Empowering Women Leaders in Academic Emergency Medicine: Strategies for Success (AWAEM-, AACEM- and Faculty Development Committee-Sponsored)
Women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership roles within academic emergency medicine. Addressing this gap is essential for enhancing diversity, improving organizational effectiveness, and cultivating an environment of support for all faculty members. This session will examine the current state of women in leadership positions in academic emergency medicine, identifying common obstacles such as implicit bias, work-life balance, and lack of mentorship. Participants will engage in interactive discussions to uncover these barriers and hear from a panel of successful women leaders about the importance of mentorship and sponsorship. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to address these challenges and foster inclusive mentorship and sponsorship programs at their institutions.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the current landscape of women in leadership in academic EM.
- Explore barriers and challenges faced by women.
- Identify strategies to support and promote women in leadership roles.
- Discuss the importance of mentorship and sponsorship.
Presenters:
- Liz Leenellett, MD, FACEP, CPE
- Nancy Kwon, MD, MPA
- Leigh A. Patterson, MD
- Luan Lawson, MD, MAEd
- Pamela L. Dyne, MD
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Liz Leenellett, MD, FACEP, CPE
University of Cincinnati
Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Leenellett, Professor and Vice Chair of Academic Affairs and Inclusive Excellence at the University of Cincinnati, also serves as Chief of Staff for UC Health-West Chester Hospital and holds the W. Brian Gibler, MD, Endowed Chair for Education in Emergency Medicine.
Her training includes the University of Michigan's Inteflex program, the University of Cincinnati's emergency medicine residency, the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) fellowship, and Certified Physician Executive (CPE) designation.
In 2018, she founded the Emergency Medicine Program Of Women in leadERship (EMPOWER) and established the Leadership Excels with Achievement of Diversity (UC LEADs) endowment fund.
Dr. Leenellett's leadership has been recognized with the 2021 Ohio ACEP Physician Leadership award, 2022 UC College of Medicine Grace LeMasters “Lift While You Climb” award, 2022 EMRA Faculty Mentor of the Year award, and 2024 AAWEP Community EM Champion award. -
Nancy Kwon, MD, MPA
Vice Chair, Emergency Medicine
Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Dr. Nancy Kwon is the Vice Chair of Emergency Medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and a Professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Most recently, Dr. Kwon became the Central Region Medical Director of Health Equity for Northwell Health under Northwell's Center for Equity of Care.
She has been an active member of SAEM since residency, and is currently. the Chair of the SAEM Faculty Development Committee, and is an active member of the Equity and Inclusion, and Research Committees, and was elected in the past to be a member of the Nominating Committee.
Dr. Kwon has many years of experience in academics and has served in the past as the Associate Chair of Academics and Research in Emergency Medicine. She created and was the faculty advisor for new courses and rotations, including a for credit course: Hofstra Clinical Research Course in Emergency Medicine for Hofstra Undergraduate Students, which she developed and initiated in 2016. She has collaborated and taught at Hofstra Northwell’s School of Medicine in the area of SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) for substance abuse disorders, for which she has performed research and was the Co-Principal Investigator of the NYSBIRT II Project, and is currently part of an NIH grant regarding the utilization of text messaging for patients with substance use disorders. She has served as a committee member on the Appointments and Promotions Committee at Hofstra Northwell’s School of Medicine. Dr. Kwon has been a recipient of Northwell's President’s Award for Teamwork in 2014., the Emergency Medicine Service Line Guttenberg Award in 2017 for her work in Emergency Medicine, and was one of five finalists for Northwell Health System's Truly Leadership award, and is currently a finalist for the Truly Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. She has a focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Population Health, developing and implementing programs for vulnerable and underrepresented patient populations, faculty development, and mentorship.
Dr. Kwon received her Bachelor of Science from Brown University, and her Doctorate of Medicine from The University of Rochester. She completed her Residency in Emergency Medicine at NYU Langone School of Medicine/Bellevue Hospital Center, and stayed on as faculty until 2013. She received a Masters in Public Administration from The NYU Wagner School of Public Service. She became a part of The Northwell Health team in 2013. -
Leigh A. Patterson, MD, MAED
Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
Dr. Leigh Patterson in the Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Brody School of Medicine and the Chief of Emergency Service Line for the ECU Health System. Dr. Patterson completed her residency at Louisiana State University in New Orleans and her fellowship in EM Ultrasound at Drexel College of Medicine. She completed her MAEd with a focus in Adult Education at East Carolina University and served as the Residency Director for Emergency Medicine.. She has worked in UME as a course director and as Chair of the Brody Executive Curriculum Committee. Following her time as Residency Director, Dr. Patterson served as the Associate Dean for Faculty Development. In this role, she also served as an Interim Chair for the Department of Pathology at ECU. She regularly mentors faculty on career planning and developing teaching skills. Dr. Patterson continues to enjoy a busy shift in the ED with residents and students. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter and is an avid knitter.
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Luan Lawson, MD, MAEd
Virginia Commonwealth University
Dr. Luan E. Lawson serves as the Senior Associate Dean of Medical Education and Student Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. She earned her medical degree and completed her residency training at East Carolina University. Her academic interests have focused on undergraduate education with particular expertise in curriculum development, assessment, accreditation, and team training.
During Dr. Lawson’s tenure as Director of Undergraduate Medical Education in Emergency Medicine, she developed and established an Emergency Medicine clerkship for fourth year medical students featuring a simulation-based curriculum. Dr. Lawson also collaborated in developing the National Clinical Assessment Tool in Emergency Medicine, a standardized assessment tool utilized in clerkships across the country. Dr. Lawson served on the National Board of Medical Examiners Emergency Medicine Advanced Clinical Exam Task Force and is a past-president of the Clerkship Directors of Emergency Medicine. -
Pamela L. Dyne, MD
Olive View-UCLA Medical Center/UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
Dr. Pamela Dyne is Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, a former president of CORD, Program Director and DIO, a certified life and health coach, as well as a certified chief wellness officer and director of coaching for the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. With over 25 years of experience in GME, faculty development, and organized medicine leadership, her current position as Chief Physician Wellness Officer of Olive View-UCLA Medical Center allows her to integrate her leadership experience and knowledge of organizational and individual wellbeing with the human aspect of middle management that is required to create institutional change.