Kristen Coppola, PhD
MELS Chair
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Kristen M. Coppola is an associate in the Cognitive Skills Program and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She is a Senior Research Associate in the Office of Advancing Learning Teaching and Assessment and the Director of the Distinction in Medical Education program. She regularly teaches on research design and methodology and mentors both student and faculty research projects in medical education. She earned her Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and was a post-doctoral fellow at Brown University’s Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research where she conducted research on end-of-life decision-making, hospice care, and creation of outcome measures for end-of-life care. Her current research broadly relates to the evaluation of teaching tools that focus on advanced communication skills and clinical reasoning.
What I love about being a MELS:
One of the most rewarding aspects about being a MELS to me is being a mentor to students and other faculty members in the areas in which I have expertise. Before becoming a MELS, I taught at the undergraduate level and occasionally could see the impact I had on students in my courses. Working closely with medical students as a MELS, there is more one-on-one mentoring that lasts for years, and I take great pleasure in being one small part of student transformation as they implement effective study strategies and appropriate time management.
Shavonia Wynn, PhD
MELS Past Chair
Dr. Shavonia Wynn has 10 years’ experience in medical education testing (MCAT, Shelf Exams, and USMLE Step 1 & 2) and over 15 years of experience within higher education learning and academic support. Currently, she works as a Medical Education Learning Consultant for several medical schools and national organizations including the Medical College of Georgia, Morehouse School of Medicine, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and MedEd Learning to name a few. Previously, Dr. Wynn held pivotal roles, including Director of Student Success Programs at Frist College of Medicine at Belmont University, Director of the Johns Hopkins JUMP program, and an eight-year tenure as a Learning Specialist at the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix. In her capacity as a Learning Specialist, she directly engages with medical students, delivering comprehensive academic support from matriculation to graduation. Dr. Wynn earned her M.Ed. in Student Affairs – Higher Education Administration and her PhD in Curriculum & Instruction. Her dissertation focused on improving MCAT reasoning and self-efficacy among Black pre-med students.
What I love about being a MELS:
The students! Being able to coach students and help them along their pathway to reach their dreams is extremely rewarding. I enjoy being able to inspire, support and mentor students, especially those who come from underrepresented and under resourced backgrounds in order to increase health professional and physician diversity. The work of a MELS goes far beyond just helping students be academically successful, we help students transform into lifelong learners.
MELS Chair Elect
Creighton University School of Medicine
What I love about being a MELS:
My favorite part about being a MELS is working one-on-one with students. I enjoy using my neuropsychology background to help students become more effective learners. Understanding how we think, particularly how we learn and retain new information, can enhance student performance. I often find myself helping students make small adjustments to their study strategies that ultimately have a big impact on their academic success. It’s extremely rewarding to play a supportive role through both the joyful and stressful moments of medical school.
MaryAnn Grandinetta, M.S.
Member-at-Large, Northeast region
University of New York Upstate Medical University
Mary Ann Grandinetta serves as the Director of the Educational and Career Success office in the Norton College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University. She holds a Masters Degree in Higher Education from Syracuse University. Mary Ann has been an MELS at Upstate for more than ten years. She holds a voluntary faculty appointment in the Department of Psychiatry, co-developed and teaches the Medical Science Education Transition pre-matriculation course for incoming medical students, supervises the peer tutoring program, manages the university’s supplemental instruction contracts and provides content for the Career Advising and Professional Development course in the College of Medicine. Her previous work at Upstate includes Disability Support Services and running a state-grant for students under-represented in the sciences.
What I love about being a MELS:I ultimately love being part of work everyday that helps students achieve their goals. I’m thankful to work in a place where we are constantly in pursuit of improving our student experience from all angles and the role I get to play in between the student support and academics is unique, challenging and really rewarding.
David Williams, PhD
Member-at-Large, Southern region
University of South Alabama
Adeste Sipin, MA
Member-at-Large, Western region
Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV
Adeste Sipin is the Director of Academic Support Services at Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Sipin has over 20 years in higher education and 6 years working with medical students. He thrives in new venture programs having built up the Academic Advising Center and Tutoring Center at Nevada State College during its first 10 years of existence. Similarly, Sipin used these skills to develop academic support and tutoring at Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV which officially opened its doors in 2017 with the Charter Class of 2021. In this role, he has been committed to supporting students through researching best practices, learning resources, as well as developing tools that meet student needs. Through the years, Sipin has created resources and has shared them with colleagues at other medical schools through the MELS listserv and presenting at MELS Annual and Regional WGEA Meetings. He believes that in networking and learning from other learning specialists, collectively we are better equipped to impact the future of healthcare. Sipin was born and raised in Carson, CA but currently lives in Las Vegas, NV. He received his bachelor’s from UCLA and a masters in Interdisciplinary Studies (Life Coaching/Sociology) from Liberty University.
Geoff Thames, PhD
Member-at-Large, Central region
The University of Illinois College of Medicine
Geoff Thames is the Executive Director for Student Academic Support and Achievement at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. In this position, Geoff coordinates college-wide academic support and Peer Education at the Chicago, Rockford, and Peoria campuses. He is also a faculty member who assists with faculty development initiatives related to learner-centered teaching. Geoff earned his PhD in Educational Psychology and has experience with instructional design, program assessment, learning theory, peer-to-peer academic support, and coaching.
What I love about being a MELS: I love being able to work with my students throughout their academic journeys! There is a true sense of community in academic support, and I find that to be one of the most fulfilling aspects of being involved with student success initiatives.