By Megumi Barclay
Three University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences faculty members were among the graduates of the 29th class of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) and Executive Leadership in Health Care (ELH) fellows. The graduates are Jessica S. Merlin (middle) and Kristin Ray (left) from the School of Medicine and Tiffany Gary-Webb (right) from the School of Public Health.
ELAM, established in 1995 and based at Drexel University, is a prestigious program dedicated to preparing women for senior leadership roles in academic health science institutions. It offers a year-long fellowship encompassing executive education, personal leadership assessments, coaching and networking activities.
ELH, a similar fellowship, targets rising women with aspirations for executive-level health system roles. ELH candidates participate in a hybrid year-long program involving traditional didactics, simulation and group work.
Merlin is a professor of medicine and director of the CHallenges in Managing and Preventing Pain (CHAMPP) Clinical Research Center, School of Medicine. Her research focuses on the intersection of chronic pain and opioid misuse/use disorder across populations and settings, including individuals with serious illness. Merlin graduated as a member of the ELAM Class of 2024.
Ray is an associate professor of pediatrics in the School of Medicine and director of Health Systems Improvement at UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics. She researches ways to improve pediatric health care system effectiveness, efficiency, family-centeredness and equity, with a focus on the use of health information technology and telemedicine. She graduated as a member of the ELH Class of 2024.
Gary-Webb is a professor of epidemiology and associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, School of Public Health. Her research includes the social determinants of diabetes and obesity, interventions to improve diabetes outcomes for minority populations, and translation of research findings to practice and real-world evaluation. Gary-Webb graduated as a member of the ELAM Class of 2024.
The University of Pittsburgh has selected and sponsored dozens of participants in ELAM's programs, usually one or two each year. Among those esteemed faculty members are Ann Thompson, recently retired vice dean in the School of Medicine, and Carolyn Meltzer, now dean of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. The current UPSOM chair of neurology, Page Pennell, is an ELAM graduate from Harvard. Multiple other “ELUMS” hold significant leadership roles at UPSOM and UPMC.
Congratulations to the distinguished 2024 Pitt ELAM and ELH fellows.