Starting, Scaling, and Supporting: Students Advocating with the Disability Community

Saturday, March 1, 2025

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM MST

Location: 212 A-C

Course Director(s)

Lydia Smeltz, BA

Medical Student
Penn State College of Medicine

Speaker(s)

Nora Newcomb, BA (she/her/hers)

Medical Student
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine

Moderator(s)

Reilly Edmonds

Medical Student
A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona
Lauren Clarke, MHA, MA (she/her/hers)

Medical Student
Stanford University School of Medicine
Lisa Y. Gong, BS, MA (she/her/hers)

Medical Student
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Joshua J. Cassinat, BS

Medical Student
University of Central Florida College of Medicine, AAP Medical Student Council
Ellese Lupori, BA (she/her/hers)

Medical Student
Western University of Health Sciences - COMPNW

Speaker(s)

Sahil Shah, BA

Medical Student
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Moderator(s)

Danielle Broussard, RD

OMS-III
Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
Kayleigh D. Crane, BS (she/her/hers)

Medical Student
Central Michigan University

Speaker(s)

Colette Piasecki-Masters, MD (she/her/hers)

Resident
Harvard/Spaulding

Faculty(s)

Margaret A. Turk, MD

Distinguished Service Professor
SUNY Upstate
Nethra S. Ankam, MD

Professor
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Disclosure(s):

Lydia Smeltz, BA: No financial relationships to disclose

Nora Newcomb, BA: No financial relationships to disclose

Reilly Edmonds: No financial relationships to disclose

Lauren Clarke, MHA, MA: No financial relationships to disclose

Lisa Y. Gong, BS, MA: No financial relationships to disclose

Joshua J. Cassinat, BS: No financial relationships to disclose

Ellese Lupori, BA: No financial relationships to disclose

Sahil Shah, BA: No financial relationships to disclose

Danielle Broussard, RD: No financial relationships to disclose

Kayleigh D. Crane, BS: No financial relationships to disclose

Colette Piasecki-Masters, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Margaret A. Turk, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Nethra S. Ankam, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Brief Session Description : Medical students can be strong advocates in partnership with the disability community. AAP MSC members will share impactful strategies for starting to scaling disability advocacy in this interactive presentation, panel, and brainstorming workshop session. We will also discuss how faculty and existing organizations can partner with and support student-led advocacy. After the session, attendees will leave empowered to return home from AAP ‘25 with a purposeful plan to grow their advocacy with the disability community.