GSA Steering Committee

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 Chair

Tara K Cunningham, EdD, MS
Associate Dean for Student Life
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

Dear Colleagues,

I am deeply honored to begin my term as Chair of the AAMC Group on Student Affairs (GSA). For nearly two decades, this community has been a source of inspiration, collaboration, and shared purpose throughout my journey in medical education. The GSA represents a remarkable network of professionals who touch every corner of undergraduate to graduate medical education. Together, we create environments where students can thrive, and that impact extends far beyond the classroom into the future of health care.

This year brings a time of significant transformation for the GSA and the broader AAMC community as we navigate a major restructuring. With change comes opportunity—an opportunity to reimagine how we connect, collaborate, and advocate for the needs of our students and institutions in new and meaningful ways.

I started my career in medical education as a program coordinator and with passion, grit, and continued education, I have served as an admissions dean, student affairs dean, with the consistent lens on equity and inclusion. I have had the privilege of working in three regions - Western, Southern, and Northeast - and across public and private institutions, in both new and long-established medical schools. I’ve supported classes ranging from 24 to 140 students, as well as broader health sciences student populations. These experiences have deepened my appreciation for the diversity and strength of our community and the shared commitment that unites us.

My professional identity is steeped in student affairs and higher education administration, and I am proud to serve as a non-MD in senior medical education leadership, bringing the perspective of an educator with an EdD that underscores the value of diverse voices and experiences in shaping the future of medical education.

As Chair, my focus will be on strengthening the connections that make this community so powerful: across regions, across roles, and across the shared values that unite us. The GSA has always thrived because of its people—your insight, your innovation, and your unwavering commitment to students.

I invite each of you to engage fully in this work. Share your ideas, lend your voice, and help us continue to elevate the student experience. Whether through local, regional, or national initiatives, or informal conversations, your contributions will guide us forward.

I look forward to a year of listening, learning, and leading alongside all of you. Together, we will continue to advance the mission of the GSA and ensure that every student’s path through medical education is supported, equitable, and enriching.

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your Chair. Let’s make this an extraordinary year for our community.

Warm regards,

Tara

Steering Committee Members

Chair

Tara K. Cunningham, EdD, MS
Associate Dean for Student Life
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

Chair-Elect

Alex Grieco, MD
Associate Dean for Student Life, Special Assistant to the Vice Dean for Education
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Education and Anatomy, Assistant Professor of Radiology
Ohio State University College of Medicine

Vice-Chair

Kathy Chretien, MD
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Immediate Past Chair

Joel Maurer, MD
Senior Faculty Advisor in Admissions and Careers
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Previous Past Chair

Marcy Verduin, MD
Associate Dean for Students
Professor of Psychiatry
University of Central Florida College of Medicine

Committee on Admissions (COA) Chair

Leila E. Harrison, PhD, MEd, MA
Vice Dean for Admissions, Student Affairs, and Alumni Engagement
Clinical Assistant Professor
Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University

Committee on Student Affairs (COSA) Chair

Lauren Cobbs, MD, MEd, FACP, ACC
Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine

Committee on Student Financial Assistance (COSFA) Chair

Casey Wiley, MEd
Manager of Financial Aid
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville

Committee on Student Records (COSR) Chair

Carol McGhie, EdD, MSEd
Executive Director of Medical Education
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

Student Opportunity, Access, and Retention Committee (SOAR) Chair

Donna Jackson, EdD
Interim Senior Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Outreach
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Central Region (CGSA) Chair

Jill Volk, MSEd
Director, Diversity and Inclusion, Outreach and Recruitment
Director, Admissions and Recruitment
Rush Medical College

Northeastern Region (NEGSA) Chair

Holly Khachadoorian-Elia, MD, MBA
Advisor and Associate Director, Peabody Society
Harvard Medical School

Southern Region (SGSA) Chair

Yolangel "Yogi" Hernandez Suarez, MD, MBA
Executive Vice Dean
Alice L. Walton School of Medicine

Western Region (WGSA) Chair

Tanisha N. Price-Johnson, PhD
Associate Dean for Admissions, Clinical Professor
Arizona State University School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering

Council of Deans (COD) Liaison

Michael J. Stamos, MD
Dean, School of Medicine
University of California Irvine

National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) Liaison

Joon Kim, EdD
President, NAAHP
Senior Director and Instructor of Postbaccalaureate Programs
Keck Graduate Institute

Organization of Student Representatives (OSR) Liaison

Sanaea Bhagwagar
MD-PhD Candidate
SUNY Upstate Medical University

AAMC Staff Liaison

Irena Tartakovsky, MD, MS
Director, Constituent Engagement

Please send any questions, suggestions, or requests for meeting minutes and archived agendas to gsa@aamc.org.

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