist Gabriella.Knight@umassmed.edu Gabriella joined the OUME team after working as a program assistant for an environmental non-profit organization. She received her bachelor’s degree in 2022 from Fitchburg State University where she majored in Educational Studies. She has experience working with students in public schools and supporting children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Diagnoses. She is excited to continue supporting students at UMass Chan Medical School. In her free time, Gabby enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling to new destinations, and spending time outdoors.
		Sharon Luff Education Program Specialist Sharon.Luff@umassmed.edu Sharon, a native of Worcester, started her career by working with some of the area's top law firms, including Bowditch & Dewey. During her time in the legal field, she had the opportunity to work with high-profile clients and political figures, as well as working with corporate start-ups and political fundraising committees. This experience led her to take a position within Partners Healthcare, Inc., - MGH corporate division and ultimately moving to Boston shortly thereafter. After the birth of her daughter, Sharon decided to leave the corporate life to focus on medicine, becoming a lab technician working for MGH and Mass Eye and Ear and eventually helping to open and supervise 3 private labs in the Plymouth area. After moving back to the Worcester area in 2009, she took a position within the UMass Chan laboratory services department, working in both customer service and ancillary services throughout the Central Mass area. Sharon has decided to combine her love of medicine and her passion for education and is currently working on her degree in Public Health Education. Sharon enjoys spending time with her family, and you’ll often find her at her daughter’s archery or track and field events or watching the UFC with her husband and friends. Sharon and her husband are known for fostering and rehoming animals and have 4 rescue cats of their own.
		Adam Marowski Education Program Specialist II adam.marowski@umassmed.edu S1-130R Adam joined the OUME team in 2022. He received a bachelor’s degree with a double major in Political Science and History from Suffolk University. In 2015 he worked at the Massachusetts State House for Senator Forry. Afterwards he has worked in various sales positions building up his interpersonal and communication skills. Adam is a New England Native from the Springfield area of Massachusetts. In his free time, Adam enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, studying history, working out, and playing video games. He aims to impact the world in a positive manner and bring joy to the ones around him. “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes” -Attitude by Charles Swindoll
		Samantha Michaud Administrative Coordinator II Samantha.Michaud@umassmed.edu Samantha is a CT native and moved to Worcester, MA when she graduated college. She received a bachelor’s degree in 2019 from UConn with a major in Psychology and a minor in Gerontology. Samantha previously worked as a Mental Health Counselor for 3 years at Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, as well as on the Adolescent Continuing Care Unit that is part of UMass Medical School. She transitioned to the role of Administrative Assistant in 2022 and has previous administrative experience. In her free time, Samantha enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, playing tennis, traveling, and trying new foods.
		Isaias Monroy Education Program Specialist Isaias.Monroy@umassmed.edu S1-130L Isaias received a bachelor's degree in 2017 from UMass Amherst where he majored in Psychology (Neuroscience track). His previous role was a Mental Health Counselor at Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital on the adolescent continuing care unit underneath UMass Memorial. He hopes to pursue a career in medicine later in life. In his free time, Isaias enjoys playing soccer, playing video games, reading, cooking, and playing the guitar.
		Therence Ntihinduka Education Program Specialist Therence.Ntihinduka@umassmed.edu Therence joined OUME team in 2022. Prior to joining UMass Chan OUME, he was working as the Program Facilitator at African Community Education. During his tenure at African Community Education, he oversaw creating math worksheets with practice problems and formulas to support the students with improving their math grades. He also did an internship at EMD Sereno worked with Patient Data Collection Services team. Between 2019 and 2022 he worked at Binienda Center for Civic as an Office Assistant. Therence is a graduate of Worcester State University, where he majored in Finance. In his free time, Therence like to check up on the stock market because investment is one of the things that he does. Also, he enjoys playing soccer as a way of excising and getting together with family and friends.
		Patricia Seymour MS, MD Assistant Dean for Clinical Curriculum Associate Professor Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health patricia.seymour3@umassmemorial.org 774-364-0850 S1-134 Dr. Seymour is a UMass Chan Medical School graduate and graduated from the Worcester Family Medicine Residency Program, accepting a faculty position here after her graduation in 2010, so has been a part of the UMass Chan family for some time. Trish practices hospital medicine and perioperative medicine and serve's as her department's physician quality officer. She previously led the Family Medicine acting internship and oversees the quality and patient safety interstitial content. She is passionate about quality improvement education and serves as faculty co-lead of our interprofessional trainee quality council which includes fellows, residents and students from the T.H. Chan School of Medicine, Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, and Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Preparing future physicians is an ever-evolving process and Trish strives to address health equity and bias and to incorporate technology in UMass Chan's educational planning. When not seeing patients or working on curriculum, Trish enjoys anything outdoors and anything involving her four children including travel and hiking.
		Mirela Skaka Administrative Assistant III Mirela.Skaka@umassmed.edu 774-455-6685 S1-130A Mirela joined the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education department in July of 2021 after 18 years of experience as an Case Management Coordinator in the Workers Compensation Insurance. She received a degree in Business and Economics from the Tirana Agricultural University in Albania and has a certificate in client-server technology from WPI. She now supports Manas Das and Patricia Seymour, Assist in budget preparation and reconciliation. She also oversees our Summer Research and Curriculum Exploration Program, Clinical-Grade Turn-Around, Poster Sessions, and new upcoming projects as they develop. In her free time, Mirela enjoys being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.
		Lindsay N Turner, PhD Curriculum Director Lindsay.Turner@umassmed.edu S1-130P Lindsay joins us from Babson College where she was the Manager, Learning Outcomes Assessment for six years. Prior to Babson, she worked in program quality assurance at the University of Arkansas where she also received her Ph.D. in Public Policy with an emphasis on Higher Education and Educational Assessment. Lindsay approaches her work as an educational effectiveness administrator by ensuring that faculty, educational staff, and students understand a program's educational goals while developing pedagogy and skills across the curriculum. During her time at Babson, Lindsay engaged with faculty, students, and educational staff to review curricular delivery and develop an assessment system for all programs. She also assisted with the school's successful re-accreditation at both the regional and specialty levels. She looks forward to building meaningful relationships with colleagues and students alike and becoming a resource for curricular development within the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education.
		Jean M Welker, MA Education Program Specialist II Jean.Welker@umassmed.edu 508–856–6107 S1-130F Jean joined the OUME in 2019 after many years in the UMass Memorial Health Care and UMass Chan Medical School systems. Most recently, she worked as a project coordinator in the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society, managing the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) programs. Before that, Jean worked at UMMHC in the Center for Health and Fitness, working with employee wellness, cardiac rehab, and pulmonary rehab. In her free time, Jean enjoys being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.