Sami Ahmad | Graduate Certificate in Bioethics
Sami Ahmad earned his BS from Johns Hopkins University in 2020. He is a student in the MD-PhD Medical Scientist Training Program with research interests in history and philosophy of medicine, character formation in medical training, and theological anthropology. | Ahmad.Sami@medstudent.pitt.edu
Sami Ahmad earned his BS from Johns Hopkins University in 2020. He is a student in the MD-PhD Medical Scientist Training Program with research interests in history and philosophy of medicine, character formation in medical training, and theological anthropology. | Ahmad.Sami@medstudent.pitt.edu
Asha Bhatt | Graduate Certificate in Bioethics
Asha Bhatt is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where she majored in Religious Studies. Currently, she is pursuing a Master's in Public Health with a concentration in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences. Asha is interested in integrating social sciences into medical fields with the goal of providing patients with more equitable care. | AJB287@pitt.edu
Erin Delaney | Master of Arts in Bioethics
Erin Delaney is the Academic Operations Manager for the Arts Departments at the University of Pittsburgh. She completed her undergraduate studies at the College of Wooster where she received a BA in history. Erin's interests range from the distribution of scarce resources to understandings of neurodivergence in academic environments. | EWD9@pitt.edu
Jennifer DeMao | Master of Arts in Bioethics
Jennifer DeMao is a healthcare executive with experience working with underserved populations and government programs. She earned both her Bachelor's and Master of Studies in Law (MSL) Degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Her primary bioethics focus involves exploring the ethical challenges associated with safeguarding patient autonomy and empowering patients in healthcare decision making. | jed223@pitt.edu
Uma Gaffney | Graduate Certificate in Bioethics
Uma Gaffney is a graduate of Smith College, where she majored in chemistry with a focus on sustainable organic chemistry. She then taught middle school science in Minneapolis through Teach for America and worked at UCSF conducting research on Gould Syndrome, a rare disease that predominantly affects children. As a medical student, she is a coordinator for the Family Medicine Interest Group and the Medical Student Pride Alliance. She is interested in the ways people with cognitive disabilities interact with the healthcare system, particularly with regard to informed consent and parental consent. Gaffney.Uma@medstudent.pitt.edu
Ella Hileman-Kaplan | Master of Arts in Bioethics
Ella Hileman-Kaplan is a research coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh at the Caring for Complex Chronic Conditions Research Center. Originally from Seattle, Ella graduated with a BA in Comparative History of Ideas and a minor in Microbiology from the University of Washington. She is interested in law, health policy, and equity as they relate to women’s health. | elh232@pitt.edu
Ariel Leath, MA | Master of Arts in Bioethics
Ariel Leath is a strategic communications professional with experience working with tech startups, companies developing healthcare apps, and small businesses, as well as working in community development and nonprofits. She graduated with a BS in Communications from Appalachian State University and a MA in Communications, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University. With a background in bioethics, she intends to work in clinical ethics and policy consultation, with particular emphasis on substance use disorder, end-of-life care, and caregiver fatigue. | arl176@pitt.edu
Jess McKelvey, MSW | Master of Arts in Bioethics
Jess McKelvey earned her BS from Slippery Rock University where her interdisciplinary major focused on philosophy and cognitive science. She earned her MSW with a specialization in mental health from the University of Pittsburgh and gained experience in various psychiatric care settings. Focused on ethical issues at the intersections of mental illness, healthcare, and law, Jess has particular interest in deficiencies in structural competency as it relates to mental health and the implications it has for those with severe mental illness. | jcm164@pitt.edu
Madeleine Panahandeh | Master of Arts in Bioethics
Madeleine Panahandeh graduated from Washington and Jefferson College with majors in neuroscience and Spanish. After receiving experience in basic research, her interest is now focused on ethical decision making by patients with neurodegenerative disease. She is also interested in the right to healthcare of undocumented immigrants and marginalized populations. She is on leave from the MA Program and pursuing a law degree. | map740@pitt.edu
Kelsey Van Noy, MD | Master of Arts in Bioethics
Kelsey Van Noy is a pediatric physician with an interest in pediatric critical care. She earned her medical degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine and completed her residency at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she managed complex pediatric cases. She is interested in end-of-life care in pediatrics, specifically addressing issues related to assent versus consent as well as navigating divergent goals of care between families and the medical team, and exploring how advancements in modern medicine challenge ethical boundaries. In July 2025, Kelsey will begin a Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship in July at Seattle Children's Hospital, where she plans to develop skills in ethical decision-making and patient care during critical times, with a strong emphasis on aligning treatment approaches with both patient and family values. | kelsey.vannoy17@gmail.com