SPEAKER DETAILS

Speakers are listed in alphabetical order by last name

George Blackall, PsyD, MBA, ABPP
Professor and Vice Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs, Penn State College of Medicine

George Blackall
Bio
Currently a Professor of Pediatrics, Humanities, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Penn State University College of Medicine. Dr. Blackall received his doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Widener University and completed his internship training at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where he specialized in the psychological treatment of children with cancer and their families. His primary clinical practice continues to be with childhood cancer patients at the Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. Dr. Blackall also serves as the Vice Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs at the Penn State University College of Medicine. He has won many teaching awards and has published numerous articles in professional journals. Dr. Blackall is the lead author of the book “Breaking The Cycle: How to Turn Conflict into Collaboration When You and Your Patients Disagree,” which has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, on webmd.com and is published by the ACP Press. Prior to becoming a psychologist he was a business executive where he worked in corporate risk management and leveraged buyouts. He has been able to blend his business and psychology training in a variety of ways including leadership roles, group facilitation, and executive consultation.

Alana Newell
Bio
Alana Newell, PhD, is an Assistant Professor and Associate Director of the Center for Educational Outreach at Baylor College of Medicine, where she leads initiatives to advance educational research and faculty development. Her work spans K–12 and health professions education, focusing on designing, implementing, and evaluating science and health professions education initiatives that utilize learner-centered, competency-based instruction. Dr. Newell co-directs the BCM Master Teachers Fellowship Program, mentoring faculty in curriculum design, educational research, and scholarly dissemination. A frequent presenter and author on backward design and active learning, including the article Twelve Tips for Implementing Understanding by Design in Faculty Curriculum Groups (Medical Teacher, 2023), Dr. Newell has supported more than 60 individual faculty and trainees in creating innovative, evidence-based educational experiences. She also contributed to the BCM School of Medicine Curriculum Renewal Workgroup as they implemented Understanding by Design at the institutional level.

Sarah Lerchenfeldt
Bio
Sarah Lerchenfeldt is an Associate Professor and Interim Co-Chair of the Department of Foundational Medical Studies at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy and a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership. She teaches pharmacology throughout the curriculum and serves as co-director of the Hematology and Oncology course for first-year medical students. Her scholarly interests include team-based learning, with particular attention to the role of peer feedback in supporting professionalism, accountability, and growth.

Katherine Muenks
Bio
Katherine Muenks is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology and the Louise Spence Griffeth Fellow for Excellence at the University of Texas at Austin. Her work focuses on student motivation and how teachers can motivate students to succeed, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) contexts.

Laura Nimmon
Bio
Dr. Laura Nimmon is a Scientist at the Centre for Health Education Scholarship (CHES) and an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia (UBC). Her research applies social theories to critically examine power, identity, and social context within medical education and healthcare teams. She has published in leading journals including Science and The Lancet Oncology, with her work featured in global media. Dr. Nimmon serves as Associate Editor for Perspectives on Medical Education and is widely recognized for her mentorship and scholarly leadership. She is the recipient of the UBC Faculty of Medicine Award for Excellence in Mentoring Early Career Faculty and the Canadian Association for Medical Education (CAME) Champion Award for her commitment to mentorship, advocacy, and advancing early career researchers.