Digital Learning & Innovation

Project Description

This project is a collaboration between the College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College (Sargent College) and the School of Social Work (SSW) to create a non-credit online certificate in Interprofessional Leadership in Health Care using an alumni mentoring approach. This certificate will highlight the vast experiences of Boston University alumni by engaging them as e-mentors in five one-month online courses. The goal of the certificate is to increase healthcare professionals’ skills and knowledge in interprofessional leadership.

Most healthcare professionals who assume leadership roles have not had any leadership training and are often ill equipped to lead interprofessional teams. Regularly, they learn leadership and management skills on the job while in leadership positions. Consequently, their effectiveness as an interprofessional team leader is limited. This certificate will help prepare healthcare professionals with the skills to better coordinate and deliver services which ultimately will result in better health care outcomes. We will focus on team-based approaches that capitalize on authentic case studies, simulations, and exercises, using a mentorship model that leverages technology, such as Project ECHO® and Zoom. Of particular importance will be that teams will work in peer-to-peer dyads with BU alumni mentorship leading and coaching these teams furthering our engagement with alumni.

Project Team

Karen Jacobs, OT, Ed.D., OT, OTR, CPE, FAOTA

Karen Jacobs earned a doctoral degree at the University of Massachusetts in Educational Leadership in Schooling, a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Boston University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. She is an occupational therapist and board-certified professional ergonomist (CPE).

At Boston University, Karen is the Associate Dean of Digital Learning and Innovation, a Clinical Professor of occupational therapy and the Program Director of the online post-professional doctorate in occupational therapy program at Boston University, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College. She has worked at Boston University for 37 years and has expertise in the development and instruction of on-line graduate courses, use of technology to enable social participation among various populations of persons with disabilities, ergonomics, telehealth, and health care marketing.

A current research project in collaboration with faculty in the Boston University on-line post-professional doctorate in occupational therapy program is a mixed-methods study that is investigating equal peer-to-peer mentoring in occupational therapy on-line post-professional graduate education.

Since completing her doctorate in 1993, she has authored, co-authored, edited or co-edited more than 80 peer reviewed journal articles; and over 50 books (multiple editions) and book chapters. Karen is the founding editor-in-chief of the international, interprofessional journal, WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation. She is the co-author of 17 children’s books and is the moderator of two podcasts: Lifestyle by Design and HealthMatters@BUSargent.

Craig E. Slater, PhD, MPH

Craig Slater is the Director, Interprofessional Education and Practice at Boston University, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College. In this role, he has implemented an interprofessional education curriculum for students in occupational therapy, nutrition, athletic training, physical therapy and speech language pathology programs.

Over the past 10 years, Dr. Slater has been developing and delivering interprofessional education in undergraduate and graduate programs at universities in both Australia and the United States. He also has experience working in the public sector, developing and implementing large-scale interprofessional training programs for health professionals working in local health districts across the state of New South Wales. Dr. Slater has practiced as an occupational therapist in Australia and the United Kingdom. Dr. Slater’s research focuses on interprofessional collaboration in education and practice, and student self-directed learning approaches.

Bronwyn Keefe, PhD, MPH, MSW

Bronwyn Keefe is a Research Assistant Professor at Boston University’s School of Social Work and Director of the Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research (CADER) and Professional Education Programs (PEP). Dr. Keefe has extensive experience in developing curriculum and evaluating training initiatives for professionals who work with older adults and people with disabilities. Through her leadership, CADER has trained over 20,000 workers and worked with more than 450 community-based agencies and state organizations across the country by providing online training in the area of aging. Dr. Keefe has been the PI on many grant-funded projects related to behavioral health, with a focus on building the capacity of providers and communities in understanding the importance of mental health, substance use, and developing age-friendly initiatives to improve the lives of older adults. Dr. Keefe’s research interests are in behavioral health and aging; workforce development; online curriculum development; program and training evaluation; long-term service and support delivery; community-based programs and services; and the intersection of aging and disability programs and policies.

Alumni Advisory Board

Mary Beth Arensberg, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND

Mary Beth Arensberg is director of health policy and programs, Abbott Nutrition, a division of Abbott. Previously, she was director of public affairs for Abbott Nutrition and has also held management positions in professional relations and nutrition services and education for the company.

Her educational background includes a BS in dietetics from The Ohio State University and an MS in nutrition from the Boston University Sargent College of Allied Health Professions. She completed a clinical dietetic internship at Boston’s New England Deaconess Hospital and earned her PhD in nutrition at OSU.

Among her professional activities, Mary Beth has served in a number of leadership positions with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and state and local dietetic associations. She has given over 100 presentations at local, state, and national and international health professional meetings, has authored more than 50 publications and programs on pediatric and adult nutrition topics, co-authored a book on leadership for dietetic professionals, and a book chapter on international nutrition assessment and research for a graduate book on nutrition assessment.

Mary Beth is past chairman of the Ohio Department of Health’s Healthy Ohio Business Council, has served as a board member for the Children’s Hunger Alliance and as a director for the American Dietetic Association Foundation Board. She currently serves on the Ohio 4-H Foundation Board and is the Graduate School representative on the Ohio State University Alumni Advisory Council.

Kristin David

Kristin David graduated with a degree in Occupational Therapy from Boston University in 2003. She began her career working with adults and children with developmental disabilities in New York City. In 2010, she returned to MA and began working at OTA the Koomar Center providing Occupational Therapy to children and adults with sensory processing and feeding challenges. Concurrently, she began work as an inpatient OT at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, MA where she serves as a member of the hospital’s NICHE task force and is a founding member of the OT delirium prevention initiative. Kristin has presented at a variety of conferences through the years including the YAI International Conference in NYC, and most recently, she presented at the 2019 MAOT Conference on Occupational Therapy’s role in the prevention of hospital acquired delirium. She has also co-authored two journal articles, “Assessing Young children with ASD: a Multidisciplinary Approach” and “The Aging Mind, Body, and Spirit: a Novel Interdisciplinary Curriculum for Acute Care Staff”.

Daniel Do, LICSW, MPH

Daniel Do earned a Master’s in Social Work and a Master’s in Public from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The Ohio State University. Daniel is currently a second year PhD student at Boston University School of Social Work. He also has a private therapy practice geared towards LGBTQ+ and Persons of Color and those who identify as LGBTQ+ POC. Daniel teaches within the Master’s in Social Work program for the online and Charles River Campus programs. Previously, he led behavioral health and primary care integration programs at local federally qualified health centers.

Jennifer Kitano

Jennifer Kitano began her athletic training career by receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from Boston University and her Master of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Promotion from the University of Kentucky. Following her academic career, Jennifer worked as an instructor in entry-level athletic training education while working as a staff athletic trainer for Division II and Division III athletics. In 2008, Jennifer completed the Athletic Trainer Physician Extender Residency Program at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, CO and then served on their staff as an athletic trainer in clinic, surgery, and US Snowboarding events with Dr. Thomas Hackett.

In 2013, Jennifer created the Physician Practice Workgroup while serving as the District 1 representative on the Committee on Practice Advancement as part of the National Athletic Trainer’s Association. Jennifer co-directed the Athletic Trainers in Physician Practice NATA Pre-Conference Workshop from 2013-2015 and has lectured at the event on multiple occasions. Jennifer spearheaded the creation of the Physician Practice Value Model as it relates to athletic trainers working in the physician practice setting and has served as a contributor to the Orthopedic Specialty Certification Practice Analysis with the Board of Certification. Jennifer currently serves as a founding Board Member and the Director of Education for the Athletic Trainers in Physician Practice Society (ATPPS). Jennifer currently serves as the Clinic Staff Supervisor for Outpatient Orthopedics and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at CU Specialty Care in Highlands Ranch, CO.

Elizabeth Marcinkus, Au.D.

Dr. Marcinkus is the Clinical Coordinator of Audiology and Senior Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences at Gallaudet University. In her role, she oversees the on-campus clinical education of doctoral-level audiology students and their off-campus externship experience. She is also a clinician at the Gallaudet University Hearing & Speech Center. Dr. Marcinkus appreciates this unique learning environment, as it challenges students, faculty, and staff to think outside of society’s cultural and linguistic norms. She sits on the committee responsible for developing a graduate-level core requirement in diversity/inclusion education at Gallaudet. Her areas of interest include: providing audiological services within the Deaf Community, infant diagnostic evaluations/parental counseling, and adult hearing aid services. Dr. Marcinkus completed her bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders at Boston University and obtained her clinical doctorate in audiology at Gallaudet University. When she is not at work, Dr. Marcinkus enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, and leading her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.

Sameer Mehta

Sameer Mehta is currently a sports physical therapist for the Orlando Magic. He served as the clinical supervisor for outpatient physical therapy at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH) in Washington, DC where he worked for over twelve years. He also played a role as the Director of Rehabilitation/Sports Science & Analytics and a researcher with an elite baseball program in DC.

Sameer enjoyed a role in academia as an adjunct professor in orthopedics at Marymount University’s physical therapy program and as faculty for the Functional Manual Orthopedic Residency Program at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH). In order to effectively manage the sports medicine population, his clinical evaluation and treatment philosophy center around functional manual therapy along with integrating diagnostics such as diagnostic/real time musculoskeletal ultrasound, dry needling, and advanced therapeutic exercise.

Sameer has extensive experience with the US Marines, obstacle course racers, competitive runners, US Soccer along with elite athletes at the high school, collegiate and professional level in all four major sports.

Sameer’s research passions and publications are integrating injury risk and sports science with wearable sensor technology, bone stress injury and novel imaging, along with utilizing diagnostic imaging in a direct-access physical therapy setting. He has had the honor of speaking at national and international conferences on topics related to diagnostic imaging in physical therapy, musculoskeletal ultrasound, along with workload and injury in elite baseball. He recently spoke at the 2nd World Congress of Sports Physical Therapy in Belfast, Ireland where he won the oral paper research award.

He holds his board specialty in sports from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), certified in functional dry needling, and blood flow restriction training. He also serves as a reviewer for peer reviewed journals in sports science and medicine. Sameer earned his undergraduate and graduate studies at Boston University in Boston, MA where he received his undergraduate degree in Exercise Science and Health Studies, Masters of Science, and Doctorate of Physical Therapy. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors and playing sports in Orlando with his wife, Trushna, and his children, Aryan and Lara.

Amanda L. Prine, M.S., CCC-SLP

Amanda Prine is a Senior Speech-Language Pathologist at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. She specializes in the evaluation and treatment of swallowing, communication, and cognitive disorders related to stroke, brain and spinal cord injury, and other neurological conditions. She is passionate about medical speech-language pathology across the continuum of rehabilitative care, and has had the pleasure of serving individuals from birth through end of life in her career.

In her role at Magee, Amanda contributes to a variety of interdisciplinary teams and projects. Her professional interests include therapeutic and assistive technology, telehealth, clinical education and supervision, and leadership development. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and an alum of its 2014 Leadership Development Program. With a strong desire to collaborate with peers and provide best evidence-based practice to clients, she is also a member of the Medical SLP Collective and multiple ASHA Special Interest Groups.

Amanda earned an M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Boston University in 2011 and a B.A. in Speech and Hearing Science from The George Washington University in 2009. She completed her Clinical Fellowship in Speech-Language Pathology at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, DC before returning to her home town of Philadelphia, where she currently resides.

Beyond work, Amanda volunteers with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, where she sits on the Women’s Philanthropy board. She enjoys yoga, trying new restaurants around town, and spending time with friends and family.

Amanda Schmitz

Amanda Schmitz is a nationally certified Physician Assistant working as the Lead Advanced Practice Provider in Primary Care for Stanford Health Care. Amanda earned her undergraduate degree in Health Science from Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. After graduation, she worked as a Pulmonary Function Technologist at Boston Children’s Hospital while completing a Certificate in Biotechnology from Metropolitan College. She went on to receive her Master of Medical Sciences in Physician Assistant Studies from Wake Forest University. Amanda started her career as PA working in Family and Sports Medicine before joining Stanford Health Care in 2019.

David Shi

David Shi is a urologist and surgeon with a background in engineering, born and raised in Massachusetts.

Interest in the management of benign urological conditions–including kidney stones, enlarged prostates, and recurrent urinary infections–using ambulatory endoscopic techniques. Also interested in endoscopy, laparoscopy, and robotics for the minimally invasive treatment of urologic malignancy. Passion for serving at-risk patient populations including immigrant, refugee, and health-illiterate persons.

Proud to serve the Merrimack Valley as an associate at Merrimack Urology Associates. Lover of music, art, and dance. Happiest while cooking and gardening at home with his wife, Jenn, and children–Jacob and Lianna.

Jennifer Valenzuela, MSW, MPH

Jennifer Valenzuela is the Chief People and Equity officer for Health Leads, an innovation hub that pursues both national and local initiatives that address the deep societal roots of racial inequity that impact our health. A non-profit founded in 1996, Health Leads helped set the standard for health systems and clinics looking to integrate programs that connect people to essential health resources like food, heat and housing. Today, Health Leads is focused on building partnerships and redesigning systems so every person, in every community, can live with health, well-being and dignity.

Jennifer brings over 20 years of experience building and supporting teams in the health care sector to her current role. Jennifer previously oversaw Health Leads’ clinical program implementation and integration at health systems and clinics nationwide — coaching and training of staff, establishing and promoting best practices for resource navigation, and codifying the program model. Prior to Health Leads, she was director of The Young Parents Program (YPP) at Boston Children’s Hospital, a multidisciplinary clinic dedicated to working with teen mothers and fathers. As a licensed independent clinical social worker, Jennifer also worked in the emergency departments of Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, providing psychiatric and social crisis intervention.

Jennifer has served as board president and general member for the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy Board of Directors and is alumni of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation Massachusetts Institute for Community Health Leadership program. Currently, she is a member of the MassHealth Delivery System & Payment Reform Implementation Council, Vice President for Membership and Diversity with the National Association of Social Workers, Massachusetts Chapter. She graduated from Portland State University with a BS in Sociology and Boston University with an MSW in Clinical Social Work and MPH in Policy and Management.

Partners

Project ECHO®

The Interprofessional Leadership Certificate will use Project ECHO® to facilitate technology-enabled collaborative learning. Project ECHO® is based on specialists sharing their expertise and providing telementorship and guided practice to help health teams to deliver high-quality specialized services to clients in their own communities globally. Developed by Dr. Sanjeev Arora at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque, Project ECHO® has rapidly expanded and is currently used to address complex health conditions all over the world. Learn more about Project ECHO®.