The GSA Steering Committee is the executive committee for the Group on Student Affairs and is comprised of the executive leadership, the chairs of the GSA National Committees, the GSA regional chairs, as well as liaisons from the Council of Deans (COD), Organization of Student Representatives (OSR), and National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP). The areas represented by the GSA encompass a wide range of issues, policies, and operational characteristics that require study and deliberation on an ongoing basis. In order to provide a mechanism for the study of issues and problems associated with this full range of complex and diverse issues, the GSA Steering Committee established national committees in the areas of admissions, student affairs, student diversity affairs, student financial assistance, and student records.
Message from the GSA National Chair
Dear Colleagues,
Thank you for the honor and privilege to serve as your 2022-2023 GSA National Chair. I value my ability to impact the educational and professional careers of my learners, the lives of those I care for, and the work environment of my colleagues. In leading the GSA Steering Committee, I have a unique opportunity to work with an incredible and diverse community of committed, passionate medical school leaders who manage our domains of student affairs, admissions, diversity, equity and inclusion, financial aid, and records. We are also fortunate to collaborate with our medical student leaders in the Organization of Student Representatives (OSR) who continue to guide us with their important voice and vision.
We have all experienced quite a tumultuous time in medical education and it is your dedication and resilience that has helped leaders and students alike navigate our constantly evolving environment and experience for our students. We have learned to be nimble, flexible, and innovative as we encountered change and battled uncertainty. We have grown stronger as a community and you ALL have contributed to the GSA’s ongoing ability to support the student experience and our overall well-being. I thank each and every one of you, over 1900 institutional and individual representatives who make up the GSA from our AAMC Member schools.
We could not accomplish our goals without the support and guidance of our AAMC teams in Academic Affairs and Constituent Engagement, and our outstanding and productive GSA Committees. The committee chairs, members, working groups and regional chairs and steering committees are the powerhouses who focus on creating and disseminating the communications, resources, and guidelines that you receive and hopefully put to good use. We also collaborate closely with our liaisons from the AAMC Council of Deans, OSR and National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions to ensure that all critical issues are identified. Please take time to familiarize yourself with all of our leaders and liaisons (listed below), and don’t hesitate to GET INVOLVED! You will find a community willing to welcome and mentor anyone who has an interest to learn or contribute. We rely on your feedback and involvement to make progress.
Together, our leaders and our community have shared their priorities and we are excited to embark on our ambitious agenda. I am fortunate to lead our GSA Steering Committee during my term as we focus on initiatives within the following overarching themes:
• Maintaining a lens of equity, safety, and wellness across the continuum
• Obtaining data to improve transparency in communication between UME and GME and holistic review across the continuum
• Supporting our staff
Additionally, as your Chair, I committed to advocating for our stakeholders, collaborating across affinity groups and disciplines, and providing a dedicated and strong voice for those we serve.
I was fortunately introduced to the AAMC “alphabet soup” as a medical student OSR in 1993 and never anticipated that I would remain engaged in such a deeply personal and rewarding way almost 3 decades later! I value and will uphold the commitment, passion, and dedication that makes the GSA the type of group that encourages the drive for excellence in our everyday work. I have personally benefitted from the camaraderie among colleagues and friends who inspire each other to forge ahead, with energy fueled by a common goal to improve and develop programs and policies that support our medical students and our schools, now more than ever. I am grateful for your guidance and friendship. Please share your individual feedback as your contributions can be vast. We hope to make your affiliation with the GSA meaningful, and we look forward to working together.
It will be an honor to serve this year.
Warmly,
HIlit F. Mechaber, MD
GSA National Chair
Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Steering Committee Members
Chair
Hilit Mechaber, MD (November 2022 – November 2023)
Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Chair-Elect
Marcy Verduin, MD (November 2022 – November 2023)
Associate Dean for Students and Professor of Psychiatry
University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Vice-Chair
Joel Maurer, MD (November 2022– November 2023)
Assistant Dean for Admissions
Associate Professor
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology
College of Human Medicine
Michigan State University Clinical Center
Immediate Past Chair
Kathleen Kashima, PhD (November 2022 – November 2023)
Senior Associate Dean for Students
University of Illinois College of Medicine
Previous Past Chair
Charles A. Pohl, MD (November 2022 – November 2023)
Vice Provost for Student Affairs
Vice Dean for Student Affairs and Career Counseling
Professor of Pediatrics
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Committee on Admissions (COA) Chair
Lina Mehta, MD (April 2020 – November 2023)
Associate Dean for Admissions
Professor of Radiology
Case Western Reserve School of Medicine
Committee on Student Affairs (COSA) Chair
Tara K Cunningham, EdD, MS (November 2020 – November 2023)
(November 2020 – November 2023)
Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Committee on Student Diversity Affairs (COSDA) Chair
Donna H. Jackson, EdD (November 2022-November 2025)
Assistant Dean for Admissions
Director, Student Outreach Programs
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Committee on Student Financial Assistance (COSFA) Chair
Cynthia Gonzalez (November 2021- November 2024)
Senior Assistant Director FSM MD Financial Aid
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Committee on Student Records (COSR) Chair
Alisha Corsi (November 2020 – November 2023)
Registrar Coordinator
University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Central Region (CGSA) Chair
Alan Erickson, MD (April 2022 – April 2023)
Asst. Dean of Student Affairs
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Northeastern Region (NEGSA) Chair
Sonia Chimienti, MD, FIDSA (April 2022 – April 2023)
Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education
Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine
Southern Region (SGSA) Chair
Jennifer Caceres, MD, FACP (April 2022 – April 2023)
Associate Professor of Medicine
Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University
Western Region (WGSA) Chair
Richard Amini, MD (April 2022 – April 2024)
Interim Associate Dean of Student Affairs
University of Arizona College of Medicine- Tucson
Council of Deans (COD) Liaison
Scott Strome, MD
Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine
National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) Liaison
Rhona Beaton (August 2022 - August 2026)
President, NAAHP
Assistant Director of Health Professions
Union College
Organization of Student Representatives (OSR) Liaison
Youssef Aref (November 2022 – November 2024)
MD Candidate
California University of Science and Medicine School of Medicine
AAMC Staff Liaison
Irena Tartakovsky, MD, MS
Director, Constituent Engagement
Association of American Medical Colleges
Related Resources
Please send any questions, suggestions, or requests for meeting minutes and archived agendas to gsa@aamc.org.