Feinberg Forward: A Workplace Summit

Location: Potocsnak Family Atrium

This year, Feinberg Forward programming kicks off with a conversation between Eric G. Neilson, MD, Vice President for Medical Affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean, and Heather Campbell, MHS, Vice Dean and Chief Operating Officer.

Location: Simpson-Querrey Auditorium

Engaging Staff in 2026

How do we motivate and inspire staff, encourage participation and development, and build camaraderie?

Facilitators:

Martha Burla, Senior Project Manager, Department of Medical Social Sciences

Zoe Vanella, Manager of Research Administration, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Location: TBD

Leveraging Existing Tools

What tools/resources are being used to reduce work task burdens or streamline departmental processes?

Facilitators:

Sheila Chhim, Financial Administrator, Sponsored Projects & Research Catalysts (SPARC)

Jonathan Okstad, Manager of Research Administration, Basic Science Administration

Location: TBD

Financial Sustainability and Efficiencies

How are departments and units making effective use of financial resources, navigating trade-offs and prioritizing impact?

Facilitators:

Elizabeth Fankhanel, Department Administrator, Department of Medicine

Herra Iqbal, Associate Department Administrator, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Location: TBD

Location: Potocsnak Family Atrium

Developing Teams

“The team” is fundamental to the way we work at Feinberg. While organizational charts provide a useful visual representation of staff structures, a true team dynamic requires individual and collective leadership to actualize. This session will present several case studies from Feinberg leaders on how "mini retreats," goal-setting, clarity of roles and responsibilities, and feedback loops create a shared sense of ownership in building and maintaining strong and effective teams.

Presenters:

Christine De Luca, Division Administrator, Cardiology, Department of Medicine

Kayla Palmer, Senior Research Administrator, Basic Science Administration  

Lynn Welch, Research Laboratory Manager

Location: TBD

Feinberg Finance 101

Feinberg has revenue and expense budgets of over $1 billion. Where does that revenue come from, and how is it expended? How do departmental and unit budgeting and performance relate to the whole? This session will cover the fundamentals of Feinberg’s financial models for research, education, and administration, and provide context for annual and routine financial administration activities performed across the school.

Host: FSM Finance

Location: TBD

Microsoft Copilot

We encounter the Copilot icon across the Microsoft 365 environment. But what really is Copilot and what can we expect from an “AI assistant”? This introductory session provides a practical overview of Copilot and sets the stage for experimentation with work tasks and productivity aided and enhanced by AI.

Host: FSM IT

Location: TBD

The retreat will close with a keynote address by Clyde Yancy, MD, MSc, Vice Dean for Health Equity and Chief and Magerstadt Professor of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine.

Location: Hughes Auditorium

Resource Fair Participants Include:

Location: Potocsnak Family Atrium