Candidates for Upcoming Elections - AAPAE

2026 AAPAE Council Candidates

Listed Alphabetically by Last Name

Candidate for Councilor – Assessment

• Jessica De Santis, PhD, MA, BS

Candidate for Councilor – Communications & Marketing

• Callie Keller

Candidates for Councilor – Mentorship

• LaurieAnn Hembree, BS, C-TAGME

• Mindy Woodward

Candidate for Candidate for Councilor – Assessment

Jessica De Santis, PhD, MA, BS

Medical College of Wisconsin

Why are you interested in running?

I am interested in running for AAPAE Council for Assessment because of my love for analysis and evaluation. I have an extensive background in designing surveys, research, and academic evaluations dedicated to identifying challenges, strengths, and/or ways in which we can improve processes and program designs. AAPAE has great potential in identifying ways to grow and structure annual meetings, monthly learning sessions, and committees for its dedicated members. We have a growing body of AAPAE educators looking to expand research potential and bridge administrative responsibilities with research potential. 

I would like to evaluate how our AAPAE body views our annual Fall and Spring meeting content. Are our learning sessions meeting the needs of our members? Are the topics for our SNAP talks meeting the growing demands our administrators, educators, and researchers face in their wide variety of roles? Once we have that data, we have the potential to compare this to established literature. Our learning sessions tend to focus on project management fundamentals, data management, and workflow mapping. From a programmatic lens I feel we have potential to greatly expand our offerings to topics such as data tracking for potential educational research, leading without authority and leadership potential, creating safe networks and sponsorship, etc. I would like to evaluate this potential through survey designs, interviews/focus groups, and general program evaluations from our members to ensure we tailor our learning to the evolving demands of our constituents.

Bio

Jessica De Santis is an Associate Director of Professional Development, and Assistant Professor (non-clinical) and PhD Educator of Anesthesiology for the Medical College Wisconsin. Her background, roles, education, and research are all focused on specific training and expertise for adult knowledge uptake and application. Dr. De Santis has expertise in the areas of education, flourishing at work, community engagement, mentorship, and coaching. Her doctoral dissertation was focused on the creation and implementation of a mentorship program designed to assess the competency and readiness for community engaged researchers working in academic health centers. This work has set a foundation for how she approaches the development of others and adult learning. As she continued her career in the spaces of community engagement and education, she created a total of 3 additional institutional mentorship and coaching programs, including a Radiology specific wellbeing mentorship program, institution-wide staff mentorship program, and Anesthesia and flourishing specific faculty coaching program. Alongside this she has completed a coaching certificate through the Society of Education in Anesthesia Clinical Leadership Coaching program and provided numerous presentations at regional and national conferences on community building, mentorship, coaching, and medical education best practices. Topics for these presentations included implementing healthcare disparities education for residents, using and improving metacognition strategies in graduate medical education, perceptions of healthcare disparities across specialties, community outreach as a core component of healthcare training, conflict resolution strategies, mentorship and coaching strategies, flourishing in healthcare, flourishing in residency, and adult learning and professional development strategies.

Candidate for Councilor – Communications & Marketing

Callie Keller

University of Virginia

Why are you interested in running?

Serving on the AAPAE Council as Councilor for Communications and Marketing the last two years has been a truly rewarding experience, and I would be honored to continue in this role. As Assistant Administrator for Education and Faculty Affairs in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Virginia, a TAGME-certified GME administrator, and Co-Chair of the UVA GME Coordinator Council, I have developed a passion for connecting people, sharing ideas, and creating opportunities for collaboration. My experiences have reinforced that some of the best solutions in graduate medical education come from learning from one another and openly sharing best practices.

If reappointed, I will continue working to strengthen communication and engagement across AAPAE membership by providing timely, practical resources that support GME administrators and program coordinators nationwide. I am committed to highlighting innovative programs, fostering collaboration across institutions, and ensuring our members have access to tools and connections that help them navigate the evolving landscape of medical education. It would be a privilege to continue serving the AAPAE community and advancing our shared mission of excellence in graduate medical education.

Bio

Callie Keller is the Assistant Administrator for Education and Faculty Affairs in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Virginia, where she provides strategic and operational leadership for the department's educational mission. She partners with faculty, trainees, medical students, and departmental leadership to advance graduate medical education, faculty development, and program excellence. A graduate of Yale University with a degree in Economics and Political Science, Callie began her career in finance before joining UVA in 2013, where she discovered a passion for medical education.

Callie is TAGME certified, holds a Project Management certification from the University of Virginia, and serves as Co-Chair of the UVA Graduate Medical Education Coordinator Council. She thrives on solving complex challenges, fostering collaboration, and improving the educational experience for faculty and trainees. Her professional interests include wellness, professionalism, faculty recognition, continuing medical education, and leadership development. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling with her husband, spending time with her four adult children, and spoiling her grandchildren.

Candidates for Councilor - Mentorship

LaurieAnn Hembree, BS, C-TAGME

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Why are you interested in running?

The AAPAE has played a vital role in my growth and understanding since I joined the field of Anesthesiology. Being a member of this organization has provided me with the support, guidance, and resources necessary to develop into the program coordinator I am today. In the ever-evolving landscape of residency and fellowship programs, I believe it is crucial to ensure that both new and experienced program coordinators have access to the invaluable resources that AAPAE membership offers. As a member of the council, I would prioritize outreach to new coordinators, introducing them to the wealth of resources and opportunities available through AAPAE. I would also strongly encourage their participation in our mentoring and coaching program, which I believe is an essential tool for fostering professional growth and building meaningful connections within our community. To achieve this, I would ensure clear and consistent communication with potential members and participants, including outreach at our annual meeting. My goal would be to highlight the many benefits of AAPAE membership and inspire engagement within the organization.

Bio

LaurieAnn Hembree is a Sr. GME Program Administrator at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Leadership from Lipscomb University before entering Graduate Medical Education (GME). LaurieAnn began her career at Vanderbilt as the program coordinator for the Critical Care Medicine Fellowship. Over time, her role has expanded to include support for the Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship and the Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship.

Mindy Woodward

Mayo Clinic

Why are you interested in running?

Mentorship is important to me because it creates meaningful connections and support for professionals at every stage of their career. It gives mentors and mentees opportunities to expand their professional networks, share best practices, and build confidence in navigating the unique opportunities and challenges of graduate medical education administration. The AAPAE Mentorship Program is especially appealing because it fosters a strong sense of community by connecting individuals from institutions across the country who share a common commitment to advancing anesthesiology education.

The AAPAE community already emphasizes professional development, networking, mentorship, innovation, and knowledge sharing. During my time on Council, I would encourage continued growth of these connections through opportunities such as peer mentoring circles, mentorship training workshops, and collaborative publications focused on education administration. By expanding these opportunities, the Mentorship Program can support individual career growth while also elevating the visibility, expertise, and impact of anesthesiology program administrators and educators nationwide.

Bio

I am an Education Program Coordinator with the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education in the Department of Anesthesiology, where I have served since 2018. My current assignment includes three fellowships. My Mayo Clinic career spans more than 30 years and includes roles in anesthesiology, medical transcription, medical genetics, laboratory medicine and pathology, and the Center for Individualized Medicine. I hold an Associate of Science degree from Rochester Community College and earned Bronze Level Certification through the Mayo Clinic Quality Academy. I am also currently pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Throughout my career, I have remained committed to continuous learning, quality improvement, professional development, and supporting the mission of Mayo Clinic through service, collaboration, and educational excellence. 

A significant focus of my work has been advancing graduate medical education through teaching, mentorship, and leadership. As Co-Lead of the Education Program Coordinator Mentorship University, I develop and present educational sessions covering key GME topics such as accreditation, program evaluation, recruitment, orientation, graduation, and committee processes. I have mentored numerous Education Program Coordinators across Mayo Clinic, helping them build confidence, knowledge, and professional skills within their roles. In addition to my educational contributions, I actively participate in institutional committees, professional organizations, and leadership development initiatives.