Meet the OUME Team

 

Education Program Specialist
Anita.Amin@umassmed.edu 
S1-130Q

Curriculum Support
FOM 1 Curriculum Committee Support
OSD Small Groups Support
Infections Course Support

Anita joined the OUME team in 2021. She received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Worcester State in 2015. . She previously worked in residency with the UMass Chan Ophthalmology Residency Program from 2019 - 2021. Anita’s interest in medical education drew her to working with the OUME department. Prior to coming to UMass, she worked in the semiconductor field as well as in food and beverage marking and communications, with a career that started at Polar Beverages. 

In her spare time, she loves cooking, traveling, and spending time with her rescued Shiba Inu Connie. She recently took up bass fishing with her husband and is looking forward to more time on the water.

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Education Program Specialist
elliot.beane@umassmed.edu
S1-130H

Curriculum Support
Doctoring and Clinical Skills (DCS) 1 and 2

Elliot joined the OUME team in 2021. She received a bachelor’s degree in management from Clemson University and a master’s degree in higher education from the University of Florida. Between 2016 and 2020, Elliot worked in various roles in undergraduate residence life where she facilitated community development through learning communities and extracurricular programs while supporting students throughout their undergraduate years. Prior to joining the OUME team Elliot served as a member of the UMass Medical School Vaccination Corp and assisted COVID-19 vaccination efforts as a vaccination site manager.

After spending 13 years away from New England, Elliot is happy to be back in the Northeast. In her free time, Elliot enjoys spending time with her pup Joe, exploring New England, and working on DIY projects.

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Education Program Specialist
emily.brunelli@umassmed.edu
S1-130J

Curriculum Support
DCS 1 and 2
Patients / ICE

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.

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508–856–5137

Curriculum Support

Flexible Clinical Experiences (FCE) | CCE | UMMSFCEProgram@umassmed.edu

Capstone Scholarship & Discovery (CSD) | FOM1, FOM2, CCE, AS | CSD@umassmed.edu

 

Colleen joined UMass 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 13^th generation Mainer, has three amazing grown children, and is a past cornet player in Civil War Era Serenade bands.

 

Personal websites include: Academic ePortfolio | Professional ePortfolio | Personal Blog

 

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Victoria.Cohen@umassmed.edu
S1-130M

 

Learning Communities

Education Policy and Education Policy Rules Committees

FM 102: Building Working Cells & Tissues (BWCT)

FM 103: Integrated Case Exercises 1 (ICE/1)

FM 105: Development, Structure, & Function (DSF)

FM 110: Determinants of Health (DOH/1)

FM 203: Integrated Case Exercises 2 (ICE/2)

FM 210: Determinants of Health, PHC (DOH/2)

 

 

Victoria joined the OUME team in 2021. She received her Bachelor's degree in American Literature & Culture from UC Los Angeles in 2016. Between 2016 and 2019 Victoria worked in K-12 education and became an alumnus of Teach For America and the Urban Leaders Fellowship. She received her Master's in Education Policy from Vanderbilt University in 2021. While in Nashville she worked for Vanderbilt's OUME and as an education policy research partner.

In her free time, Victoria loves to socialize with people and animals and has a dog, two cats, and a pet hedgehog - all of whom she loves to take on outings. She also enjoys cooking, reading, painting, hiking, and attending poetry and art exhibits. 

Manas Das, MD, MS
Assistant Dean for Foundational Curriculum
Associate Professor

S1-131

 

Dr. Das joined UMass 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.'

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Mitchell Gitkind, MD

Assistant Dean of Health Systems Science

Professor of Medicine and Surgery
Mitchell.Gitkind@umassmed.edu
508–334–3886

Dr. Gitkind received his medical degree from the University of Massachusetts and completed his internship and residency at Worcester Memorial Hospital.  He completed a fellowship in gastroenterology through Tufts University School of Medicine. His current clinical focus is obesity medicine and bariatric surgery. An experienced educator and Lean black belt, Dr, Gitkind has mentored over 100 quality improvement projects for faculty and trainees and has developed and delivered a curriculum on patient safety, conflict negotiation, and clinical topics.   He holds the title of Assistant Dean of Health Systems Science and the academic rank of professor in the departments of medicine and surgery. He is responsible for the development and support of related curriculum students enrolled in our school of medicine as well as residents and fellows in our ACGME-approved GME programs. 

 

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Arnaldo Machado
Administrative Manager II
Arnaldo.Machado@umassmed.edu
508-856-5643
S1-130T

Arnaldo joined UMass Medical School in 2021. He holds a degree in Management and Political Science from UMass Boston and comes to us after 12 years of managerial experience in state government. Throughout his career, he administered programs for Mass Health and provided logistics and operations support to the Bureau of Substance Addiction Service at the Department of Public Health. He is deeply committed to advocacy, diversity, and inclusion having volunteered for the CASA program to protect vulnerable children and as a crisis counselor. 

When not working, he reads, sings, draws, catches up on the latest shows, and plays computer and role-playing games. He also loves cooking and enjoying the company of his family and puppies.

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes... you're Doing Something.”
—Neil Gaiman

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Adam Marowski
Education Specialist
adam.marowski@umassmed.edu
S1-130R

Curriculum Support
Organ System Diseases (OSD)
Transition to Internship
OASIS Scheduler
FOM1 & FOM2 Curriculum Committee

 
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

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508–856–5660

S1-130E

 

Interstitial Curriculum (ISC)/Interprofessional Experiences (IPE)

Transition to Core Clinical Experience (TCCE)

Elective Curriculum Committee (ECC)

Optional Enrichment Electives (OEE)

 

Karen joined the OUME team in 2019. Karen worked for 11 years in a postsecondary health and counseling setting where she tracked and reported student immunization requirements as well as case visits and facilitated the health and wellness events. Prior to her role in health and counseling, she worked at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the Caitlin Raymond International Bone Marrow Registry, and was an instructor for the American Red Cross. Karen has a bachelor's degree in health education as well as a Master of Business Administration with a certificate of advanced graduate study in health informatics.

 

In her free time, Karen enjoys time with family and friends, book clubs, and trips to the beach.

 

 

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 
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 Administrative Assistant and 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. 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.

Aiesha.Sojourner@umassmed.edu
508-856-3312
S1-130G

Mental Health First Aid Certified
Sustainability Certified

Aiesha joined the OUME in January 2022. She is a course administrator for the Host Defense and Blood course, and assists with the clinical portion of Doctoring Clinical Skills 1 & 2, which are the Longitudinal Preceptor Programs (1&2), Hospital Sessions, Learning Communities, Physical Diagnosis 1&2, and the 4^th Year Teaching Elective. Her previous professional experience in education consists of mentoring and tutoring college students and other tutors, a Teacher’s Assistant and a Behavior Technician Assistant. Most of her other experience is from veterinary medicine/animal welfare, along with her own animal care business, policy research for the Humane Society of United States (HSUS), and marketing for prominent human and animal welfare non-profits.

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508–856–6107

S1-130F

 

FOM1 & FOM2: Academic Year Calendaring, Room Reservations

Oasis Curriculum Management and Student Scheduling

SOM Faculty Blackboard Learn Access

Curriculum Inventory

FOM2 Curriculum Committee

 

Jean joined the OUME in 2019 after many years in the UMass Memorial Health Care and UMass 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.