Michigan Medicine RISE — or Research. Innovation. Scholarship. Education. — has announced its Cohort 6 innovators, who will participate in the Innovator Development Program beginning in January 2026.
The IDP is a 12-month program focused on developing innovators in health science education. Through monthly workshops, engagement in the RISE community of practice and coaching, innovators will develop the seven Health Science Education Innovation competencies and pilot an intervention, applying the skills they learn.
Kneff-Chang
The IDP is open to individuals seeking development and support, such as innovation competency development, intervention support, and FTE funding. The application period for Cohort 7 will open in spring 2026. All Michigan Medicine faculty, staff and learners are eligible to apply. RISE welcomes candidates from different health professions within Michigan Medicine.
Members of Cohort 6 include:
- Alejandra Arango, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry. Arango will develop a research-informed training curriculum to better equip clinicians in managing youth suicide risk. Her intervention incorporates experiential learning, competency evaluation, and guidance for engaging youth and caregivers during suicidal crises.
- Mary Haas, clinical associate professor of emergency medicine, assistant director of clinical faculty development, and director of the Medical Education Fellowship. Haas will design a professional identity formation curriculum for early medical students, co-facilitated by senior peers in small group settings. Her intervention utilizes case scenarios and guided discussion to promote psychological safety and strengthen the learning community for future physicians.
- Michelle Kees, clinical associate professor of psychiatry. Kees will construct a curriculum-based series of microlearning videos designed to build mental health literacy and resilience among medical students and trainees. Her intervention integrates reflection prompts and self-assessments to foster engaged learning and support student well-being.
- Tonya Kneff-Chang, lecturer in the Center for History, Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences in Medicine. Kneff-Chang will integrate a historical tour of Michigan Medicine with an ArcGIS digital story map to transform campus spaces into active learning environments. Her intervention combines experiential exploration and structured discourse to enhance critical consciousness and reflective practice among healthcare practitioners.
- Catherine McDermott, clinical assistant professor of internal medicine, and of pediatrics. McDermott will develop educational tools and patient resources to improve the care of hospitalized young adults with childhood-onset chronic illness. Her intervention provides practical guidance for providers and patients to promote equity, enhance outcomes, and improve the inpatient experience across care settings.
- Joseph Stern, clinical assistant professor of neurosurgery. Stern will create a training program for neurosurgeons integrating Palliative Care communication skills from VitalTalk and M-Talk into neurosurgical education. These efforts aim to increase empathy and compassion in patient care and team relationships, enhancing quality and engagement while decreasing burnout.
- Alexandra Vinson, assistant professor of learning health sciences, and of psychiatry. Vinson will create a seminar series to support multi-stakeholder teams in developing Learning Health System initiatives. Her intervention brings together researchers, clinicians, staff and community members to strengthen institutional capacity for advancing care delivery and health outcomes.
- Justin Yates, research area specialist senior in the Department of Emergency Medicine. Yates will develop an interactive workshop for emergency medicine providers to enhance understanding of how patients’ social factors influence care delivery and outcomes. His intervention focuses on assessing and improving current approaches to integrating social determinants into emergency care.
- Darin Zahuranec, professor of neurology. Zahuranec will create a series of didactic and hands-on communication workshops tailored for neurology trainees. His intervention aims to improve knowledge and skills in serious illness communication, supported by scalable training materials for broad dissemination.
