GSEHD alumna Kirsten Brown, PhD, MA (master's, Individualized Program), has been named associate dean of educational affairs in the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix.
Brown joins the University of Arizona from GW's School of Medicine and Health Sciences, where she serves as associate professor and vice chair for education in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology. In this role, she oversees anatomy-related educational programs and has provided leadership across a range of undergraduate, graduate, and medical curricula since joining the faculty in 2011.
An accomplished medical education researcher, Brown’s work focuses on teaching and learning in the anatomical sciences, faculty development, and the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence into medical education. She has presented nationally and internationally and published widely, contributing book chapters, curricular innovations, and open educational resources.
At GW, Brown has also played a key leadership role in advancing faculty development. Since 2022, she has served as associate director for Teaching and Learning Resources and Career Development in the Center for Faculty Excellence, where she has developed programming to support teaching, mentoring, and career advancement for more than 2,000 faculty members. She has also helped lead initiatives focused on AI in medical education, including workshops, new curriculum development, and program-wide guidelines.
Brown’s contributions to academic medicine and education have earned her numerous honors, including multiple teaching awards and a distinguished teaching professorship. She is also active in national professional organizations, serving on the American Association for Anatomy Board of Directors and in other leadership roles supporting medical educators.
She earned her doctorate in functional anatomy and evolution from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and her master’s degree in education and human development from GSEHD.
In her new role, Brown will lead educational strategy and innovation for undergraduate medical education programs, advancing student learning and faculty excellence at the College of Medicine – Phoenix.