In addition to its governance and fiduciary roles, the Board serves as the final selecting body for all project funding. Its members share a passion for making health care work better. They represent a wide range of internal and external expertise, competencies, and perspectives. The Board plays a critical role in helping us understand, think strategically, and prioritize innovative solutions to critical health care issues.
Leadership & Staff
Board of Directors

Dorothy Beckwith
Co-Founder, The Beckwith Institute

G. Nicholas Beckwith III
Chairman, UPMC Board of Directors
Co-Founder, The Beckwith Institute
All Board Members
Timothy Billiar, MD
Derek Angus, MD
Bruce Bowden
Deborah Brodine
Louise Brown
Jeanne Cunicelli
Leslie C. Davis
Jackie Dunbar-Jacob
Robert Edwards, MD
Toren Finkel, MD/PhD
Mark Geraci
Dawndra Jones
Ed Karlovich
Mark Laskow
Joon Sup Lee, MD
Louis Leff, MD, FACP
Amanda Lenhard, MD
Holly Lorenz
Oscar Marroquin, MD
Maribeth McLaughlin
Ed McCallister
Bartley P. Griffith, Jr.
Talbot Heppenstall
Sandra L. Rader
Mark Roberts, MD
Fred Rubin, MD
James M. Schuster, MD
Steven D. Shapiro, MD
Graham Snyder, MD
J.C. Stilley
John P. Surma
Jessica Trybus
Gail Wolf
V. Thomas Worrall, MD
Donald M. Yealy, MD
Student Board
The Beckwith Institute welcomes the opportunity to inspire and encourage the next generation of health care leaders through our Student Board. Each year, The Beckwith Institute appoints two high school students as non-voting members of the Board, offering them the opportunity to learn about options in the health care field while working on projects alongside our staff.

Jinny Guo
Senior, Shady Side Academy
Jinny is a Senior at Shady Side Academy who, influenced by her family of healthcare professionals, is passionate about improving human well-being and pursuing a career in public health. Motivated by her keen interest in biology and the chemistry of medicine, she is dedicated to acquiring cutting-edge medical techniques and aims to conduct her personal research regarding disease pathophysiology in the near future.
After undertaking research on Phenylketonuria (PKU) as a medical information researcher, she was admitted to the Advocacy Committee for the National PKU Alliance, attending their annual national conference to raise public concern and fight for the welfare of patients with PKU. Jinny is also an Associate Editor of the youth-led journal Scholar of Tomorrow (SoT), a platform for secondary students to present and exchange academic discoveries and research experiences.
At Shady Side Academy, Jinny serves as a Science Department Associate, Admissions Ambassador, and Peer Leader. She plans to start the Shady Side chapter of Future Health Professionals (HOSA), a global student-led organization aiming to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all. She enjoys being involved in the Pre-Med Club and the Service-Learning Club, which provide her with various volunteer opportunities to contribute to her community. Jinny also participates in the Science Olympiad and is interested in speech and debate, theater, photography, running, and swimming.

Dylan Sun
New Junior Board member
Dylan is a rising junior at Shady Side Academy who is passionate about the health sciences and serving his community. He is keen to exploring the mechanisms found in science and technology. After completing research on the synergistic effects of emodin and doxorubicin, he presented his work at both PRSEF and PJAS. He will attend the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Academy, learning about computational healthcare.
At Shady Side Academy, Dylan serves as an Admissions Ambassador and photographer. Dylan also contributes his time to the Chinese community of Pittsburgh, volunteering at the Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center and the Chinese Association for Science and Technology – Pittsburgh. In his spare time, Dylan enjoys photography, technology, golfing, tennis, and travelling.
UPMC Executive Support
Executive support is provided by UPMC to ensure that the vision and mission of The Beckwith Institute is executed. These individuals work closely with all UPMC leaders to identify innovation opportunities, solicit proposals, and provide grantees with essential support and monitoring to ensure timely progress and successful completion of projects.

Tami Minnier
Executive Director, The Beckwith Institute
Chief Quality Officer, UPMC

Colleen Sullivan
Director, The Beckwith Institute
Director of Operations, Office of Health Care Innovation

Cassandra M. Heinle
Project Manager, The Beckwith Institute
Wolff Center at UPMC

Susan C. Martin
Senior Director, Clinical Improvement/Patient Safety Department
Wolff Center at UPMC

Maria Greaves
Financial Analyst Senior
Community Provider Services