Our Team

Julie Joyal

  • Founding Executive Director

    Ms. Joyal has been a registered nurse for over 30 years and enjoyed a rewarding career in the ICU of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston. Moved by the educational disparities that she witnessed in the Boston Public School District, she earned an Ed.M in Education Policy & Management from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Within minutes of observing the MEDscience program, she knew she had found something special and her soon-to-be life’s work. Julie’s multi-faceted background in nursing and education, combined with her commitment to the program’s unique mission and pedagogy, position her to make an especially meaningful impact on the HMS MEDscience Program.

Obi Onochie

  • MEDscienceLAB and Forensics Director

    Obi graduated from Boston University School of Medicine with a Master’s degree in Medical Sciences and a doctorate degree in Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology. After completing her doctorate, she joined CityLab, a biotechnology-based outreach program, where she worked as the Education Program Coordinator. While there, she ran the afterschool program and created hands-on laboratory experiences for students in grades 9 - 12. Obi is passionate about teaching science and research methods to the next generation, with a special interest in improving STEM education in minority communities. The mission of HMS MEDscience to increase student exposure to STEM through innovative, hands-on and simulated medical experiences aligns with Obi’s interests and goals. As a member of the HMS MEDscience team, she aims to continue stimulating scientific curiosity in students who may otherwise feel that a career in STEM is beyond their reach.

Camilla Alexius-Chin

  • HMS MEDscience Lead Teacher

    Camilla earned her BA in Biology with a minor in Music from Smith College. She completed her Master’s Degree in Science Education through the Boston Teacher Residency. Camilla was a teacher in the Boston Public Schools for 7 years and enjoyed teaching Chemistry, Environmental Science, and Biology. In the classroom, Camilla encouraged her students to act as scientists to understand and solve scientific problems. She is excited to continue this work and empower students through MEDscience’s immersive, hands-on experiences.

  • HMS MEDscience Assistant Teacher

    Malcolm Milord received his bachelors of science in the field of Kinesiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His experience includes working as an intern with UMass Athletics in his fall semester of his senior year where he worked as an athletic training intern servicing a multitude of the university’s division 1 sports. Since then, he has worked as an administrative coordinator at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA within their concierge care clinic. He currently also works part time at the Track at New Balance as an events and operations staff, where he successfully created and launched a line of track related stickers for the merchandise team. His long-term goal is to work as a sports science researcher in a sportswear company where he can help test athletic performance and help improve upon it using new innovative ideas to help improve their equipment. While here at MEDScience, he hopes to help the inner-city youth of Boston understand that they don’t necessarily have to become a doctor or nurse but to understand there are multiple pathways into life sciences!

  • HMS MEDscience Teacher Trainer

    Olivia graduated from Curry College with a B.A. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry and completed her M.S. in Adolescent Education in Biology from Molloy College. Following graduate school, she was a teacher for nine years teaching Biology, Forensic Science, MEDscience Lab, Physics, Marine Biology, and Nutrition. She had the pleasure to work alongside FBI agents for four years as a Teaching Assistant teaching Digital Forensics for Boston College’s Cybersecurity Policy and Governance program. Olivia takes pride in connecting students with the FBI, women in STEM, and law enforcement professionals with the goal of cultivating student’s passions to build a potential career path. In addition to educating students, she takes great pleasure in educating teachers in classroom management, curriculum development, and teacher training. While teaching, she enjoyed coaching ice hockey, field hockey, and volleyball. Olivia is continuously inspired by the amazing teachers at HMS MEDscience and the work they do instilling student’s critical thinking skills, encouraging scientific curiosity, and building health literacy in a simulated medical setting.

  • HMS MEDscience Teacher

    Dr. Lee joined the HMS MEDScience faculty after five years as a volunteer teacher. She completed medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine and earned her PhD in Immunology in 2001. After spending two years as a surgical resident at the Weill Cornell New York Presbyterian program, she returned to Boston where her husband now serves as the Division Chief of Plastic Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital. Britt has always had a passion for teaching and an interest in educational equity. The immersive teaching experience of HMS MEDScience coupled with its mission to foster and support a pursuit of STEM careers for all students encouraged her to join the team officially in 2021.

  • Administrative Coordinator

    Meaghan graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a BS in Philosophy and a minor in Digital Media. She comes from a background of working in film and television. Learning about the MEDscience program was a big motivation in her career change, as she is inspired by the work that is done here. She is looking forward to supporting a team of wonderful teachers and the mission to make a difference in the lives of high school students.

Nancy Oriol

  • President & Co-Founder

    Dr. Oriol is Former Dean for Students, and current Dean of Community Engagement in Medical Education, Associate Professor of Anaesthesia, and Lecturer on Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Her educational innovations include introducing the use of mannequin simulation to the curriculum for medical students and co-founding the HMS MEDscience program to teach science and inspire critical thinking in high school students. Her passion for community service and social entrepreneurship, such as starting Family Van and the HMS MEDscience program, continuously inspires her students and colleagues.

  • HMS MEDscience Lead Teacher, Assistant Director of Programming

    Erin graduated from Connecticut College with a BA in Behavioral Neuroscience and a minor in Applied Statistics. Her passion for medicine, public health, and education inspired her to become deeply involved with the program’s various internship opportunities along with the general mission of the program. Erin is inspired by the hands-on teaching pedagogy employed at HMS MEDscience and hopes to engage students of various backgrounds in the Boston area with the use of high-tech interactive learning and critical thinking.

Maria-Kassandra Coronel

  • HMS MEDscience Lead Teacher

    Dr. Coronel graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in Psychobiology, BS. She then finished medical school at the University of Santo Tomas, Faculty of Medicine (UST-FMS) in the Philippines. Upon graduating, she then pursued postgraduate training at Makati Medical Center and global clinical research studies at Harvard Medical School with a concentration in advanced quantitative methods of epidemiology. Dr. Coronel has broad experience serving underprivileged populations through social and educational outreach programs, as well as medical missions which provide medical and surgical care to those in need pro bono. Dr. Coronel values improving access to education and believes in the importance of representation for better health outcomes. She was drawn to MEDscience’s inclusive approach and emphasis on experiential learning and health literacy. As an educator, she aims to build community, foster engagement, and instill values such as empathy, respect, and ownership.

  • HMS MEDscience Teacher

    Dr. Sierra completed medical school at Universidad del Norte in Colombia, and he is also currently working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Liver and Transplants Department at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Leandro has acquired precious skills working as a general physician in underserved areas, earning a solid background in patient care in life-threatening situations. He firmly believes that his challenging background can be used to boost confidence in young students, inspiring them to achieve fulfilling careers. Furthermore, his fluency in both English and Spanish drops barriers among Hispanic students and patients, supporting an equitable educational and medical system. Leandro is applying for medical residency, his dream is to become a Gastroenterologist based on a lifelong teaching career, deeply thinking he will build a remarkable teaching foundation through MEDscience.

Sam Carson

  • Assistant Director of HR, Finance and Strategy

    Sam graduated from the Harvard Kennedy School with a Master in Public Policy degree and has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Vanderbilt University. He most recently served as Director of Development and Administration at Project 351, a youth service and leadership development nonprofit. Previously, Sam served in Massachusetts state government as a member of Governor Deval Patrick’s advance staff and a capital project manager at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). Sam is inspired by HMS MEDscience's hands-on learning model and its talented, dedicated staff of teachers and medical professionals. He is looking forward to applying his background in nonprofit administration and project management to support the growth of the organization.

  • HMS MEDscience Lead Teacher, Assistant Director of Curriculum, BPS Liaison

    Tim DiMario received his undergraduate degree from UMass Amherst in the fields of Wildlife Biology and Ecology and later earned his MED from UMass Boston in conjunction with the Boston Teacher Residency in 2007. Since then, Tim has been a full-time classroom teacher for Boston Public Schools totaling 14 years in science classroom setting. During his tenure at Boston Public Schools Tim has taught Biology, AP Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Biotech, Genetics, and Advanced Topics in Science. Currently Tim is one of the lead teachers at HMS MEDscience delivering their hands-on curriculum to Boston Public School students while also acting as the liaison between HMS MEDscience and all BPS partner schools. Tim is also a veteran of the armed forces, a certified CPR instructor, and an avid outdoorsman.

Michelle Fontan Delucio

  • HMS MEDscience Lead Teacher

    Michelle studied pre-medicine at Penn State and is certified as a nationally registered Emergency Medical Technician through Boston University. Her four-year tenure serving the public for Fallon Ambulance included two years as a Field Training Officer and an added civilian casualty tactical care skillset while she continued her academic pursuits. After earning a degree in Biology, Michelle has moved towards a BA in Neuroscience at Wellesley College to better intersect the cognitive and cultural factors behind inclusive caregiving for marginalized populations. She was consequently hooked to the MEDscience pedagogy aiming to promote health literacy and empower the next generation of critically thinking standard-bearers in STEM.

Fiona Kennedy

  • HMS MEDscience Teacher

    Fiona Kennedy graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in Public Health Science. During her time at Maryland, she helped build a youth mentorship program called the Saturday Freedom School where she taught students math, reading, and science until she graduated. Shortly after graduating, she became a Medical Assistant working at Beth Israel Hospital in Obstetrics and Gynecology. During this time, she began volunteering for MEDscience where she saw all of her passions come together. Fiona worked as both a full-time teacher and as the DEIB liaison. She is now gearing up to get her Master of Science in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where she will continue on with MEDscience virtually.

Jules Chou

  • Administrative Coordinator

    Jules comes from a background of healthcare administration and non-profit fundraising. She is drawn to the mission and vision of the program, particularly in teaching students to “think differently — think not only outside of the box, but think like there is no box.” She looks forward to playing her part in supporting and contributing to the success of the program.

Livia Rizzo

  • Program Director

    Livia joined MEDscience as a teacher and curriculum developer in 2017. Previously, Livia was a middle school and high school science teacher at Boston College High School where she implemented the MEDscience curriculum into her physiology course. She was drawn to MEDscience as she values experiential learning as an effective teaching method to inspire students to enjoy science and explore STEM careers. Furthermore, the pedagogical emphasis on boosting confidence in the classroom and empowering young minds to think critically aligns with Livia’s mission as an educator. Livia’s enthusiastic approach to teaching and interest in medicine pair well together in the MEDscience classroom. Livia graduated from Amherst College with a biology and political science major and has completed all pre-medical coursework.

Emma Akuffo

  • HMS MEDscience Teacher

    Emma graduated from Montclair State University with a BS in Biology and a BA in Child Advocacy & Policy. As a dedicated change agent, Emma is passionate about STEM & Child advocacy. Since 2016, she travels annually to villages in Ghana, west Africa to educate children on dental & feminine hygiene, disease prevention, and Biology. During her college years in New Jersey, Emma helped establish the SMART Girls program at the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton. Through the program, she educated girls from age eight to thirteen on health and life skills. As an aspiring physician, Emma is fascinated by the MEDScience’s pedagogy which brilliantly brings science to life.

  • HMS MEDscienceLAB Teacher

    Elisa has a BS in Biology from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and a BEd from Universidad de los Andes. Following her graduation, she spent three years teaching at a rural high school, dedicated to help her students thrive and pursue higher education. Afterward, she joined the Ministry of Education in Chile, where she led various programs aimed at mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's development nationwide. Elisa is passionate about unlocking every student's potential through the power of education and is excited to be a part of the MEDSience team, applying its unique hands-on learning experience, and helping students grow in their self-confidence and teamwork skills, solving real-life problems.

Adway Gopakumar

  • HMS MEDscience Assistant Teacher

    Adway recently graduated from Emory University with a BS in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. His passion for child and adolescent health has grown gradually, beginning in 2018 with a visit to an impoverished school in his parents’ native town of Kerala, India. This experience inspired him to co-found a nonprofit, Liberation Through Education, aimed at using education to uplift children beyond the restrictions of poverty. During college, he mentored South Atlanta high school students via a pipeline program through the Emory School of Medicine as well as worked as a Registered Behavioral Technician for children diagnosed with autism and behavioral disorders. Currently applying to medical schools, Adway aspires to become a clinician leader and advocate for socially and/or economically disadvantaged youth. He is eager to pursue his gap year at MEDscience, helping to raise health literacy and promote diversity in STEM fields.

  • HMS MEDscience Teacher

    Trevor graduated from Connecticut College with a BA in Behavioral Neuroscience and a minor in Theater. He then went on to complete a Master’s degree in Performance Psychology from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Before coming to MEDscience, Trevor worked at the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University researching former NFL player health and wellbeing. He is excited to utilize his knowledge in performance, team-based training, theater, and health equity to promote student growth and understanding in a complex medical world. Trevor is fascinated by MEDscience’s ability to breathe life into scientific teachings, prosper a grounded understanding of medicine, and promote curiosity for all those wanting to explore. As an aspiring nurse, he cannot wait to utilize the skills gained through MEDscience to become a better health care provider and educator for his patients and their families.

Sandy Connors

  • Summer Program Coordinator

    Sandy has spent 22 years supporting academic missions of both local and international schools, most recently as student sponsorship coordinator with a non-profit organization that supports and educates marginalized girls in Tanzania. Appreciating the value of education to empower and transform lives, Sandy is inspired by the engaging and active learning at MEDscience. Sandy holds a BA in Social Work from Michigan State University.

Our Board of Advisors

Paul Reville, MEd, Co-Chair

Francis Keppel Professor of Practice of
Educational Policy and Administration
Director, Education Redesign Lab
Harvard University Graduate School of Education
Former Massachusetts Secretary of Education

James A. Gordon, MD, MPA, Co-Chair

Professor of Emergency Medicine, 
Harvard Medical School
Director, Gilbert Program in Medical Simulation, 
Harvard Medical School Chief, Division of Medical Simulation, 
Massachusetts General Hospital

Nancy Adams, BBA
MEDscience Parent
Community Advocate

Tenley Albright, MD
Director, MIT Collaborative Initiatives
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Neil Baer, MD
Pediatrician & TV Writer
Harvard Medical School

Andrew Bendheim, MBA
CEO, Agency for Medical Innovations, Inc.

Brant Binder, MBA
President & CEO, PsyBrain, Inc.
Consultant, Juno Therapeutics

Christopher Calahan, MD
Chief Resident, Medicine-Pediatrics
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Lauren Cronin, RN, BSN
Senior Director, Business Partnerships, Within3

Lisa Franks, MBA
Partner, Taylor Wealth Management Partners
Co-founder, Sequence LLC
Harvard Business School

G.S.Beckwith Gilbert, MBA
Benefactor and Lead Visionary
Former Chairman of the Board of Fellows,
Harvard Medical School 

Norman Gorin, MBA
Chairman & CEO Instinct Health Science, Inc.

Tina Grotzer, Ed.D
Associate Professor Harvard School of Education
Harvard Project Zero

Edward M. Hundert, MD
Dean Medical Education, Harvard Medical School
Director, The Center for Teaching & Learning & Senior Lecturer in Medical Ethics

Ann Koufman-Frederick, Ph.D.
Vice President, Learning Innovation with Consulting Services for Education, Inc

Lisa A. Jones, MPA
Communications Consultant

Ada Kumar, MD
MidWest Branch of Advisory Board Lead
Radiologist, Oak Brooke, IL

Luis Lobon, MD, MS
Vice Chair and Chief of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's and Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospitals
Assistant Professor Emergency Medicine,
Harvard Medical School

Howard Lurie, MAT
Principal Analyst, Online & Continuing Education Eduventures

Bessie Manley Szum, RN, MPA/HA
Nurse Director, Phillips House
Massachusetts General Hospital

Bita Nasseri, MD
West Coast Branch of Advisory Board Lead
Obstetric Anesthesiologist,
University of Southern California

Shawn Nasseri, MD
West Coast Branch of Advisory Board Lead
Harvard Medical School
Otolaryngologist, Ceders-Sinai Med Center

Gil Noam, EdD, PhD (Habil)
Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School
and McLean Hospital
Founder / Director, Program in Education, 
Afterschool & Resiliency (PEAR)

Sheila Nutt, EdD
Director, Educational Outreach Programs, 
Harvard Medical School
Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community
Partnership, Harvard Medical School

Justin Owumi, MD
PGY-4 Resident, General Surgery
University of Arizona

Alvin Poussaint, MD
Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Faculty Associate Dean for Student Affairs,
Harvard Medical School
Director of the Office of Recruitment and
Multicultural Affairs, Harvard Medical School

Jennifer L. Visco, CPA
Director of Finance & Controller, Expansion Therapeutics

“There isn’t any other programs to my knowledge that teach students this way. It forces us to think critically, and problem solve. It was very impactful to me, because it made me feel like I was actually a doctor, helping save lives.”
— Summer Program student