Coordinators' Handbook

This handbook is updated on a regular basis, and your feedback is welcome. Send any suggestions for additional sections or topics to APPD.

Purpose

The Association of Pediatric Program Directors Coordinators' Section is dedicated to promoting and enhancing graduate medical education in the specialty of pediatrics. The Coordinators' Section of APPD is established as an educational resource to foster the exchange of ideas and information for persons in the position of pediatric program coordinator. Our goal is to enhance graduate medical education within each program and promote communication among coordinators, program directors, and the APPD membership.

2023 Coordinators Group at the APPD Spring Meeting

Coordinators' Executive Committee

Headshot of Cassandra Shorter

Cassandra Shorter, BS

Chair (2023 - 2024)
Program Manager Pediatric Residency
Baylor College of Medicine - Houston Texas Children's Hospital
6621 Fannin W1985
Houston, TX 77030

Tina Cochran, C-TAGME

Chair-Elect (2023 - 2024)
Subspecialty Program Coordinator
Indiana University School of Medicine
705 Riley Hospital Drive, RI 5960
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Francisco Hernandez, MBA

Past Chair (2023 - 2024)
Senior Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
222 Richmond Street
Providence, RI 02903

Gretchen Shawver, BS

At-Large Member Year 3 (2023 - 2024)
Fellowship Coordinator
Stanford Children's/Stanford Pediatrics
1000 Welch Rd. Suite 300
Palo Alto, CA 94304

Kiley Alpert, C-TAGME

At-Large Member Year 2 (2022 - 2025)
Pediatric Residency Program Coordinator
Atlantic Health/Goryeb Children's Hospital
100 Madison Ave, Box 10
Morristown, NJ 07962

Adriene Cunningham, BS

At-Large Member Year 1 (2023-2026)
Pediatric Residency Program Coordinator
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27157

Interested in joining the Coordinators' Executive Committee?

Sample Coordinator Job Description

Workgroups

The purpose of each Workgroup is to enhance the overall value of membership in APPD. Workgroups represent an opportunity for member involvement, provide opportunities to identify and serve the overall purposes of the section and APPD.

  • The APPD President and Executive Director shall be ex-officio members of all workgroups, without vote, unless either or both are designated members of that workgroup.
  • The Board of the APPD shall receive semi-annual reports on the activities of each workgroup.
  • The workgroup chairperson, selected by the Executive Committee, will report to the Coordinators' Executive Committee at the Spring and Fall Meetings of the APPD or to the Executive Committee Co-Chairs if they are unable to attend those meetings.
  • The workgroup chairperson will also have the option of asking a member of their workgroup to report in their absence.
  • The Coordinators' Executive Committee will recommend workgroups and develop their responsibilities, subject to APPD Board approval.
  • The Executive Committee will be responsible for selecting each workgroup.

There are currently two Coordinators' Workgroups. To participate, please contact any member of the Coordinators' Executive Committee or the APPD office at info@appd.org.

Coordinator Communication Workgroup

Gretchen Shawver, BS

At-Large Member Year 3 (2023 - 2024)
Stanford Children's/Stanford Pediatrics

The Coordinator Communication Workgroup is responsible for the following:

  • Provide written communication to all coordinators (monthly e-bulletins and other APPD communications as needed and requested). (Communications will be reviewed by the Coordinators' Executive Committee and APPD office prior to dissemination.)
  • Work with the Coordinators' Executive Committee to ensure that the APPD is represented in a professional manner.
  • Lead in the collation and dissemination of information to all coordinators in a timely and professional fashion. Welcome new members with correspondence and notify the membership when coordinators receive certification, degrees or awards.
  • Work with the APPD office in the development and management of the Coordinators section of the APPD Website. Provide up-to-date, appropriate content, suggest improvements to functionality, and ensure branding is a key priority.
  • Communication workgroup guidelines

Mentoring: Bringing Members Together

Mentoring new APPD members in individual and group settings is a major component of our activities at the regional and national level. Members are linked by similar roles, program size, region, and academic interests.  Learn more here.

Mentoring for coordinators, managers, and other program administrators at APPD Meetings and throughout the year is provided through the Coordinators’ Mentoring Work Group.

APPD Mentor Workgroup Job Descriptions and Expectations

Mentoring
Workgroup

Kiley Alpert, C-TAGME

At-Large Member Year 2 (2022 - 2025)
Atlantic Health/Goryeb Children's Hospital

Adriene Cunningham, BS

At-Large Member Year 1 (2023-2026)
Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Meredith Feldman

Mid-Atlantic

PA, OH, WV, KY, IN, MI, Southern NJ, DE, MD, Washington DC

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Headshot of Cindy Colpitts

Cindy Colpitts, AS

Midwest

IL, WI, MN, IA, MO, KS, NE, OK, SD

University of Nebraska Medical Center
Brooke Seaton Headshot

Brooke Seaton, C-TAGME

Midwest

WI, MN, IA, MO, KS, NE, OK, SD

University of Nebraska Medical Center/Creighton/Children’s Pediatrics Residency Program Omaha, NE

Monick Powell

Northeast

ME, NH, MA, CT, VT, RI, Northern NJ

University of Massachusetts

Dennisse Reyes

Northeast

ME, NH, MA, CT, VT, RI, Northern NJ

Brown University

Ashley Thurston, CAP

Southeast

VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, AR, TN

University of Tennessee College of Medicine at Chattanooga

Pam Knight, C-TAGME

Southwest

TX

University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School / Dell Children's Medical Center
Twinkle Patel Headshot

Twinkle Patel

Western

CA, NV, OR, WA, WA, AK, CO, NM, UT, AZ, HI

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

For mentoring concerns, ideas, questions or to reach a mentor:

Kiley Alpert – Lead

Adriene Cunningham - Co-Lead

Section Specific Session for Coordinators

The Coordinators’ Executive Committee facilitates a section specific session for both residency and fellowship coordinators at the APPD Annual Spring Meeting and the APPD Annual Fall Meeting. The session covers a variety of topics around the job of being a Coordinator.

APPD LEAPES

APPD Leadership Empowerment for Advancing Pediatric Education Specialists

The Association of Pediatric Program Directors serves pediatric programs by leading the advancement of education to ensure the health and well-being of children. Pediatric Graduate Medical Education Specialists (coordinators, managers, and other program administrators) are an integral part of the pediatric program leadership team. LEAPES is designed to enhance the knowledge, skills, and networking for Pediatric Graduate Medical Education Specialists who wish to gain expertise needed to successfully guide the success of graduate medical education programs and advance their GME careers.

Carol Berkowitz Award

The Carol Berkowitz Award for Advocacy and Leadership in Pediatric Medical Education honors a Program Coordinator for extraordinary or innovative contribution(s) of advocacy and leadership in pediatric medical education at a national level through APPD.

 

CoorCOMM Newsletter

CoorCOMM – December 2023

Read the latest from the Coordinators’ Executive Committee  

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CoorCOMM – January 2024

Read the latest from the APPD Coordinators’ Executive Committee  

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CoorCOMM – July 2023

Read the latest from the Coordinators’ Executive Committee

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CoorCOMM – April 2023

Read the latest from the Coordinators’ Executive Committee

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