Anne  W. Thompson, PT, EdD is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Master of Health Professions Education (MS-HPEd) and PhD in Health Professions Education Programs in the Center for Interprofessional Studies and Innovation at MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Dr. Thompson’s experience in interprofessional education began as a student in interprofessional courses at Duke University. Throughout her clinical and academic career, she has promoted shared learning, teamwork, and patient-focused care.  She has presented at multiple international IPE conferences, served on the journal abstract editorial board for the Journal of Interprofessional Care, and promoted international interprofessional experiences for students and faculty.  At Armstrong State University, she served as the Chair of the Rehabilitation Sciences Department and Director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.  Additionally, she served as Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs (2010-2012), and Interim Dean of the College of Health Professions (2014-2015 and 2017).  She is a charter member of the physical therapy faculty, retiring from Georgia Southern University/Armstrong Campus as Chair and Associate Professor Emerita.
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Janice C. Palaganas, PhD, APRN, ANEF, FNAP, FAAN, FSSH is the Director of Educational Innovation and Development for the Center for Medical Simulation (CMS) in Boston, Massachusetts and faculty for Harvard Medical School, Department of Anesthesia, and Interprofessional Studies at the Institute for Health Professions, Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Palaganas has developed a passion in teamwork from her background as an emergency nurse, trauma nurse practitioner, director of emergency and critical care services, and faculty for schools of medicine, nursing, allied health, management, and emergency medicine. As a behavioral scientist and former clinician and administrator, Dr. Palaganas’ passion is in using healthcare simulation as a platform for interprofessional education (IPE) and has served as a member of the National Academy of Medicine’s (Institute of Medicine) report on measuring the impact of IPE on practice. Dr. Palaganas’ primary role is to develop educators in an IPE setting. She led CMS’s Instructor Course educating educators in simulation globally and developed an interprofessional virtual campus as the principal investigator of a board grant awarded by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.

Dr. Palaganas has shaped the field of simulation, led the development of the Society for Simulation’s (SSH) Accreditation and Certification Program, was the editor-in-chief of two textbooks in simulation (Defining Excellence in Simulation Programs and Mastering Simulation 2nd Ed), authored several chapters, seminal articles and field-changing research including the national study for high-stakes assessment using simulation.
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IHP Interprofessional Education Expert Mentors

Peter S. Cahn, PhD, joined the Institute in July 2012 as Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, and Director and Professor in the Center for Interprofessional Studies and Innovation.

He trained as a cultural anthropologist with a focus on contemporary Latin America. Dr. Cahn started his career in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Oklahoma in 2002, where he became Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies.

His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and the Wenner-Gren Foundation. He has published two books as well as articles in American Ethnologist and Cultural Anthropology. He writes occasional columns for the Chronicle of Higher Education.
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Alex Johnson, PhD, CCC-SLP is Provost and Vice President at MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston, MA. As the provost he serves as the chief academic officer, having responsibility for all of the academic programs, the faculty, and the students at the Institute.

In 2006, Johnson served as President of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association with a membership of over 130,000 speech-language pathologists and audiologists. He is a Fellow of ASHA and has received the Honors of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2013) which is the highest honors that the Association can bestow to “recognize individuals whose contributions have been of such excellence that they have enhanced or altered the course of the Professions.”  

Johnson is the co-editor of two textbooks and numerous peer reviewed articles and chapters. Johnson has continuing clinical and scholarly interests in medical speech-language pathology and the effects of communication and swallowing impairment of quality of health and life. His interests also include a newer focus on the teaching and scholarly enterprise in higher education, as well as interprofessional education in the health science.
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Mary  Knab, PhD, DPT, is Associate Provost for Interprofessional Education and Practice and Associate Professor in the Center for Interprofessional Studies and Innovation at MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Dr. Knab joined the Institute faculty in 1995 as Director of Clinical Education for the Institute’s developing entry-level physical therapy program where she was responsible for developing the successful and innovative clinical education component of the program’s curriculum. Dr. Knab collaborated successfully with the healthcare delivery community in implementing a year-long paid internship as the culminating clinical education experience and played a critical role in curriculum development for the Institute’s DPT program over many years.

Recognized nationally as a leader in developing innovative and effective clinical education models in the midst of a changing health care delivery system, Dr. Knab has been a frequent invited presenter on the topic.
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