Mentoring to Meet the Moment: A Discussion of Mentorship and Career Development During Challenging Times

The JCSW Career Advancement Subcommittee is pleased to invite you to our upcoming event titled “Mentoring to Meet the Moment: A Discussion of Mentorship and Career Development During Challenging Times.”

This virtual panel session will bring together leaders across our community to reflect on the role of mentorship during periods of uncertainty and transition, and to share practical strategies for supporting one another. We hope this conversation will offer insight, connection, and encouragement for individuals at all career stages—including faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students.

Panelists:

• Bruce Birren, Ph.D. is an Institute Scientist at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT and Director of Broad’s Genomic Center for Infectious Diseases. Birren’s research career has focused on developing, applying and sharing methods for generating and analyzing genomic data from organisms from all branches of life and microbial communities. In 2003 he founded the Broad’s Diversity Initiative, and later an institute-wide mentoring program. As a Principal Facilitator for the National Research Mentoring Network and for the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) he facilitates workshops for faculty and trainees to increase the effectiveness of research mentoring relationships, with a focus on cultural awareness. As a consultant, he works with faculty, staff, administrators and trainees to offer interventions that help organizations promote a culture of inclusion, and to reduce the personal behaviors and systemic practices that create barriers for those with marginalized social identities. He facilitated workshops on mentorship skills for faculty advisors in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Gilliam Fellows Program, co-led leadership programming for the Gilliam Fellows and co-leads the new CIMER Advanced Mentoring Program. He co-directs the Harvard Medical School Core for Mentorship Excellence.
• Lu-Ann Pozzi, Ph.D. Dr. Pozzi received her PhD from UMASS Medical School in immunology/virology in 2004 and went on to complete two postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard Medical School/New England Primate Research Center. While a postdoc at HMS, Dr. Pozzi was on the HMS/HSDM Postdoc Association Governing board for 6 years, serving as its co-chair twice.  In addition, Dr. Pozzi has served as a member of the National Postdoc Association's Advocacy Committee for 17 years. Lu-Ann brings a rich history of experience to this position, both from her own experience as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School, a scientist in industry, and through her extensive involvement and leadership of the Postdoctoral Association at Harvard Medical School.  In 2024, she was recognized by the NPA for her contributions to make the OPA at Boston Children's Hospital one of the Centers that promotes and carries out best practices in the area of Administration (2024).
• Luanne Westerling has 30 years’ facilitation, training, leading, and teaching experience both in Higher Education and the Financial Services sector. She served as the Associate Dean for Business at Nichols College, Dudley Massachusetts for 15 years.  In this role she oversaw a faculty of 50, and taught in the disciplines of leadership, management, communication, and professional development. She is now at Harvard Medical School, Human Resources, as a Talent and Development Program Manager where she designs and conducts leadership-based programming for managers and staff, and oversees two Mentorship Programs for mid-career staff members to assist them in their professional development journey.  Finally, she is also a facilitator for the MBTI – Myers Briggs Personality Assessment and enjoys analyzing personality profiles as part of the examination of the importance of Emotional Intelligence in all our interpersonal relationships. LinkedIn. 

We would be delighted if you could join us for this meaningful discussion. Please feel free to share this invitation with others who may be interested. To honor the privacy and comfort of our community, we do not post event locations or registration links on this page. These details are shared directly with active JCSW members. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact JCSW_AdminAssist@hms.harvard.edu to receive the registration information.

We warmly welcome all staff, faculty, fellows, residents, and students of HMS, HSDM and affiliated hospitals and institutions to attend. JCSW is committed to cultivating an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of our academic and professional community. This event is open to individuals of all genders and identities. 

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