Trio of new leaders join COM

KCU welcomed three new leaders recently:

· Sharon Gustowski, DO, MPH, as Kansas City campus dean - College of Osteopathic Medicine 

· Mari K. Hopper, PhD, as senior associate dean for academic affairs and research

· Ali Moradi, MD, MPH, DrPH, as associate dean for clinical simulation and assessment

Dr. Gustowski joins KCU from Sam Houston State University COM where she was the founding chair of the Osteopathic Principles and Practices Department (OPP), beginning in 2017. She is a career medical educator and clinician and is the 2022 recipient of the AACOM Society of Medical Educators’ Innovation in Clinical Medical Education Award. Dr. Gustowski is board certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (NMM-OMM) and is past-president of the Nevada Osteopathic Medical Association. She is a graduate of the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas (COM) and the School of Public Health.

Dr. Hopper earned her doctorate at Kansas State University, with an emphasis in physiology and comparative anatomy, and has served as an educator and leader in multiple diverse educational and research settings. She joins KCU from Ohio University Heritage COM where she was the associate dean for Pre-clinical Education. There, she led team members in establishing updated program level outcomes, a curriculum map, and unit specific key performance indicators.

Dr. Moradi joins KCU from California Northstate University College of Medicine where he served as the associate dean of Student Affairs and admissions. He previously served as an educator and leader at Pennsylvania COM and Lake Erie COM Bradenton, Fla., and served in numerous roles and positions including assistant dean of clinical integration, director of simulation center, chair of public and community health, and director of primary care skills. Dr. Moradi earned his MD from Spartan Health Sciences University, St. Lucia, West Indies, his MPH from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and his DrPH from the University of South Florida College of Public Health.

KCU is fortunate to have leaders of this caliber joining the team. The vast experience they bring to the University will further enhance our commitment to providing the highest quality student-centered medical education. We look forward to their contributions and the positive impact they will have on our students and the communities we serve.