In addition to its governance and fiduciary duties, The Beckwith Institute Board has another critical role. It is the final selection body for all project funding.
Its members share a passion for making health care more efficient, more compassionate and more effective. They bring a wide range of internal and external expertise, competencies, and perspectives to the selection process. Their unique perspective is key to prioritizing innovative solutions to critical health care issues.
Co-Founder, The Beckwith Institute
Co-Founder, The Beckwith Institute
Chairman Emeritus, UPMC Board of Directors
Timothy Billiar, MD
Bruce Bowden
Deborah Brodine
Louise Brown
Jeanne Cunicelli
Eric Dueweke, MD
Jackie Dunbar-Jacob
Robert Edwards, MD
Toren Finkel, MD/PhD
Bartley P. Griffith, Jr.
Dawndra Jones
Edward Karlovich
Louis Leff, MD, FACP
Amanda Lenhard, MD
Anne Marie Lennon, MD
Holly Lorenz
Jennifer March
Ed McCallister
Maribeth McLaughlin
Suresh Mulukutla, MD
Sandra L. Rader
Fred Rubin, MD
Graham Snyder, MD
J.C. Stilley
John P. Surma
Elizabeth Surma
Becky Taylor
Jessica Trybus
V. Thomas Worrall, MD
Donald M. Yealy, MD
The Beckwith Institute welcomes the opportunity to inspire and encourage the next generation of health care leaders through our Student Board. Each year, The Beckwith Institute appoints two high school students as non-voting members of the Board, offering them the opportunity to learn about options in the health care field while working on projects alongside our staff.
Senior Board member, Shady Side Academy
Ahmed is a senior at Shady Side Academy with a growing passion for medicine and public policy, particularly how both influence the future of patient care. He hopes to follow in the footsteps of his mother and father, who immigrated from Sudan and built meaningful careers in pediatrics and radiology through a commitment to public service.
After extensive volunteering at UPMC Children’s Hospital, Ahmed gained firsthand insight into the patient experience, serving as both a Patient Transporter and a Patient Experience Ambassador. In these roles, he focused on building connections with patients and families, observing how simple kindness and attentiveness can make a meaningful difference. He is also set to intern through Shady Side’s Research Seminar class, where he will conduct independent scientific research under the guidance of a professional mentor and present his findings in the fall.
Outside the hospital, Ahmed is deeply engaged in public policy through competitive speech and debate. As the newly elected Co-President of Shady Side Academy’s team and a National Tournament qualifier in Congressional Debate, he regularly drafts and debates legislation on issues such as the environment, foreign policy, and healthcare.
At Shady Side Academy, Ahmed serves as Co-President of the Speech & Debate Team, an Admissions Ambassador, a Peer Leader, a member of the Boys’ Basketball Team, and, most importantly, Co-President of the Ping-Pong Club. On his brain breaks, Ahmed loves to play basketball, hang out with friends, visit family, and travel the world!
New Junior Board Member, Shady Side Academy
Elena is a rising junior at Shady Side Academy. The Beckwith Institute’s mission of championing innovation to transform health care and benefit the community aligns strongly with her interests in science, medicine, and community service. Whether through conducting research, becoming a physician, or working in other aspects of health care, Elena hopes her career will leave a lasting impact on the medical field.
Elena recently completed the Social Innovators Program, run by School-Yard Ventures and the University of Pennsylvania. Designed to teach students how to develop a problem-solving framework and a value-creation mindset, the program focuses on addressing community-based problems. Through it, Elena worked on creating a solution for teens who feel nervous about traveling abroad. From this experience, she learned what true community engagement looks like and hopes to bring those skills to her role on the Student Board.
In the coming academic year, Elena was accepted into Shady Side Academy’s Science Research Seminar. Throughout the year, she will learn how to read scientific papers, discuss research ethics, and become familiar with lab equipment and procedures. The program culminates in a summer research internship at a local lab.
At Shady Side Academy, Elena co-leads the Public Health Club, through which she has organized fundraising events for health-related organizations in the community. She is also a member of HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) and plays on the Shady Side Academy tennis team. Outside of school, Elena volunteers at a local retirement home and enjoys babysitting. During the summer, she works as a counselor at tennis camps.
UPMC provides executive support to protect, sustain, and execute the vision of The Beckwith Institute. The Institute works closely with UPMC leadership to identify innovation opportunities and seek proposals. We also partner with grantees to give them the support they need to complete their projects.
Senior Vice President, Health Services Division
Chief Quality & Operational Excellence Officer, UPMC
Senior Manager, Clinical Improvement
Wolff Center at UPMC
Project Manager, The Beckwith Institute
Wolff Center at UPMC
Financial Analyst Senior
Community Provider Services