Stanford Conference on Disability in Healthcare and Medicine | MSDCI and SMADIE
Stanford Conference on Disability in Healthcare and Medicine | MSDCI and SMADIE
Photo credit: Rick Giudotti
Manager of Examinee Accommodations
National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME)
Lucia McGeehan, Ph.D., is the Manager of Examinee Accommodations within the Disability Services unit at the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). Since joining NBME in 2016, she has contributed to the advancement of accessible practices through close collaboration with cross-functional partners, supporting strategic initiatives grounded in a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion for all test takers, with particular emphasis on individuals with disabilities.
Prior to joining NBME, Dr. McGeehan served as an assistant professor at a small Christian university, where she taught graduate-level coursework. She also practiced in a private clinical setting, providing therapeutic services and psycho-educational evaluations.
Dr. McGeehan earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Auburn University and her master’s and doctoral degrees in Educational Psychology, with a focus in School Psychology, from the University of Georgia.
MD Candidate
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Christine (Chris) Skovira is a fourth-year medical student at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (CHM). Before pursuing her MD, Chris worked for nine years as the Strategy lead on healthcare access and equity at international healthcare systems. While in medical school, Chris has pursued her passion for ensuring the medical field is inclusive to patients and care providers with disabilities and chronic illnesses. She has served on the Board of the MSU Spartan Alliance for Disability Inclusion and Equity (SADIE), where she co-designed monthly educational programming for medical students and provided research support for students pursuing disability and chronic disease research. Chris also has a passion for geriatric health. She received the 2024 American Neuropsychiatric Association Young Investigator of the Year Award for her research into risk factors for mild cognitive impairment and disparities in diagnosis across rural and urban settings. Her research has been published in numerous publications, including Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions, The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, The Annals of Neurology, and The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Chris’ service roles while at CHM include serving as a Canine Therapy volunteer in pediatric and geriatric care settings.
Medical Student
UCSF School of Medicine
Arezo Ahmadi is a CODA (child of deaf adults) and second-year medical student at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She earned a bachelor’s degree in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology and double minors in Disability Studies and Global Health at the University of California, Los Angeles. At UCSF, Ahmadi is a part of the sALLud Lab, where she explores language-based disparities in healthcare outcomes among underrepresented patient populations under the guidance of Dr. Lauren Shapiro. Ahmadi is also a part of the Chan Lab and the UCSF Children’s Communication Center, where she investigates Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing patient-reported outcomes under the guidance of Dr. Dylan Chan and teaches hearing lessons to elementary school children in the San Francisco Unified School District.
Assistant Professor of Neurology, Stroke Division; Associate Clerkship Director; SIGN Faculty Mentor
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Andrea Lendaris, MD, MS is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she practices as a stroke neurologist and serves as Associate Clerkship Director. She led the collaborative efforts to design and implement a disability and ableism immersive workshop within the neurology clerkship, later expanding the curriculum to include hospital employees and leadership. Dr. Lendaris also teaches in the Brain and Behavior course, supervises trainees, and advises the Neurology Student Interest Group. As a physician with vision and hearing impairments, a former speech-language pathologist, and a stroke specialist caring for patients with acquired disabilities, she is a dedicated advocate for access and inclusion in healthcare. She mentors medical students and trainees seeking support, and co-leads the employee resource group All Different Abilities Partnering Together. In addition to her educational and advocacy roles, she is actively involved in stroke clinical trials.
Assistant Clinical Professor
Northern Arizona University, Occupational Therapy Department
Jess is an occupational therapist who teaches at Northern Arizona University. She is a disability ally who strives to foster communities of access, inclusion, and belonging in higher education with emphasis on healthcare programs. She is the caregiver of a loved one with complex and chronic conditions who has shaped her life tremendously. Jess’s research centers around community engaged programming for individuals with EDS, POTs, and MCAS; OT students with disabilities, and the impact of play in children with complex and chronic conditions.
