New Education Deans
The vacancies left by the departures of Lisa Mellman, MD, as senior associate dean for students in the Office of Student Affairs and Hilda Hutcherson, MD, as senior associate dean in the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs have been filled by three faculty members.
In the Office of Student Affairs, Jean-Marie Alves-Bradford, MD, will serve as associate dean for student affairs, support & services, while Salila Kurra, MD, will serve as associate dean for student career development.
David L. Bell MD, will serve as associate dean for diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the renamed Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging.
“From orientation to graduation, the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging assist our medical students in their journey through medical school,” says Monica Lypson, MD, vice dean for education at VP&S. “All three new associate deans are perfectly positioned to use their prior experiences and special areas of expertise to work collaboratively in fostering the professional and personal well-being of our students. I am delighted to have them all as part of the team in medical education.”
As associate dean of student affairs, support & services, Dr. Alves-Bradford will be the primary contact for university issues related to student affairs and oversee the system of community support, class activities, and other services provided for students. She will continue to serve as the associate dean for medical school professionalism, where she spearheads the school’s training programs for departments, clerkships, and courses related to student mistreatment issues. Dr. Alves-Bradford will work as a conciliator to assist students in resolving personal and academic issues and be a trusted point of contact for students seeking guidance and advice.
Dr. Alves-Bradford, associate professor of psychiatry, has served as director of the Washington Heights Community Service at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and the training director for Columbia University’s NIMH-funded T32 Research Fellowship in Global Mental Health. She is also the inaugural director of the Department of Psychiatry’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and associate clinical director of NYSPI. A graduate of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University, she has been a Columbia faculty member since completing her psychiatric residency at Columbia, where she served as chief resident.
As associate dean for student career development, Dr. Kurra will oversee career services to promote career exploration and guide students through the residency application and Match processes. She has served as an advisory dean since 2016 and is former director of the endocrinology fellowship program, giving her experience with mentoring, training, and educating students and trainees. She will continue as a member of the VP&S curriculum re-imagining creative workgroup.
Dr. Kurra is associate professor of medicine and clinical chief in the Division of Endocrinology. A specialist in adrenal, thyroid, and bone disease, she is medical director of the Columbia Adrenal Center. A VP&S graduate, she has been on the faculty since completing her residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in endocrinology at Columbia.
Dr. Bell’s role as associate dean of diversity, inclusion and belonging will allow him to continue and expand upon the medical school’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging. He has demonstrated a commitment to advancing health care and addressing the unique needs of diverse populations and has presented research on primary care for adolescent and young adult males at regional, national, and international forums. Dr. Bell, professor of pediatrics, has been involved in initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion at VP&S. He has been a member of the admissions committee for over a decade, playing a crucial role in recognizing and nurturing diversity within each incoming class. His connections with VP&S students and experience with pipeline programs will ensure a seamless integration into this role.
Dr. Bell received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and a master’s degree in public health from the University of California at Berkeley. He completed his residency at Bellevue Hospital and a fellowship at the University of California San Francisco.