46 faculty members accepted to iLEAD program

The UNMC Office of Faculty Development and an interprofessional committee of UNMC faculty leaders have selected 46 faculty for the 2025-2026 iLEAD (Interprofessional Leadership for Excellence and Academic Development) certificate program. This program is designed to equip faculty with leadership skills to navigate the complexities of today’s academic and health care environments.

Beginning in the fall, the cohort will spend 10 months studying, refining and applying their leadership skills through monthly trainings and collaborative projects.

“This year’s applications for iLEAD reveal deeply rooted leadership capacity and potential for incredible growth,” said Amanda Zangrillo, PsyD, BCBA-D, iLEAD planning committee member and a program graduate. “I am excited to see how iLEAD will nurture this cohort’s strengths and enhance their impact at UNMC.”

The faculty members are:

UNMC College of Allied Health Professions:

• Megan Frazee, DPT, assistant professor, physical therapy
• Melissa Soester, PhD, assistant professor, medical sciences
• Elizabeth Wellsandt, DPT, PhD, associate professor, physical therapy
• Holly Zimmerman, CGC, associate professor, medical sciences

UNMC College of Dentistry:

• Amanda Dolen, assistant professor, dental hygiene
• Upoma Guha, BDS, associate professor, adult restorative dentistry

UNMC College of Medicine:

• Jennifer Adams, MD, associate professor, dermatology
• Megan Arthur, MD, associate professor, dermatology
• Rishi Batra, MD, assistant professor, surgery
• Jeana Benton, MD, assistant professor, psychiatry
• Claudia Berrondo, MD, assistant professor, surgery-urologic surgery, division of pediatric urology
• Jana Broadhurst, MD, PhD, DTMH, associate professor, pathology, microbiology and immunology
• Brittany Brown, MD, assistant professor, anesthesiology
• Allie Burt, MD, assistant professor, psychiatry
• Salaheddin Elrokhsi, MD, associate professor, pediatric endocrinology
• Brandi Flagg, MD, assistant professor, internal medicine-geriatrics
• Lynda Harris, PhD, associate professor, obstetrics and gynecology
• Ivy Haskins, MD, associate professor, surgery
• Emily Hill Bowman, MD, assistant professor, internal medicine-general internal medicine
• Shweta Kukrety, MBBS, assistant professor, internal medicine, division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine
• Scott Lundgren, DO, assistant professor, internal medicine/cardiovascular medicine
• Pamela May-Weeks, PhD, associate professor, neurological sciences
• Chelsea Navarrette, MD, assistant professor, internal medicine
• Rebecca Oberley-Deegan, PhD, professor, biochemistry and molecular biology
• Palsamy Periyasamy, PhD, assistant professor, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience
• Chittalsinh Raulji, MBBS, associate professor, pediatrics
• Rebecca Rimsza, MD, assistant professor, obstetrics and gynecology
• Priscila Rodrigues Armijo, MD, assistant professor, internal medicine
• Melissa Teply, MD, associate professor, internal medicine
• Lei Yu, MD, assistant professor, radiology

UNMC College of Nursing:

• Windy Alonso, PhD, associate professor, Omaha division
• Krystal Davis, EdD, assistant professor, Lincoln division
• Alyson Hanish, PhD, assistant professor, Omaha division
• Robin Lally, PhD, professor, Omaha division

UNMC College of Pharmacy:

• Jessica Downes, PharmD, associate professor, pharmacy practice and science
• Gregory Zumach, PharmD, assistant professor, pharmacy practice and science

UNMC College of Public Health:

• Brittney Dickey, PhD, assistant professor, epidemiology
• Shelley Strong, PhD, assistant professor, health promotion

UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute:

• Andrea Baraldi Cunha, PhD, assistant professor, physical therapy
• Terri Blase, assistant professor, genetic medicine
• Jennifer Burt, PhD, associate professor, psychology
• Tara Fahmie, PhD, BCBA-D, associate professor, severe behavior department
• Mary Halbur, PhD, BCBA-D, assistant professor, integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Rachel Knight, PhD, assistant professor, Center for Pediatric Feeding Disorders
• Kerry Miller, PhD, assistant professor, education and child development
• Patricia Zemantic, PhD, BCBA-D, assistant professor, integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders