The Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program at Drexel University College of Medicine announced on Wednesday, April 9, the selection of its 31st class of fellows and the fellows for its Executive Leadership in Health Care (ELH) program track, which included two Pitt faculty members.
Rebecca Thurston, Pittsburgh Foundation Professor of Women's Health and Dementia, professor of psychiatry, and assistant dean of women’s health research, School of Medicine; professor of epidemiology, School of Public Health; of psychology, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences; and of clinical and translational science, is an ELAM fellow.
Gysella Muniz Pujalt, associate professor of pediatrics, School of Medicine, and UPMC regional director of quality newborn care, is an ELH fellow.
ELAM is a national, selective program designed to train women in academic medicine leadership. It is the only longitudinal program in North America dedicated to preparing women for senior leadership roles in schools of medicine, dentistry, public health and pharmacy.
This prestigious program is dedicated to developing the professional and personal skills required to lead and manage in today's complex health care environment, with special attention to the unique challenges facing women in leadership positions. The ELAM program has been specially developed for senior women faculty at the associate or full professor level who demonstrate the greatest potential for assuming executive leadership positions at academic health centers within the next five years.
To be accepted into the program, each fellow must be nominated and supported by the dean or another senior official of their institution.
“We are excited to welcome 100 ELAM fellows and 50 ELH fellows to the class of 2025-26. This cohort comprises exceptional leaders from 118 institutions who are capable of making critical systemic change,” says Nancy D. Spector, executive director of ELAM. “The need for the highest quality leaders in academic health care has never been greater, and we are doing everything we can to help meet that need by providing outstanding and innovative leadership training.”