In December 2013, the AcademyHealth Board of Directors approved the development of an Education Council to advise the Board and AcademyHealth leadership on the priorities and trends in educational needs of our members and the field of HSR.
To increase alignment with the Strategic Plan, AcademyHealth leadership made a decision to change the name of the Education Council to the Professional Development Council, effective September 1, 2025.
The Professional Development Council is currently chaired by Dr. Katherine Sanchez, Research Investigator and Director at Baylor Scott and White Research Institute, and Dr. Kamila Mistry, Deputy Executive Officer at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), serves as the Vice Chair. The Professional Council is comprised of 15 members and meets quarterly, in the summer at the Annual Research Meeting, and in the winter, fall, and spring via a web-based meeting.
The Professional Development Council has five primary responsibilities:
1. Advise AcademyHealth leadership in identifying trends, opportunities, challenges, and needs related to existing and emerging educational, training, and professional development opportunities for our members and the field of HSR.
2. Guide planning committees on emerging and relevant career development offerings at the ARM and other relevant AcademyHealth-sponsored conferences;
3. Provide input to the AcademyHealth Committee on Advocacy and Public Policy (CAPP) to inform the development of AcademyHealth’s official public comments, by request;
4. Respond to requests to serve as reviewers for AcademyHealth conference submissions and award programs;
5. Facilitate other opportunities for collaboration among the Professional Development Council and the Methods and Data Council, AcademyHealth members, and AcademyHealth leadership on AcademyHealth’s activities related to education, training, and professional development.
Katherine Sanchez, Ph.D., LCSW, is a Research Investigator and Director of Diversity and Inclusiveness in Rese... Read Bio
Dr. Mistry serves as the Deputy Executive Officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) ... Read Bio
Nate Apathy, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Health Policy & Management at The University of Maryland Scho... Read Bio
Amanda L. Brewster is an Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management and co-Director of the Center for... Read Bio
Dr. Christine (Tina) Fahim, Ph.D., M.Sc., is an Implementation Scientist at the Knowledge Translation Program,... Read Bio
Sarah Greene, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Health Care Systems Research Network (HCSRN, formerly the ... Read Bio
Learn more about the 2025 Professional Development Council members here.