March 2024
From the Dean's Office...
Mary Ellen Ferolito
she, her, hers
Asst Dean of Operations
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
With the release of our March newsletter, we’re thrilled to usher in the arrival of Spring and all of the exciting opportunities it brings for growth, renewal and transformation!
As the clocks “spring” forward, we enjoy longer, brighter days, and the official start of Spring is just around the corner. Despite predictions of a harsh winter, we’ve been fortunate to enjoy a milder one, perhaps thanks to Punxsutawney Phil’s forecast of an early spring. Though we all know that New England weather can be unpredictable, the warmer weather assure us that any snow that falls now will melt quickly.
So let’s welcome this new season with open arms! Take some time to relax during March break, enjoy outside events like the Boston Marathon or even a Red Sox game, and start planning those summer adventures.
And don’t forget to join us at the SHRS Faculty and Staff retreat on Monday, March 25 – it’s an excellent opportunity for us to come together, learn and grow as a team. Here’s to embracing the spirit of spring and all the exciting possibilities it brings!
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Meet our Two New Reference Librarians:
Shokria Ahmadi & Katie Stinson
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I'm Shokria Ahmadi, and I recently joined MGH IHP as a Reference Librarian for Instruction. Prior to joining IHP, I had the opportunity to work in various public and academic libraries both in the US and in my home country Afghanistan, accumulating over a decade of experience in the field. In my previous roles, I primarily worked within academic libraries, focusing on renovating library spaces and facilitating access to various information resources for students and faculty members. Additionally, I gained valuable experience during a two-year working at a public library, where I had the opportunity to interact with individuals from diverse social and educational backgrounds. I'm delighted to be a part of the team at IHP, as I've found it to be a welcoming and professional work environment.
I'm also pursuing a Ph.D. in Library and Information Science at Simmons University, now in my second semester. My research interest focuses on exploring the impact of social networks and social capital on knowledge sharing within educational environments.
Outside of work and studies, I am a proud parent to two children aged 12 and 7. Balancing work, education, and family is a priority for me, with family always taking precedence.
Coming from a country where access to education, particularly for girls and women, faces significant challenges, I am committed to advocate for change. Through my studies and research, I aim to amplify the voices of those facing educational barriers and inspire hope for a brighter future.
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Hi, I’m Katie Stinson and I’m one of the new Reference Librarians at the Bellack Library, focusing on outreach and engagement. I’m originally from Michigan, but I lived in California on and off for the last 20 years, prior to moving to Chelmsford around a month ago.
I received my BA from the University of Michigan in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, and just graduated with my Master of Library and Information Sciences (MLIS) from San Jose State University.
At the library, I’ll be helping with research consultations, supervising our GAs, hosting instruction sessions, and finding ways to help promote our services to the community.
Fun fact: I’ve driven across country five times (four times from MI to CA and once from CA to MA). It’s a long drive, but fun to see new places—this most recent trip, I even got to drive through 7 new states! Like I mentioned, I’m new to the area, so please reach out to me with any recommendations of fun things to do and see!
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PT Well Represented at APTA Annual Conference |
By John Shaw
For Liz Phan, Nicole Lubon, Pratyusha Macherla and Rachel Rallo, attending the 2024 Combined Sections Meeting (CSM), the American Physical Therapy Association’s annual conference was a good swap.
The first-year Doctor of Physical Therapy students had just attended lectures at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center, where the conference was held February 15-17. So even though they missed a day of classes – faculty made classes optional – the experience of joining more than 15,000 people from the physical therapy profession more than made up for it.
“Everyone’s a PT and everyone’s learning,” said Lubon, as she and her classmates stood in the conference’s crowded Exhibition Hall. “It’s reinforcing what we’re learning in class,” noted Phan. Added Macherla, “To see all these PTs here has just been such an incredible opportunity.”
Their experiences were exactly what associate professor Devashish Tiwari was looking to hear. “This conference provides a great platform for students to hear some of the new things that are coming up in the field and that gives them the opportunity to connect to different people, because they see us all the time at the IHP,” said Dr. Tiwari. “It’s always a good idea for students to connect to more people and gain more insights, and it gives them an opportunity to network and maybe find a future mentor.”
Being in Boston, the conference attracted a large number of alumni. “It’s fun that Boston is hosting the CSM because everyone’s here,” said Heather Molind, Class of 2012, director of the pediatric PT residency program at Boston Children’s Hospital. Right behind her was Garth Savidge, DPT ’02, who was recalling his days as a student when the Institute was located in the 101 Merrimac Street office building near the TD Garden. Tony Wu, who just graduated in January, was among the newest alumni in attendance.
Overall, more than 100 IHP’ers were at the conference, including a sizeable number who attended the alumni reception held Friday night a Faneuil Hall restaurant. That gathering occurred after the event’s award ceremony, during which time two former department chairs were recognized for their work.
Dr. Pamela Levangie, professor emerita, received the President’s Award, which honors an individual who has provided exemplary service or noteworthy contributions in advancing the vision, mission, or goals of the APTA Academy of Education.
Dr. Leslie Portney, dean emerita (after being program chair, she was the Institute’s first dean of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences), received the Academy of Education Award for Leadership in Education, which recognizes a nationally prominent educator who has exhibited outstanding leadership and contributions to physical therapy education.
And it wasn’t just reunions and reminiscing. More than three dozen faculty, alumni, and students gave poster presentations, education sessions, or platform sessions during the event. Among the posters were:
- “Vagus Nerve Stimulation Paired with Mobility Training in Chronic Ischemic Stroke: A Single-Subject Design,” co-authored by Dr. Matthew Picard-Fraser, DPT ’21, a student in the PhD in rehabilitation Sciences program, and a research fellow in the Brain Recovery Lab; and Dr. Teresa Kimberley, the lab’s director;
- “Racial Inequities in Referral and Participation in Outpatient Physical Therapy,” co-authored by instructor Rebecca Pham, DPT ’19, assistant professor of health professions education Dr. Anshul Kumar, and orthopedic residency graduates. Lauren Rimmel and Nicholas Capobianco.
- “Biopsychosocial Determinants of Obesity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” co-authored by assistant professors Dr. Benjamin Adams and Dr. Maninder Kaur, and Class of 2024 graduates Elizabeth Cheung, Kendra Andrada, and Anajose Erana.
“These conferences are always a great way to highlight the research that's coming out of the Institute,” noted the program’s interim chair, Dr. Keshrie Naidoo. “When people think about schools in Massachusetts, the IHP is one of the really prominent names. And because our collaborations are with fellow faculty, students, alumni, and orthopedic residents at a national conference on a national platform, it’s really powerful for a student and a new grad to experience.”
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SHRS Research Grant Recipients
The following applicants were awarded SHRS Dean's Office Research Grants:
Lauren Baron (with Yael Arbel) Title: "Training verbal mediation to support executive function in children with developmental language disorder"
Tara Mansour Title: "Increasing Student Success and Placement Capacity Through the Utilization of the Collaborative Supervision Model"
Keshrie Naidoo (with Perman Gochyyev) Title: "An ecological approach to understanding individual and environmental factors influencing on time degree attainment"
Stephen Wechsler (with Team)
- Christian Baglini, BS, MA, AGNP-BC Nurse Practitioner Tucker Gosnell Center for Gastrointestinal Cancers Massachusetts General Hospital
- Kathleen Lyons, ScD, OTR/L Professor, Occupational Therapy MGH Institute of Health Professions Sheel
- Singh, MA PhD Student, Rehabilitation Sciences MGH Institute of Health Professions
Title: "The Effects of Treatment for Colorectal Cancer on Exercise Self-Efficacy and Exercise Participation: A Longitudinal Study"
Congratulations!
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Running the 2024 Boston Marathon to Pay It Forward By John Shaw
When Molly Allen laces ’em up on April 15 and tackles this year’s Boston Marathon, she will be adding the world’s oldest marathon to the four other 26.2-mile courses she’s run around the world while fulfilling a personal goal.
A competitive runner in high school and college who continues to log mileage regularly, Allen is one of two runners who will run the 2024 Boston Marathon for Team IHP and add to the more than $160,000 that more than two dozen students, alumni, and faculty have raised to support the MGH Institute since 2011.
“This race has been on my bucket list for years,” said Allen, a student in the MGH Institute’s Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology program who previously graduated from the IHP in 2018 with a master’s in SLP.
Growing up in upstate New York with an older brother who is autistic helped spur Allen to major in psychology and minor in neuroscience at Haverford College before heading to Boston to attend the IHP.
“My brother's ability to effectively communicate his wants, needs, thoughts, and opinions has been key to his quality of life and independence throughout his life,” said Allen, who continues to work at the League School for Autism and hopes to use her doctoral degree to advance the evidence base for, and quality of, neurodiversity-affirming services for autistic individuals. “Once I began to seriously consider career options for myself, I realized that supporting autistic individuals in strengthening their self-advocacy skills was extremely important to me, and speech-language pathology was the perfect fit.”
Because Allen has been able to pay to attend the IHP twice now, she is running to raise funds for student scholarships so others can follow their dreams of making a difference in the lives of patients.
“It is so important to me to pay it forward by fundraising for scholarships so that any interested student, regardless of financial status, can access the top-notch education provided by the IHP,” she said, noting that she learned how to be a critical thinker, problem solver, and supportive clinician in the master’s program.
“I am especially excited to be supporting an organization that has had such a positive impact on my personal and professional life while running through the city I once called home for five years.”
Donate to Molly Allen.
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Meet Four Students and Alums Teaching in the IMPACT Practice Center
Alumni and students alike have opportunities on campus to explore roles in academia and professional practice at the IMPACT Practice Center.
Currently, among others, four Post-Professional Occupational Therapy students are teaching in the IMPACT Practice Center's interprofessional curriculum for pre-licensure programs, sharing their expertise, facilitating team building and collaborating with each other.
Pictured here from left to right, Amy Donabedian, PP-OTD ‘25, Paula Boylan, PP-OTD ‘23, Nikki Beatrice, PP-OTD ‘23, and Lisa Cohen, PP-OTD ‘23.
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Seeking Performers
for Arts Event in April
On Tuesday, April 16 at noon during our Spring Reading Days in Shouse 305, we will be hosting an Expression of the Arts event. Expression of the Arts is an opportunity for faculty, staff, students, and even alum to share their artistic talents with the IHP community. Dancers, singers, instrumentalists, spoken word, poetry, visual arts: anyone is welcome to participate. If you'd like to get involved or find out more, contact Mike Boutin, Asst Dean for Faculty and Student Success: eboutin@mghihp.edu
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DPT Alum Named
Chair of Physical Therapy Council
Meaghan Costello will serve as a liaison to leadership within the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, American Physical Therapy Association and Academy of Neurological Physical Therapy.
Meaghan Costello, a 2002 Doctor of Physical Therapy graduate and a board-certified clinical specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy, was named chair of the Neurologic Specialty Council of the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.
The council develops and maintains certification of neurologic physical therapists in the U.S. by developing minimum eligibility requirements and conducting practice analysis research to define specialty area and advanced clinical competencies. As chair, Costello will serve as a liaison to leadership within the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, American Physical Therapy Association and Academy of Neurological Physical Therapy.
Dr. Costello is a senior physical therapist at Massachusetts General Hospital.
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JEDI Training
Thanks to our JEDI Office for providing these helpful JEDI resources:
Stay Connected:
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JEDI Office D2L page - Keep informed about various JEDI Office and other IHP JEDI-related events and initiatives (e.g., Black Employee Resource Group, JEDI Fellows projects, etc.) on the D2L page. We update our D2L page regularly with information and resources.
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And follow the JEDI Office Instagram to get the most up to date information about our events and see our Black History Month featured post @ihpjedi (linked)
JEDI Curated Padlets:
These padlets are intended as a collection of JEDI Office curated resources for your own ongoing JEDI learning, you will find different 101 videos, resources on teaching and learning, self-care and action and more. No matter where you are in your journey, you will find something useful for your next steps. While these resources are geared towards students, faculty or staff they are open to everyone.
REJI Video Libary
The Racial Justice and Equality Institute (REJI) is pleased to offer a library of workshop videos with some of the nation’s foremost leaders in racial equity practice in higher education. Check it out linked here!
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Free Mental Health and Financial Resources
Lyra: Lyra is an AllWays Health Partners-sponsored benefit that connects Mass General Brigham employees and their dependents, who have Mass General Brigham Select or Plus employee health plans, to mental and emotional health care that is effective, convenient and personalized. Using technology, proven treatments and a network of top therapists and coaches, Lyra will match you to the right care for your needs, from short-term therapy and coaching to mental wellness tools.
Free Headspace Account through MGB EAP
· 1000+ hours of mindfulness and sleep content
· Mini exercises for busy schedules
· Proven to reduce stress in just 10 days
GreenPath Financial Counseling (free): MGH IHP is an institutional member of the Harvard University Employees Credit Union. Students, staff, and faculty (whether or not you are a member of HUECU) have access to the GreenPath Financial Wellness Program.
As part of this program, you can take advantage of free one-on-one credit, budget, debt repayment and federal student loan counseling. A caring GreenPath expert will take time to understand your financial situation and develop a personalized plan that works for you.
To speak with a GreenPath Financial Counselor, call 877-337-3399. Help is available in more than 150 languages. Use this GreenPath Checklist to prepare yourself for the call.
In addition, GreenPath offers the following self-serve resources:
Free Webinars Register today for a free financial webinar presented by GreenPath education professionals. Or watch a recorded webinar at your convenience.
Financial Education Library These articles may help you get out of debt, stay out of debt, plan for major purchases and make smart financial decisions.
GreenPath Newsletter Pathways, GreenPath’s monthly newsletter, offers personal finance advice, tips and financial news updates.
Greenpath Blog GreenPath bloggers provide timely tips and insight on financial issues that may impact you.
Learning Lab+ GreenPath knows that the key to financial wellness is financial education, and that’s why they have developed Learning Lab+, a free online education portal designed by experts.
HUECU is offering a number of workshops, including ones on home loans, student loan forgiveness, and others. To see a list of upcoming workshops, click here.
Thanks to our JEDI Office for this useful list of free resources!
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Therapy Dogs are Coming to Campus
We are piloting a new program to host therapy dogs on campus once a month, on either Monday or Wednesday from 12pm-1pm, at either Shouse lobby or 2CW student lounge.
Here’s the schedule:
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March 27: Wed 12-1pm 2CW 2nd floor student lounge
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April 17: Wed 11am-2pm Reading Days Shouse lobby
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May 20: Mon 12-1pm 2CW 2nd floor student lounge
- June 26: Wed 12-1pm Shouse lobby
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July 15: Mon 12-1pm 2CW 2nd floor student lounge
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August 12: Mon 11-2pm Reading Days Shouse lobby
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September 4: Wed 12-1pm 2CW 2nd floor student lounge
- October 16: Wed 12-1pm Shouse lobby
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November 18: Mon 12-1pm 2CW 2nd floor student lounge
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December 3 Tues 11am-2pm Reading Days Shouse lobby
Mark your calendars, and plan to spend a little time de-stressing with our furry friends!
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March 18-24: Spring Break
March 26, 12pm, Shouse 305: Student Leadership Awards
March 27, 12-1pm, 2CW lounge: Therapy Dogs
April 15: Last day of Spring Semester
April 16-17: Reading Days
April 16, 12pm, Shouse 205: Spring into the Arts Event
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Upcoming SHRS Faculty and Staff Retreat:
Mark Your Calendars
All SHRS staff and faculty are invited to join the Dean's Office for a half-day retreat on Monday, March 25, from 8am-12pm in 1CW. Breakfast will be served from 8-8:30am. After breakfast and some getting to know you ice breakers, we'll spend our time together drafting a renewed mission and vision statement, and core values that will guide our work into the future. A "Save the Date" was previously sent out, but if you have questions, reach out to Mary Ellen Ferolito, Asst Dean of Operations, mferolito@mghihp.edu
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PhD Interdisciplinary Seminars
All are welcome in person or via Zoom.
April 2, 12pm, Shouse 303
KaRynn Sheranian, Baothy Huynh - Student presentations
Zoom link: https://mghihp.zoom.us/j/82523402810
April 9, 9am, 1CW 165
Tim DeLuca’s dissertation defense on "Children with Language Disorders in Public School Systems: Leveraging implementation Science to Inform Interprofessional Practice and Instruction"
Zoomlink: https://buhipaa.zoom.us/j/4980264573?pwd=MTJsSlgxYWtsa2NLdXIrNU5sYVdZdz09
April 9, 12pm, Shouse 303
Ehsan Sinaei, Katherine Golden - Student presentations
Zoom link: https://mghihp.zoom.us/j/82523402810
April 22, 3pm, 1CW 165
Kate Radville’s dissertation defense on “Families of Children with Developmental Language Disorder: Understanding and Empowering for Improved Practice”
Zoom link: https://mghihp.zoom.us/j/8514320130
April 30, 10am, 1CW 165
Brenda Lovette’s dissertation defense on "Paving the Way for a Novel Mindfulness-based Rehabilitation Intervention for Persistent Concussion Symptoms"
Zoom link: https://mghihp.zoom.us/j/85756099907
Meeting ID: 857 5609 9907
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Free Faculty Development Resource
Over 60 IHP faculty members have activated their free membership to the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity. In March, NCFDD experts will be offering two webinars related to their core curriculum for faculty success: How to Develop a Daily Writing Practice on Thursday, March 14 at 2:00 pm and Every Semester Needs a Plan on Tuesday, March 19 at 1:00 pm. In addition, they will host a webinar on "Student-Centered Mentoring" on Tuesday, March 19 at 1:00 pm. Register and access additional resources here.
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SHRS Dean's Office
Laura Plummer, PT, DPT, EdD, NCS
lplummer@mghihp.edu
Dean, SHRS
617-643-6324
Mary Ellen Ferolito
Asst Dean of Operations
mferolito@mghihp.edu
617-724-4841
Emile R "Mike" Boutin, Jr, EdD
Asst Dean for Faculty & Student Success
eboutin@mghihp.edu
617-726-8021
Comments about our newsletter? Article ideas?
Mike Boutin: eboutin@mghihp.edu
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