Health & Medicine Programs for High School Students

John Chenier (he/his series) currently serves as the Recruitment Outreach Director for the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Climate at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. For the past 20+ years, John has worked in post-secondary and graduate admissions, as a high school teacher, and as an athletic and career coach at a variety of institutions. He holds a B.A. from Fairfield University and Masters in Education at Cambridge College with a focus on interdisciplinary studies.

Ashley Brewer (she/her series) is the Administrative Coordinator for the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Climate at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. She has experience in higher education and youth programming working in both classroom and camp-like settings.  Although her background is in humanities (a BA in Anthropology and master’s degrees in both Appalachian and American Studies), she is thrilled to be part of the Veterinary Medicine community. 

Dr. Berri Jacque is Chair of the Department of Medical Education at Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) and teaches immunology in a number of professional programs (medical, dental, PA, and MBS). He directs The Center for Science Education at TUSM which aims to bring biomedical learning to high school classrooms, with the goal of broadening participation in science. Using a collaborative approach with high-school educators, his research focuses on understanding approaches that build interest in science and increase health literacy to prepare a diverse, engaged STEM workforce.

Dr. Tony Gao is an Associate Director of Pre-College Programs at University College. He has a background in biomedical engineering, specializing in cardiovascular biomechanics. Prior to joining the Mini Med School team, he was part of the TUSM Center for Science Education, where his postdoctoral work focused on the development of online graduate courses for high school biology educators. Dr. Gao is interested in the potential of educational gaming and other interactive media as equitable tools to improve engagement with topics such as health literacy and science communication, both within and outside the classroom.

Dr. Liz Genné-Bacon is Associate Director of the TUSM Center for Science Education and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education. Prior to joining Mini Med School, she worked with pd|hub, a multi-institution, NIH-funded effort to enhance professional development for trainees in STEMM. Dr. Genné-Bacon completed her postdoctoral training at the Center for Science Education at Tufts University School of Medicine, where her work focused on neuroscience curriculum development and strategies to help college instructors implement course-based research techniques. Dr. Genné-Bacon is particularly interested in investigating methods for expanding access to educational innovations for more student populations and broadening participation in science. Her biology research background is in molecular neuroscience and genetics. 

Dr. Revati Masilamani is an Assistant Professor of Medical Education and teaches immunology in the professional programs at Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM). At the Center for Science Education (CSE) at TUSM, she also directs Teaching the Great Diseases, a graduate program for science teachers. This program aims to bring cutting edge biomedical science and health literacy into high school classrooms by preparing teachers to teach complex biological topics using real world approaches. Her research focuses on models to strengthen engagement with science and health awareness in adolescent populations through inclusive, equitable teaching practices.

Dr. Jason Cummins is a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Public Health and Community Service at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM), where he also works closely with the Division of Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Admissions. With a strong commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), he plays a key role in shaping and teaching DEI-focused courses on topics such as unconscious/implicit bias, anti-racism, restorative justice, bridging cultural gaps, LGBTQIA+ concerns, and disability awareness. Dr. Cummins collaborates with colleagues to develop curriculum that fosters inclusivity and cultural competency, while also working with the Office of Admissions on outreach, recruitment, and retention efforts to support a diverse student body at TUSDM. 

Anna Lubitz is a current dental student (Class of 2026) at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM). She has an extensive background in research, highlighting dental public health, lab bench-work, and clinical trials. As a dental student, Anna is also incredibly involved with student leadership, and educational/research opportunities. She strives to pursue a Pediatric Dentistry residency following her predoctoral education and aims to incorporate a proactive and preventative model to her clinical care practice while diminishing public health care gaps/disparities in underserved pediatric populations. Anna has served as the Lead Teaching Assistant (TA) for the Mini-Med School: Dental Rotation for Summer 2023 and 2024. In this role, she helped create the dental rotation educational programming for each rotation session. She is looking forward to expanding the dental rotation programming for high school students specifically interested in dentistry as the Program Coordinator for the 2024-2025 application cycle.