The Team

Daniel C. Burrell is the Founder and CEO of The Burrell Group, LLC a holding company that invests in and operates individual, privately held companies in the education, real estate, natural resources and agricultural sectors. Select holdings of The Burrell Group, LLC include, but are not limited to, Gemini Rosemont Realty, LLC, The Orogrande Garnet Company, LLC, The Orogrande Cattle Company, LLC, West Coast Aggregate, LLC, and The Burrell Colleges of Medicine, LLC.

Mr. Burrell received his Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University, a General Course Degree in International Law from the London School of Economics, and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

Jaime Aguirre joined Rice Management Company in 2013 as Investment Director for Private Equity and Venture Capital. Previously, Mr. Aguirre was a Principal at Austin Ventures where he focused on growth equity investments and also acted as CFO of a portfolio company. He was previously a Vice President in the technology, media, & telecom investment banking group at Goldman Sachs. Earlier in his career, he worked in the investment banking division of Merrill Lynch as part of the energy group in Houston and the Latin America group in Mexico City. Mr. Aguirre received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and has a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin. He serves on the board of Accelerate Learning, Burrell College of Medicine at New Mexico State University, Emerus Hospital Partners, Iora Health, Whittle School & Studios, and Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine.

John L. Hummer is co-founder, executive board director and president of BCOM.  He earned his undergraduate degree in economics from Kansas State University under a United States Army scholarship and his master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Kansas. He has 20 years of executive leadership experience in the private, investor owned, healthcare industry as well as academic teaching hospitals. He held the CEO position in 12 of his 20 years in the hospital industry. He has developed, expanded, and lead major hospitals in Las Vegas, NV, Washington, DC, New Orleans, LA, Ft. Lauderdale, FL., Las Vegas, NV and Las Cruces, NM. He is a past board member of The Federation of American Hospitals.

His experiences include several academic teaching hospitals. Hummer completed his administrative residency at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, KS, a 760-bed teaching hospital for The University of Kansas Medical School. Early in his career, Hummer served as the chief operating officer for an osteopathic teaching hospital in South Florida providing him with an appreciation for osteopathic medicine. He served as the chief operating officer for The George Washington University Hospital (GW) a major teaching hospital located in our nation’s capital.  Hummer led and negotiated all key provisions and shared service contracts between UHS, Inc. and George Washington University (GWU) under the joint venture with GWU.  His professional experience with graduate medical education (GME) and its critical role within hospitals and communities, coupled with his network of hospital relationships, has and will continue to benefit BCOM.

John serves on the board of directors for the Borderplex Alliance, the regional economic development organization for Southern, NM, El Paso, TX and Ciudad Juarez, MX. He is a director for First American Bank’s Board of Trustees. He is a past chairman of the board for the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance (MVEDA) and past chairman of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. He is also aH past president of The Rio Grande Rotary Club.

John and his wife Amy own the largest full service real estate company in Las Cruces – Steinborn Inc. Real Estate offering residential, commercial, property management, development and consulting services.  John and Amy served as co-chairs of Mesilla Valley Hospice’s “Continuing the Dream” Capital Campaign which raised $6.5 million for expansion of hospice facilities.

John, along with his wife Amy and their two sons Alex, and Sam, enjoy New Mexico, active in St. Albert the Great Catholic Church and avid NMSU Aggie supporters.

Since 2007, Chet Burrell has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield serving Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. The company is the largest private health plan and health insurance carrier in the mid-Atlantic region with $10 billion in annual revenues serving 3.4 million people in the region. The company is a leader in managed care models built around primary care physicians and operates the largest single patient centered medical home program in the U.S. with primary care physicians at its core. This program has also become the subject of a major public private partnership with the federal government to create a common model that would serve the Medicare population and the commercial population in the region and serve as a model for the nation.

Prior to joining CareFirst, Burrell was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RealMed Corporation, a provider of online claims processing services for the health care industry. It is, today, among the largest health care electronic clearinghouses in the U.S.
Before joining RealMed, Burrell served as founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Novalis Corporation, a managed care technology and consulting company that he developed from the idea stage to an organization serving over 800,000 members throughout the eastern half of the U.S. The company partnered with large, regionally-based managed care networks of health care providers centered on leading academic and medical centers, enabling them to offer their own managed care plans.

Prior to Novalis, Burrell served as Executive Vice President of Associated Insurance Companies of Indiana, the predecessor organization that became Anthem BlueCross BlueShield and now WellPoint. He had responsibility for directing AICI’s managed care operating subsidiary companied. Before joining Anthem, Mr. Burrell was President of the Albany Division of Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which at the time was the nation’s largest non-profit health insurer. Among other areas, the Albany Division served the company’s largest single account (the NYS Employees Program with one million enrollees) as well as all managed care programs operated by the company. Prior to his Empire experience, he was President and CEO for Blue Cross of Northeastern New York, serving subscribers in Upstate New York.

In addition to his private sector health care experience, Burrell has also served in the public sector. During a 10-year career with state government in New York, he served in various senior-level positions including Executive Deputy Commissioner for the New York State Office of Mental Health; Deputy Director for New York State Office of Health Systems Management, the state’s health regulatory agency; and New York State Governor’s Staff, Division of the Budget.

Dr. Dan Arvizu became Chancellor and the 28th Chief Executive of the New Mexico State University System (NMSU) on June 1, 2018. NMSU is New Mexico’s land-grant institution founded in 1888 and is presently one of the nation’s foremost Hispanic-serving universities. NMSU is a NASA Space Grant College and is home to the very first Honors College in New Mexico. Dr. Arvizu is the second alumnus and first Hispanic to be hired as the NMSU System Chancellor and Chief Executive. He previously served in various roles at Emerson Collective including Chief Technology Officer, STEM Evangelist, and Senior Advisor. He also currently serves as a Venture Partner for Sustainability for Ridge-Lane Partners, Ltd. and as a Precourt Institute Energy Scholar at Stanford University.

Dr. Arvizu has had a long distinguished career in advanced energy research and development, materials and process sciences, and technology commercialization. He started his career in 1973 at Bell Labs, and after four years transferred to Sandia National Labs, where he spent the next 21 years, 14 years in executive roles. In 1998 he joined CH2M Hill Companies, Ltd for 6 years, his last two years as a CTO. In January of 2005 he was appointed the 8th Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado and became the first Hispanic Lab Director in the history of any of the 17 U.S. DOE’s National Labs. He retired in December of 2015, and is presently Director Emeritus.

Dr. Arvizu serves on a number of boards, panels and advisory committees including the State Farm Mutual Insurance Board of Directors, the Singapore International Advisory Panel on Energy, and the Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy Advisory Council. In 2004 he was appointed by President George W. Bush, and subsequently in 2010 reappointed by President Barack Obama (twice confirmed by the full Senate), to serve six-year terms on the National Science Board (NSB), the governing body of the $7.5 billion National Science Foundation. He was twice elected NSB Chairman by his peers and served in that role for four years (2012-2016) where he testified annually on NSF’s budget before Congress. He was the first Hispanic Chair of the National Science Board, founded in 1950.

He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Public Administration and in 2016 received the Secretary of Energy’s Exceptional Service Award for more than three decades of energy contributions. He has received numerous awards and recognitions including induction as a member of the U.S. News and World Report STEM Leadership Hall of Fame, induction as a member of the Great Minds in STEM Hispanic Science and Engineering Hall of Fame, and in 2010 was awarded the Hispanic Scientist of the Year, by the Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa, Florida.

Dr. Arvizu has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University, and a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.

Bernadette Montoya has been the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at New Mexico State University since June 2011, and has worked in student services since at NMSU since 1992. At NMSU, she provides oversight to multiple aspects of student services, including financial aid, admissions, student life, career services, health and wellness, multicultural programming, and student records. Montoya also oversees student academic success programs such as tutoring, TRiO-Student Support Services, and study skills programs. Her areas encourage participation in campus life via recreational sports, Greek Life, and student-run organizations, student government, ASNMSU, and our student radio station and newspaper. She also deals with student judicial and accessibility issues. Montoya’s comprehensive understanding of education at all levels reflects her own education and professional career. She both attended and taught at a rural elementary school, and she earned her Associate of Arts from New Mexico State University’s community college in Grants. After completing her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, also from New Mexico State University, she taught elementary school. Montoya received her doctoral degree from the University of New Mexico and earned a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University.

Don N. Peska, DO, MEd, FACOS, Dean & Chief Academic Officer, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University is a highly respected educator and academic leader within the osteopathic medical school profession. Most recently (2009 – 2017), Dr. Peska served as the Dean of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Ft. Worth Texas (TCOM). He started his academic career at TCOM in 1982 as an Assistant Clinical Professor and was promoted to the positions of Associate Professor, Assistant Dean for Clinical Education, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Educational Programs. He also served as the Chief Medical Officer for UNT Health. Dr. Peska also served as a Residency Director for Vascular Surgery. Dr. Peska’s honors include: Distinguished Osteopathic Surgeon from American College of Osteopathic Surgeons (ACOS), President’s Service Award from ACOS and the MeadJohnson Fellow in General Surgery. Prior to academia, Dr. Peska had a successful private practice in cardiothoracic and vascular surgery.

Dr. Peska received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine. He obtained his Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Cincinnati (Ohio). He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY. He completed residencies in general surgery and thoracic cadiovascular surgery. He is board certified in general surgery, general vascular surgery and thoracic-cardiovascular surgery from the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery. Dr. Peska is a Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners. He has also served as a member of the Research Advisory Committee of the National Resident Match Program (NMRP) in Washington, DC and accreditation surveyor for the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).

An accomplished researcher and lecturer, Dr. Peska is a visiting faculty member at the Harvard-Macy Institute at Harvard University. The Harvard-Macy institute is an inter-professional, international incubator for innovators in health care education. The institute takes a collegial “think tank” approach to continuing professional development, bringing together diverse perspectives in health care education. It inspires participants to examine their own assumptions and behaviors in a new light, leading to fresh approaches to their careers and their capacity as leaders of organizational change.

Under Dr. Peska’s leadership at TCOM, he and his team successfully increased the overall class size and established the TCOM Academy of Medical Educators. The Academy provides protected time for faculty to attend to their teaching assignments and brings them together each week for their own development. They participate in a longitudinal curriculum that provides in-depth discussion in the learning sciences and coursework that includes theory, instructional design, assessment, skills training, technology, and other facets of curriculum delivery. Time is dedicated for reflective dialogue on outcomes of recent courses and sharing of best practices. The Academy members were responsible for modernizing and integrating the curriculum. The overall success of the academy and other leadership strategies contributed to achieving excellent outcomes for TCOM’s students and an increase in overall faculty and institutional pride. Since inception TCOM students have exceeded the national means for first attempt passage and total scores on all levels of COMLEX-USA, the licensing board exam required of all graduates of osteopathic medical schools. Additionally, the majority of TCOM students sit for USMLE Step 1 where they also performed at or above the national average of all allopathic medical schools.

Dr. Peska’s Perspective on Medical Education: “Although comfortable with and experienced in clinical practice management and oversight of a modest research enterprise, my core interests are in curriculum and instruction and team development. The application of evidence-based principles of learning to medical education has enhanced institutional effectiveness at TCOM. With several complimentary degree programs on the health science center campus and in the community TCOM has successfully partnered internally and externally to promote inter-professional practice. Our team has been invited to present its strategies and outcomes in the United States and overseas.” – Don N. Peska, DO, MEd, FACOS

In addition to a focus on quality measures and improvement across the health plan, he developed a five-touch approach for eliminating gaps in care for medically fragile members and has enhanced partnerships with providers to ensure quality care. Before joining Lovelace, he served as Vice President and Market Medical Officer for Humana Healthcare in Phoenix, where he was responsible for medical operations in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and Utah. Prior to that, Dr. Cruickshank was Executive Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at IASIS Healthcare in Franklin, Tenn. He also served at CIGNA Healthcare in Phoenix, where he directed operations for a 22-state region as its Western Region Chief Medical Officer.

Dr. Cruickshank is board certified in Family Medicine. He completed post-graduate training at the Chicago Osteopathic Medical Center, earning his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. He earned his Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University. Dr. Cruickshank is also board certified in medical management (CPE) through the American College of Physician Executives.

Dr. Cruickshank has been a recipient of two prestigious awards from the United States Air Force for his distinguished service: the USAF Systems Command Flight Surgeon of the Year Award and the Meritorious Service Medal. He has honored his profession through participation and leadership in various medical associations, including the American Osteopathic Association and the Arizona Osteopathic Association. Dr. Cruickshank was named Albuquerque Business First Top CEO Honoree in 2014.

Mr. Harris has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces since November, 2013. Harris brings nearly 40 years of senior level healthcare administration experience to MMC and the Las Cruces community. His leadership focus is on developing and executing business strategies, growing service lines and enhancing physician relationships.

Previously, Harris served as Group Vice President of Southern California for UHS, and prior to that he worked with Tenet Healthcare Corporation as President of the Sierra Providence Health Network in El Paso, Texas, from 2006-2012, and as CEO of Tenet’s Lake Pointe Medical Center in Rowlett, Texas, from 2003-2006. Over his career, Harris has served as CEO of hospitals in Texas, Arizona, Washington and Utah. He has served on numerous boards for organizations such as the Regional Economic Development Corporation, Federal Bureau of Investigation in El Paso, and the Board of Development for University of Texas at El Paso. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University and his Master’s in Hospital Administration from the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

Dr. Baker is a second generation, native Las Cruces, New Mexico, board certified physician. Since 1980, he has operated a prominent family medicine practice and is a respected medical leader within the state of New Mexico. He has served as the Chief of the Medical Staff for both MountainView Regional Medical Center and Memorial Medical Center and currently serves on the Board of Directors for MountainView. He is a past board member of the New Mexico Medical Review Board and past president of the New Mexico Osteopathic Medical Association. In addition, Baker is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, the New Mexico Osteopathic Association, the American College of Family Physicians, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. For over three decades, Baker has served as the lead team physician for NMSU Athletics. For his service, Baker was recently inducted into NMSU’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Dr. Baker attended the University of New Mexico, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology. He received a master’s degree in microbiology from NMSU and obtained is DO degree from the Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Bob Wingo joined Sanders\Wingo in 1983. In the decades since, Bob’s commitment to authenticity and excellence has fueled the Sanders\Wingo team to expand the agency’s presence from El Paso across Texas to Austin, and into regional offices in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The years he spent devoted to client-side marketing have made him a trusted authority for many current and former clients. He intuitively understands how to match talent and capabilities to client needs. His leadership has been prized by clients like AT&T, Burger King, Chevrolet, KFC, State Farm Insurance, the United States Postal Service and Shell Oil.
Generosity with his knowledge and experience has led to a wealth of civic involvement and public service over the course of his career. In the 1990s, Texas Governor George W. Bush made Bob a member of the Finance Commission of Texas. In January of 2004, Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed Bob to the Texas Economic Development Corporation Board, where he served as president. Governor Perry also appointed Bob to a position on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
On a national scale, Bob sat on the board of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Foundation. Bob is a long standing member of HCA Las Palmas Del Sol’ Healthcare Board of Trustees and is currently serving as its Chairman.
Many organizations have honored Bob for his contributions to the community and to the fields of marketing and advertising. One of the most notable testaments to Bob’s leadership has been the recognition of Sanders\Wingo as Black Enterprise 2009 Advertising Agency of the Year.
In 2013, The University of Texas at El Paso and its Alumni Association honored Bob Wingo as one of their Distinguished Alumni.

Don N. Peska, DO, MEd, FACOS, Dean & Chief Academic Officer, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University is a highly respected educator and academic leader within the osteopathic medical school profession. Most recently (2009 – 2017), Dr. Peska served as the Dean of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Ft. Worth Texas (TCOM). He started his academic career at TCOM in 1982 as an Assistant Clinical Professor and was promoted to the positions of Associate Professor, Assistant Dean for Clinical Education, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Educational Programs. He also served as the Chief Medical Officer for UNT Health. Dr. Peska also served as a Residency Director for Vascular Surgery. Dr. Peska’s honors include: Distinguished Osteopathic Surgeon from American College of Osteopathic Surgeons (ACOS), President’s Service Award from ACOS and the MeadJohnson Fellow in General Surgery. Prior to academia, Dr. Peska had a successful private practice in cardiothoracic and vascular surgery.

Dr. Peska received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine. He obtained his Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Cincinnati (Ohio). He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY. He completed residencies in general surgery and thoracic cadiovascular surgery. He is board certified in general surgery, general vascular surgery and thoracic-cardiovascular surgery from the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery. Dr. Peska is a Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners. He has also served as a member of the Research Advisory Committee of the National Resident Match Program (NMRP) in Washington, DC and accreditation surveyor for the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).

An accomplished researcher and lecturer, Dr. Peska is a visiting faculty member at the Harvard-Macy Institute at Harvard University. The Harvard-Macy institute is an inter-professional, international incubator for innovators in health care education. The institute takes a collegial “think tank” approach to continuing professional development, bringing together diverse perspectives in health care education. It inspires participants to examine their own assumptions and behaviors in a new light, leading to fresh approaches to their careers and their capacity as leaders of organizational change.

Under Dr. Peska’s leadership at TCOM, he and his team successfully increased the overall class size and established the TCOM Academy of Medical Educators. The Academy provides protected time for faculty to attend to their teaching assignments and brings them together each week for their own development. They participate in a longitudinal curriculum that provides in-depth discussion in the learning sciences and coursework that includes theory, instructional design, assessment, skills training, technology, and other facets of curriculum delivery. Time is dedicated for reflective dialogue on outcomes of recent courses and sharing of best practices. The Academy members were responsible for modernizing and integrating the curriculum. The overall success of the academy and other leadership strategies contributed to achieving excellent outcomes for TCOM’s students and an increase in overall faculty and institutional pride. Since inception TCOM students have exceeded the national means for first attempt passage and total scores on all levels of COMLEX-USA, the licensing board exam required of all graduates of osteopathic medical schools. Additionally, the majority of TCOM students sit for USMLE Step 1 where they also performed at or above the national average of all allopathic medical schools.

Dr. Peska’s Perspective on Medical Education: “Although comfortable with and experienced in clinical practice management and oversight of a modest research enterprise, my core interests are in curriculum and instruction and team development. The application of evidence-based principles of learning to medical education has enhanced institutional effectiveness at TCOM. With several complimentary degree programs on the health science center campus and in the community TCOM has successfully partnered internally and externally to promote inter-professional practice. Our team has been invited to present its strategies and outcomes in the United States and overseas.” – Don N. Peska, DO, MEd, FACOS

Jennifer joined BCOM in January 2015 as CFO, following a career of over 30 years in financial administration and accounting. She began her career in public accounting, and held numerous positions of increasing responsibility at New Mexico State University, culminating in the position of Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration. Following her retirement from this position in 2010, she rejoined NMSU as a faculty member in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems. She holds a Bachelor of Accountancy and an MBA

Dr. Ketchum comes to BCOM from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of Rocky Vista University, in Parker, Colorado, where he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences and as Director of Research and Scholarly Activity. An accomplished researcher in the areas of diabetes, isolation of pancreatic islets, and cellular transplantation, having served as the Director of the GMP cell processing lab at the University of Virginia, which prepared insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells for clinical transplantation. Dr. Ketchum is a graduate of Brigham Young University (BS, Zoology, ‘82) the University of Minnesota (PhD, Anatomy, ’89). He was on the founding faculty of the Pikeville University, School of Osteopathic Medicine and was with Rocky Vista since its inception. Dr. Ketchum played a significant role in Rocky Vista University’s curriculum re-sequencing in 2010, which has proven to be very effective and successful in the training and placement of its graduates into residency training programs. (Rocky Vista University is the only other medical school to share BCOM’s proprietary status and tax structure.) As Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Ketchum will be accountable for the development and implementation of BCOM’s curriculum and assurance of student progress and success.

Dr. Michael Morehead is currently the Dean for the College of Education at New Mexico State University. Upon his retirement from NMSU in 2015, he will join BCOM’s leadership team.
Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Morehead has a bachelor’s in education, a master’s in educational administration and a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Missouri in Columbia. Prior to joining the NMSU College of Education in 1992, he worked in administrative roles at Northern Arizona University and Emporia State University. He has been an educator since 1971, including teaching at the middle- and high-school level and serving as an administrator in secondary schools.

Morehead’s primary research involves teacher education, program quality, student internships and accreditation; all of which will benefit the growth and development of BCOM. Morehead has been instrumental in establishing linkages and outreach initiatives that foster collaboration between higher education and public schools. Morehead has been instrumental in establishing the Alliance for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning – a collaborative among New Mexico State University, K-12 education and other agencies that support teaching and learning in New Mexico. Additionally, Morehead has been instrumental in the planning for the Early College High School in Las Cruces.

In the area of teacher education he has assisted in creating a more field based teacher education program where students increase their time in classrooms prior to graduation. He has also led the college in developing more business partnerships and in expanding collaboration with community agencies that provide services to children and families. During his tenure as an educator Dr. Morehead consistently seeks collaborative and innovative strategies to meet the needs of the communities he serves.

Dr. Tania Arana is a behavioral neuroscientist and joins BCOM from the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine – Texas Tech University @ El Paso, where she was one of the founding faculty members and deeply involved in the development of the school. Dr. Arana most recently chaired their Admissions Committee as well as the Committee on Diversity. She received her PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Ottawa and is widely published in the area of educational methods and behavioral neuroscience. With relatives in Chihuahua, Mexico, Dr. Arana brings a wealth of local cultural experience to BCOM and is uniquely suited to help the school accomplish its mission of increasing the number and diversity of the local healthcare workforce.

Dr. Minugh-Purvis comes to the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine after serving as Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Director of the Division of Pre‐Medical and Pre‐health programs at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.  She earned her BA in Anthropology and Latin American Studies from the University of New Mexico and PhD in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania.  She joined the Medical College of Pennsylvania, now Drexel University College of Medicine, as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy in1991.  Dr. Minugh‐Purvis has also served as Director of Gross Anatomy at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and Director of Advanced Gross Anatomy at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, now the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.  She served the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as an executive of the Humanity Gifts Registry the state’s anatomical body donation program for medical education–from 2008 to 2015.  Dr. Minugh-Purvis brings with her 31 years of clinical experience in patient care as growth specialist for the Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Teams in the Division of Plastic Surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

In the area of medical and pre‐medical education, Dr. Minugh‐Purvis’ experience includes curriculum development, student career advisement, and teaching in the various anatomical sciences at the medical and graduate levels.  She is the recipient of awards for her teaching in medical gross anatomy at both Drexel and the University of Pennsylvania. While at Drexel, she administered the largest post-baccalaureate/medical preparatory program in the nation. Drawing on her original training in Anthropology, she emphasizes the importance of human diversity and cultural competencies in all aspects of medical education, and has developed and instructed courses in medical Spanish.

Dr. Minugh-Purvis’ research examines craniofacial growth and development and skeletal morphogenesis from numerous perspectives. Her published work in this area includes the characterization of growth patterns specific to children with craniofacial syndromes and oro‐facial clefts; examinations of the Upper Pleistocene evolution of the human craniofacial complex; and the molecular biology underpinning aspects of skeletal morphogenesis and developmental variation.

Dr. Jons-Cox joins BCOM from Rocky Vista University, where she was one of the founding faculty members and greatly involved in the development of the school. During her time there, Dr. Jons-Cox served as chair and associate professor of the Osteopathic Principles and Practices department, director for the second year OPP course and the OPP elective course, and director of the third and fourth year Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) curriculum. She also served as director of the Osteopathic Focused Track residency program and director of the Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine +1 residency program at the Rocky Mountain OPTI/Sky Ridge Medical Center. She has taught OMM throughout the continuum of first year of the medical school curriculum through residency. She served on numerous committees and chaired the Faculty Council and the Faculty Promotions and Credentialing Committee. She served as advisor for the Student American Academy of Osteopathy, the American Osteopathic College of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and the Christian Medical and Dental Association. She currently holds a position for the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) as a SOAP Note rater for the COMLEX II PE and was on  the NBOME Standard Setting Panel for COMLEX I and IICE in 2014. Dr. Jons-Cox is known for her innovative approaches to osteopathic medical education through her development of individualized osteopathic education labs, track labs, and competency portfolios. She is published internationally on the concept of self-directed learning in the osteopathic lab setting.

Dr. Jons-Cox graduated from the Kansas City University of Health and Biosciences in 2000. She completed an osteopathic internship at Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital (now Western Reserve Hospital), 21 months of an anesthesiology residency program at the Cleveland Clinic, and an Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine/Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine residency at the University of New England. She was in private practice for three years before beginning her academic medicine career.

Justin McHorse is originally from Taos Pueblo, NM, where he graduated from Taos High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College where he double majored in Native American Studies and English. Upon graduating from Dartmouth, Justin participated in the Institute for Recruitment of Teachers at Phillips Academy Andover.

After his summer in Andover, MA, he served as the Assistant Director of Admissions at Proctor Academy in Andover, NH, and then as the Diversity Outreach Coordinator for The Advent School in Boston, MA. Justin then headed to West Lafayette, IN, to study at Purdue University. He graduated with a M.S. in Education with a specialization in Higher Education Administration.

Following his graduate study at Purdue University, Justin accepted a position offer from Cornell University where he served as the Assistant Director of Diversity Programs in Engineering. One of his noted roles was as the advisor for the university’s chapters of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).

As it was always one of Justin’s goals to return to his home state of New Mexico, he welcomed the opportunity to serve as the Director of the American Indian Program at New Mexico State University. As the director, Justin strived to provide a positive climate that supports the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of American Indians in the pursuit of a higher education.

To highlight one Justin’s accomplishments as the director, he played a key role in facilitating the construction and completion of the new American Indian Student Center at NMSU, which opened its doors in early 2011. Upon being satisfied that he contributed to the advance of the American Indian Program for the benefit of the students, Justin was open to new opportunity for growth and advancement.

Justin is excited to join the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM) team as the Assistant Dean for Multicultural Affairs, Marketing and Communications. In his role, he employs the use of cultural knowledge and competence to help BCOM establish a culturally diverse, supportive and inclusive environment where students, faculty, staff and administrators are valued members of the community. As of 2018 Justin plans on continuing to expand on cultural diversity and sustain the sense of community BCOM has created as the Assistant Vice President for Multicultural Inclusion & Director of Communications.