Parents Leading Science
Parents Leading Science is not just a leadership program—it is a space for transformation, connection, and courageous self-inquiry that supports participants in navigating the complex intersections of professional ambition, personal identity, and family life.
Created in 2018 as Mothers Leading Science™, the program expanded in 2026 to Parents Leading Science™, and serves faculty who are researchers and parents looking to advance their leadership and careers in academic health sciences research.
Two groups, one purpose
The program is organized into a unique dual-group model, each reflecting the varied experiences of parenting in academia—one focused on experiences traditionally associated with motherhood and the other on those traditionally associated with fatherhood. This structure acknowledges the different challenges shaped by caregiving roles, identity, and social context, while fostering trust, reflection, and peer support within each group.
Program schedules
Researcher Moms Program Schedule
Key milestones and special events
| Event | Date & Time | Description |
| Orientation | Thursday, January 21, 2027 9am–12:30pm | Half-day program kickoff |
| Leadership Retreat | Thursday, May 13 – Friday, May 14, 2027 8am–5pm (Both days) | 2-day immersive retreat |
| Annual Retreat | December 2027 Final date and time TBD | End-of-year cohort retreat |
Monthly seminar cadence
Initial seminar
Thursday, January 28, 2027 | 12–1:00pm (60 minutes)
Recurring schedule
| Cadence | Session Type | Time | Details |
| 2nd Thursday (Feb – Dec) | Standard Group Meeting | 12–1:30pm (90 mins) | Core monthly cohort meeting. |
| 4th Thursday (Feb – June) | Standard Group Meeting | 12–1pm (60 mins) | Secondary monthly cohort meeting. |
| 4th Thursday (July – Dec) | Skills-Building Session OPTIONAL | 12–1pm (60 mins) | Joint meeting with PLS Researcher Dads. |
Researcher Dads Program Schedule
Key milestones and special events
| Event | Date & Time | Description |
| Orientation | Tuesday, January 12, 2027 9am– 12:30pm | Half-day program kickoff |
| Leadership Retreat | Thursday, May 20 – Friday, May 21, 2027 8am–5pm (Both days) | 2-day immersive retreat |
| Annual Retreat | December 2027 Final date and time TBD | End-of-year cohort retreat |
Monthly seminar cadence
Initial seminar
Tuesday, January 26, 2027 | 12–1pm (60 minutes)
Recurring schedule
| Cadence | Session Type | Time | Details |
| 2nd Tuesday (Feb – Dec) | Standard Group Meeting | 12pm–1:30pm (90 mins) | Core monthly cohort meeting. |
| 4th Thursday (July – Dec) | Skills-Building Session OPTIONAL | 12–1pm (60 mins) | Joint meeting with PLS Researcher Moms. |
I cannot express how grateful I am to Parents Leading Science. It has really changed how I view my place and value as a mother and scientist. I have found a lot of strength that I didn't even know was there!"
I feel like a whole human here. I don’t have to show only my excitement for research and my related skills; I can also show my vulnerable sides: my motherhood, my inexperience, my optimism, and my desire to lead a team wholeheartedly. These parts of me are valued and strengthened. I’m learning to view my whole life as an asset to my leadership potential, not a liability.”
How it works
Most sessions are held separately to allow candid, focused dialogue, with occasional joint sessions to address shared challenges and explore institutional improvements. Applicants may only join one group per cycle, though both are open to all eligible faculty.
What you'll gain
Eligibility criteria
- University of Minnesota health sciences research-engaged faculty:
- Applicants must demonstrate sustained engagement in research and scholarship as a meaningful component of their academic role. Evidence may include leadership or significant participation in research projects, scholarly productivity, research mentorship, and/or pursuit, management, or contribution to funded research. No minimum percentage of protected research time or Principal Investigator status is required. Faculty whose responsibilities are primarily clinical or teaching-focused without ongoing research engagement are not eligible.
- Parent of school-age and/or younger child(ren) and those who are lifelong caregivers to children with disabilities
- Open to giving and receiving peer support
- Must be able to commit to year-long program and attend, at a minimum, the in-person retreat and 75% of meetings (in-person or hybrid)
- Strong interest in professional, personal, and leadership development
- Willing to participate in all program evaluation efforts
- Faculty with appointments at Gillette Children’s, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute and the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health System are also eligible to apply.
- Priority given to current and former CTSI, LHS, and BIRCWH scholars
Our guiding philosophy
At the heart of Parents Leading Science is a commitment to cultivating whole-person leadership—intentionally aligning work, home, community, and self to foster authenticity, integrity, and wellbeing. Grounded in Stewart Friedman’s Total Leadership and Brené Brown’s research on vulnerability and worthiness, The program empowers faculty to lead with courage and self-awareness. We embrace Krista Tippett’s insight that “we create transformed, resilient new realities by becoming transformed, resilient people,” believing that personal transformation is the foundation for meaningful, sustainable leadership.
Hear from our alumni
Is this the right fit for you?
We dig deeply into vulnerability, and program participants commit to actively engaging in that process. By creating space for honest exploration, the program cultivates resilient, self-aware, and compassionate leaders who lead not only with expertise, but with humanity. This program invites meaningful personal reflection and is best suited for individuals in a relatively stable place in their lives, ready to engage in inner work. It is not recommended for those currently experiencing significant life upheaval.
Researcher–Moms Group
Anne Eaton, PhD, MS
Assistant Professor, Division of Biostatistics & Health Data Science
UMN School of Public Health
J'Mag Karbeah, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Division of Health Policy & Management
UMN School of Public Health
Sarah Lofgren, MD
Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine
Department of Medicine
UMN Medical School
Ebiere Okah, MD, MS
Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
UMN Medical School
Anita Randolph, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
UMN Medical School
Kimberly VanderWaal, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Population Medicine
UMN College of Veterinary Medicine
Tiffany Wolf, DVM, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Population Medicine
UMN College of Veterinary Medicine
Kyoko Yoshida, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
UMN College of Science and Engineering
Researcher–Dads Group
Joshua Aman, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology
UMN Medical School
Greg Duncan, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience
UMN Medical School
Warren McKinney, PhD
Key Researcher, Nephrology, Transplantation, & Health Disparities
Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
UMN Medical School
Eric Rahrmann, PhD
Assistant Professor; Scientific Advisor for Microscopy & Histology
The Hormel Institute
University of Minnesota
Cory Schaffhausen, PhD
Key Researcher, Chronic Disease Organ Transplantation
Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
Assistant Professor, UMN Medical School
Glenn Simmons, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University
Emilyn Alejandro, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology
Alicia Allen, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine
College of Medicine
University of Arizona
Sommer Amundsen-Huffmaster, PhD
Assistant professor
UMN Department of Neurology
Alexandra Armstrong, DVM, PhD, DACVP
Assistant Professor of Pathology
College of Veterinary Medicine
Anne Bantle, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
Jannell Bazurto, PhD
Assistant Professor
College of Biological Sciences
Joan Beckman, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
Megan Bensignor, MD, MSHP
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Bethany Birkelo, DO, MSCI
Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Minnesota Medical School
Antonella Borgatti, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), DECVIM-CA
Associate Professor
College of Veterinary Medicine
Elizabeth Boyer, PhD
Clinical Scientist, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Kristina Burrack, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Investigator, Division of Infectious Diseases at Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI)
Monica Campo Patino, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
Ilana Chefetz Menaker, PhD
Assistant Professor
The Hormel Institute
Mimi Choy-Brown, PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor
UMN School of Social Work
Colleen Correll, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Brooke Cunningham, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
Katherine Diaz Vickery, MD, MSc
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare
Sian Durward-Akhurst, BVMS, MS, PhD
Assistant Professor
College of Veterinary Medicine
Christen Ebens, MD, MPH
Associate Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Ida-Arlaine Fonkoue, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota Medical School
Anne Frosch, MD, MPH
Infectious Diseases
Investigator, Hennepin Healthcare
Allyson Hart, MD, MS
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Investigator, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
Brittany Hartwell, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Rachel Hawe, PT, DPT, PhD
Assistant Professor
School of Kinesiology
Rebekah Hudock, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Ellen Ingolfsland, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Sandra Japuntich, PhD, LP
Psychiatry
Investigator, Hennepin Healthcare
Forum Kamdar, MD, FACC
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
Manda Keller-Ross, PT, DPT, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Jiwoo Lee, PhD, RN
Assistant professor
UMN School of Nursing
Sara Koehler-McNicholas, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Sahar Lotfi-Emran, MD, PhD
Assistant professor
UMN Department of Medicine
Katie Loth, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
Hannah MacDougall, PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor
School of Social Work
Kelly Makielski, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Assistant Professor
College of Veterinary Medicine
Alexandra Marquez, MD, MSTR
Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota Medical School
Stephanie Misono, MD, MPH
Associate Professor
Chief, Division of Laryngology
Noelle Noyes, DVM, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Veterinary Population Medicine
Susan Novotny, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Julie Ostrander, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
Megan Paulsen, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Rene Pierpont, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Sasha Prisco, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota Medical School
Radha Rajasingham, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
Tonya Rich, PhD, OTR/L
Assistant Professor
Research Service Line, Minneapolis VA Health Care System; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Minnesota
Elizabeth Rogers, MD, MAS
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
Zohar Sachs, MD, PhD
Assistant professor
UMN Department of Medicine
Erica Schorr, PhD, BSBA, RN, FAHA
Associate Professor
School of Nursing
Sabrina Scroggins, PhD
Assistant professor
UMN Department of Biomedical Sciences, Duluth Campus
Kerry Sheets, MD
Assistant Professor
UMN Medical School
Rebecca Shlafer, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Lindsey Sloan, MD, PhD
Assistant professor
UMN Department of Radiation Oncology
Gillian Tarr, PhD, CPH
Assistant Professor
School of Public Health
Anna Tischler, PhD
Associate professor
UMN Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Lucie Turcotte, MD, MPH, MS
Associate Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Sonya Wang, MD
Associate Professor
Department of Neurology
Caitlin Ward, PhD
Assistant Professor
Division of Biostatistics & Health Data Science, School of Public Health
Alexa Weingarden, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Medicine, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
April Wilhelm, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
Rachel Witt, MD
Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota Medical School
Anna Zilverstand, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences