Contacts
Contacts in the Office of Graduate Education
The BBSP program is part of the larger Office of Graduate Education (OGE) which is home to a number of graduate education related programs. Here you will find contact information and roles for OGE staff. We are here to help, so please reach out any time. Not sure who to contact? Click here.

Ashalla Freeman, PhD
Director of Engagement & Student Success; Director of IMSD
she/her(s) | ashalla@unc.edu |Dr. Freeman supports recruitment, admissions, and student success efforts for UNC’s Biological & Biomedical Sciences Program (BBSP). Dr. Freeman also serves as director of the NIH-funded IMSD prog … Read more

Beka Layton, PhD
Director, Professional Development Programs
She/Her/Hers | rlayton@med.unc.edu |Dr. Layton is the Director of Professional Development Programs. In this role she is responsible for career awareness and career development programming for biomedical PhD students. Dr. Layton also me … Read more
Business Officer – Currently Open
Business Officer
| |The Business Officer for the Office of Graduate Education (OGE) manages NIH, NSF, and other grants that support OGE programming, and also handles all day to day business operations for the OGE includi … Read more

Cassidy Englund
Administrative Assistant
| cassidy_englund@med.unc.edu |Cassidy is the primary point of contact for visitors to the OGE. Additionally, they support the day to day operations of our office, maintains department websites, and assists with OGE events.

Christiann Gaines, PhD
Assistant Director for Doctoral Success in Graduate Education
She/her/hers | christiann_gaines@med.unc.edu |The Assistant Director for Doctoral Success in the UNC Office of Graduate Education (OGE) has a shared leadership role in the NIH-funded UNC Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) and is … Read more
Currently Open
Director of UNC PREP; Co-Director of SOLAR & Scientific Outreach
| |The director of UNC PREP, an NIH funded one-year post-baccalaureate research program for students in groups historically underrepresented in the sciences. They also servs as the co-director of scienti … Read more

Dave McDonald, PhD
Director of BBSP
he/him/his | david.mcdonald@unc.edu |Dave directs the BBSP first year training program. In this role he oversees the First Year Group seminar course, the rotation and academic calendars, and helping students acclimate to graduate school … Read more

Dena Perry
OGE Program Administrator
she/her/hers | dena_perry@med.unc.edu |Dena is responsible for administrative support for all OGE sponsored programs. In this role she handles reimbursements, pays vouchers, processes travel, and provides other support as needed. Dena also … Read more

Donita Robinson, PhD
Associate Dean for Graduate Education
she/her/hers | donita_robinson@med.unc.edu |As Associate Dean, Dr. Robinson oversees the operations and mission of the OGE, which supports the development of future biomedical science leaders, promotes innovative recruitment and training, stimu … Read more

Jeff Steinbach, PMP
Director of BBSP Admissions
| jsteinba@email.unc.edu |Jeff is the Director of Admissions for the Biological & Biomedical Sciences Program. Jeff is responsible for the BBSP application, communicating with prospective applicants, supporting admissions … Read more

Kaitlin Blakemore, MA
Student Services Manager, BBSP; Program Coordinator, UNC PREP
she/her/hers | blakek@email.unc.edu |Kaitlin supports the BBSP first year training program and BBSP admissions and recruitment. Kaitlin is responsible for enrollment, tuition and fee payments, course management, and providing additional … Read more

Laura Hawkins, DPhil
Director of the Learning and Work Environment
she/her | laura_hawkins@unc.edu |As Director of the Learning and Work Environment, Dr. Hawkins serves the School of Medicine community as an impartial resource and works to foster a positive, safe, respectful, and supportive environm … Read more

Melissa Graves
OGE Program Coordinator
| megraves@email.unc.edu |Melissa supports TIBBS, IMSD, PREP, SOLAR, and other programs housed in the OGE. She manages program events, meeting logistics, travel, and other needs. Melissa also coordinates events and faculty di … Read more

Michelle Itano, PhD
Faculty Director of BBSP
she/her | itano@unc.edu |As Faculty Director of BBSP, Dr. Itano oversees the curriculum of the First Year Group, the advising and professional development course of all BBSP students. She works closely with Dr. Dave McDonald … Read more

Patrick Brandt, PhD
Director of Career Development and Training; Director of Science Outreach
he/him | pdb@unc.edu |Dr. Brandt leads Career Development initiatives for biomedical PhD students, including the ImPACT internship program for senior trainees, career advising, and alumni career placement tracking. Patrick … Read more

Scott Williams, PhD
Assistant Dean for Graduate Education
he/him/his | scott_williams@med.unc.edu |Dr. Williams works closely with the Associate Dean for Graduate Education to collaborate with the PhD programs affiliated with BBSP.

Stephanie Gupton, PhD
Faculty Director of Graduate and Training Programs
She/her | sgupton@email.unc.edu |Dr. Gupton works closely with the Associate Dean for Graduate Education to lead special projects pertaining to graduate training including Biostatistics, Ethics, and Rigor & Reproducibility course … Read more

Terry Furey, PhD
Faculty Director of BBSP Admissions
| tsfurey@email.unc.edu |Dr. Furey works closely with the Director of Admissions to oversee the recruitment of PhD students for BBSP.

Zoe Silverman, LCSW
Embedded Counselor
she/her/hers | zoesilv@email.unc.edu |Zoe Silverman is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and a therapist within the embedded counseling program at UNC’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). In this role, she works exclusiv … Read more