2023 AAPAE Council Candidates
Listed Alphabetically by Last Name
Candidate for President
Candidate of President-Elect
Candidates for Secretary
Candidates for Councilor – Membership
Candidate for President
Lucine Torosian, BS
University of California, Los Angeles
Lucine Torosian serves as the Fellowship Programs Manager in the UCLA Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Council Member for Communications and Marketing for the Association of Anesthesiology Program Administrators and Educators (AAPAE), President of the UCLA Staff Assembly Executive Board, Chair of the UCLA Graduate Medical Education Program Coordinator Leadership Committee, and Second-Year Delegate for the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies. She has more than fourteen years of experience in graduate medical education at UCLA. She joined UCLA as an undergraduate student and worked in medical and graduate medical education while completing her studies. After earning her degree, she partnered with faculty leaders to enhance medical and graduate medical education programs, develop new curricula, and offer the multitude of world-class fellowship programs available today. She enjoys problem solving, continuous process improvement, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Please describe why you are interested in this position.
I have served on the AAPAE Council as Council Member for Communications and Marketing for the past three years and have enjoyed the opportunity to contribute positively to our AAPAE community and connect with many of our members from across the country. In this role, I have utilized strategic communication and digital engagement to build community and camaraderie, encourage participation, and showcase the work and expertise of our community of anesthesiology administrators and educators. I hope to continue to give back meaningfully to the association, promote the value of anesthesiology administrators and educators, provide opportunities for professional development and advancement, and work collaboratively with AAPAE members and external entities to create greater opportunities for our community and to make a positive impact. I would be honored to serve our AAPAE community through appointment as President. I am deeply appreciative of your consideration.
Candidate of President-Elect
Erin M. Wood, MS
Washington University School of Medicine
Erin M. Wood is a Manager of Education Programs with the Department of Anesthesiology Residency Program at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. During her time at WashU, Erin has been privileged to work with the Academic Scholars Advancement Program (ASAP) and support to the department's NIH T32 appointees, thriving on the goal of building more robust pathways for future physician-scientists to achieve their goals. In her off hours, Erin can be found cycling nearby trails or tending the garden with her flock of chickens in downtown St. Louis, MO.
Please describe why you are interested in this position.
Over the course of the pandemic, the AAPAE evolved from a professional network to a thriving community of individuals dedicated to supporting each other; sharing innovations, empathizing through hardships, and laughing over mishaps. I have personally gained so much from my peers at AAPAE, and now it feels like it's time to give back. With everyone's support, my goal is to continue building professional development opportunities and community spaces for all of us.
Candidate for Secretary
Megan Souter, C-TAGME
University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita
Megan Souter is the senior program coordinator for the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita Anesthesiology Residency Program. Megan received her Bachelor of Arts from Tabor College followed by almost 10 years of early childhood education experience as a former preschool and Pre-K teacher. Currently, she is responsible for the oversight of a 20-resident program and is C-TAGME certified. During her 4 years as program coordinator, she has worked to streamline processes and revamp various areas of the program. Her current project is a 3-year resident wellness curriculum. When Megan is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her dog, Lilli, and playing board games with friends and family.
Please describe why you are interested in this position.
I am interested in this position because my membership in the AAPAE has been invaluable. Even though I am a newer member, I have found immense benefit from this organization like connecting with other anesthesia coordinators and administrators, getting new ideas and resources, trainings, and having opportunities to step-out of my comfort zone. I also know that my strengths in efficiency, task management, and organization will greatly benefit me in this position. During my time as secretary, I want to continue to create trainings for new members/coordinators. I also would like to create a centralized resource file with items such as meeting minute templates, tracking tools, tips and tricks, OSCE scenarios, etc., for AAPAE members. I look forward to serving this organization as your secretary.
Candidate for Secretary
Teena Wyatt, BS
Duke University
Teena Wyatt is the Senior GME Program Coordinator for Duke University Anesthesiology Fellowship programs. Teena received her Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from Columbia Southern University. Teena joined Duke University in March of 2022 after served the past several years at Medical University of South Carolina Department of Neurosurgery. When she started GME she had no experience and was tested by fire within the first six months with a ACGME site visit of a program with a brand new coordinator and new Program Director. Together they both successfully sailed thru the accreditation process with flying colors with full accreditation, since then Teena has not looked back her career spans over 18 years of residency and fellowship program management and she truly enjoys what she does. When Teena is not at work she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling to watch her teenage son play competitive ice hockey.
Please describe why you are interested in this position.
I am interested in the position of secretary to be able to share my experience, knowledge and skill sets, such as organization, project management, etc. When I joined Duke University in 2022 we were just coming out of the COVID pandemic, the programs had went thru changes both academically and staffing so there was a lot going on with learning a new institution, new fellowship programs, though this council was a great resource and I am ready to give back for all they provided me during the past year. I look forward to serving as your secretary.
Candidate for Councilor – Membership
Victoria (Tori) Bloom
University of Kentucky
I am from a small town in eastern Kentucky where I was able to find my niche for helping others. I have worked in healthcare for over seven years and in the GME world for almost three years. I was given the opportunity to work in the GME world and once I was in, I knew it was exactly where I needed to be. In my spare time I enjoy traveling with my *soon to be* husband, going to concerts of every genre, and cooking.
Please describe why you are interested in this position.
I am interested in both the organizational and administrative aspects of the membership of the council. One of my favorite aspects of my job as a program coordinator is helping people navigate a system they don't quite understand and I feel that the membership councilor is similar. We are able to show those interested exactly what AAPAE is about and encourage them to participate in our events and make sure they are included. I would love the opportunity to be apart of this great council!
Candidate for Councilor – Membership
Natasia Bongcas, MS
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
Natasia Bongcas serves as the Program Coordinator for the Anesthesiology Residency Program at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center (AIMMC) and is highly engaged within the hospital and Graduate Medical Education by participating in various committees/initiatives such as the Holistic Review Taskforce, Pride Parade, and Vaccine Campaigns.
Natasia graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Missouri State University with a Master of Science in Student Affairs. She has more than five years of experience in higher education and is eager to take steps to utilize her higher education background toward her professional development in Graduate Medical Education more specifically in Anesthesia.
During her time at AIMMC, Natasia served in the Emergency Department at IMMC as a Patient Access Representative. In this role, she served as the Lead Patient Service Representative at the Mass Vaccination site in Wrigley Field during this role she supervised check-in support staff to register and check in 1600+ patients daily and acted as a resource and role model to staff by providing registration direction and giving input on staff performance.
Before AIMMC, Natasia served as a Resident Director at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she supported and enhanced the professional development of 100 student staff at all stages of their careers through education, training, networking, and cross-campus collaborations as part of the Training Task Force.
Natasia is pleased and excited to submit her interest to serve as the Council Member – Membership and looks forward to continuing to participate in AAPAE and SAAAPM activities!
Please describe why you are interested in this position.
Hello Everyone!
I am interested in this position since I find it important to have Program Coordinators become members. I believe that being elected into this role will broaden my knowledge within AAPAE and SAAAPM.
If elected, I want to do an audit of all departments that have a membership with SAAAPM and encourage the departments to enroll their Program Coordinators into AAPAE if they haven’t done so already.
Also, I hope to communicate with ACGME and ABA to see if there are any new Program Coordinators so the Program Coordinators can be aware of AAPAE/SAAAPM. In my case, I was a new Program Coordinator in Anesthesia so I wasn’t aware of SAAAPM but my Program Director had the experience, so he was able to share with me his knowledge. I hope to serve as a resource as well so in the case there is a leadership change in a program (ex: new Program Director) then the Program Coordinator can look to AAPAE for guidance.
Lastly, I would like to work with the other leadership team to continue promoting AAPAE to new Program Coordinators.
Candidate for Councilor – Membership
Elizabeth Morrison, MSM
Medical University of South Carolina
My name is Elizabeth Morrison. I am originally from Richmond, VA, went to undergraduate and graduate at the University of South Carolina. I have worked in GME/UME since 2008 first at University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville-Prisma Health Pediatrics program and now at MUSC Anesthesia in Charleston, SC. I have extensive knowledge and experience in the GME and UME world and currently lead the education division. I oversee the core residency program and five anesthesia fellowships while managing three program coordinators. I am a mother of five daughters and two great pyrenees dogs and enjoy going to the beautiful Charleston beaches on the weekends.
Please describe why you are interested in this position.
I would like to become more involved with the AAPAE. I joined MUSC Anesthesia during the pandemic and have managed this program for over two years now and am hoping to get to know other administrators and share best-practices. Thanks for considering me!
Candidate for Councilor – Membership
Jillian Powell, BS, C-TAGME
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Jillian Powell is a Program Manager at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. After earning her Bachelors of Science in Communication Disorders and Sciences from Southern Illinois University, she entered the GME world. Jillian started out at Vanderbilt as a program coordinator for the Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship. In addition to the ACTA fellowship, Jillian became the Program Coordinator for the Pediatric Anesthesia, Perioperative Medicine and Pain Medicine fellowship programs. After a few years, Jillian then became the Anesthesia fellowship manager who oversees the fellowship coordinators along with coordinating Vanderbilt's Neuroanesthesia, Global Anesthesia and Clinical Informatics fellowships.
Please describe why you are interested in this position.
This position is interesting to me because I have always found this council incredibly helpful and I would love to be able to help someone the way it has helped me. I would love to be able to provide support to other coordinators who navigate multiple programs and multiple program directors.
