Meet the Team
The Women's Guild Simulation Center efficiently fulfills its role through high-level communication and collaboration among its leadership, staff, executive committee and quality oversight subcommittee.
Leadership and Staff
Bruce L. Gewertz, MD
H & S Nichols Distinguished Professor, Chair, Department of Surgery, Vice Dean, Academic Affairs, Vice President, Interventional Services
Russell Metcalfe Smith, MSc, NRP, CHSE-A, CHSOS
Director, Simulation Center, Co-Chair, Simulation Center Executive Committee
Brett Dodd, MSN, RN, CEN, CCRN, CFRN, TCRN, CPEN, CNML, CHSE, CHSOS
Simulation Education Manager, Simulation Center
Amelia R. Manlutac, BA, MSHA, LSGB, SSGB, CHSE, CHSOS
Program Manager, Simulation Center
Arleen Orozco, BA
Program Administrator—Healthcare Immersion Program, Simulation Center
James Williams, AAS, BA, MFA, CHSOS
Program Administrator – Motion, Film, VR and Video Production, Simulation Center
Ai Jin Lee, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC, CCRN, CHSE
Simulation Program Education Coordinator, Simulation Center
Jeffrey Barnum, BS, CHSOS
Simulation Program Specialist, Simulation Center
Walter Ochoa
Simulation Program Specialist, Simulation Center
Efren Esteves
Simulation Assistant, Simulation Center
Keira Mapue
Administrative Assistant, Simulation Center
Executive Committee
Russell Metcalfe Smith, MSc, NRP, CHSE-A, CHSOS
Director, Simulation Center, Co-Chair, Simulation Center Executive Committee
Mark S. Noah, MD
Melvin Brody MD Chair in Medical Education, Vice Chair, Medicine, Associate Dean, Medical Education in Academic Affairs, Vice Chair, Department of Medicine for Education, Director, Office of Student Affairs, Director, Residency Training, Director, Primary Care Residency in General Internal Medicine, Professor, Medicine, Co-Chair, Simulation Center Executive Committee
Cynthia Alvarez-Mobarki MSN, RN, PHN, CNL, CNOR
Interim Director, Clinical Operations
Tara Cohen, PhD, CHSE
Human Factors Research Scientist, Department of Surgery, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Co-Director, Gewertz & Cohen Laboratory, Co-Chair, Simulation and Human Factors Research Committee
Bryan Croft, FACHE
Senior Vice President, Operations
Brett Dodd, MSN, RN, CEN, CCRN, CFRN, TCRN, CPEN, CNML, CHSE, CHSOS
Simulation Education Manager, Simulation Center
Taryne Imai, MD, FACS, CHSE
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Medical Director, Surgical Simulation, Associate Program Director, Cardiothoracic Surgery Program, Division of Thoracic Surgery
Scott Karlan, MD, CHSE
Associate Medical Director, Surgical Skills, Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery
Soshea Leibler
Lead Communications Officer
Margo Minissian, PhD, ACNP, NEA-BC, FNLA, FAHA
Executive Director, Geri and Richard Brawerman Nursing Institute, Simms/Mann Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Nurse Education, Innovation and Research Assistant Professor, Cardiology
Pooja Nawathe, MD, CHSE-A, CHSOS
Medical Director, Pediatric Simulation, Associate Director CCICU, Department of Pediatrics & Smidt Heart Institute, Co-Chair, Simulation and Human Factors Research Committee
Steven M. Simons, MD
Medical Director, Quality and Performance Improvement in the Department of Medical Affairs, Medical Director, Patient Safety Simulation
Mireille Truong, MD
Assistant Professor, Division on Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgery, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Simulation Medical Director, Obstetrics & Gynecology
Jason Weiner, PhD, DBe, BCC
Senior Rabbi and Director, Spiritual Care Department
Michael Yashar. MD FACEP
Simulation Medical Director, Emergency Medicine
Roya Yumul, MD, PhD, CHSE
Professor of Anesthesiology, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Vice Chair of Academic & Research Department of Anesthesiology, Residency Program Director, Simulation Medical Director, Anesthesiology, Program Director, MOCA Simulation
Healthcare Immersion Program Advisors
Bruce L. Gewertz, MD
H & S Nichols Distinguished Professor, Chair, Department of Surgery, Vice Dean, Academic Affairs, Vice President, Interventional Services
Mark S. Noah, MD
Melvin Brody MD Chair in Medical Education, Vice Chair, Medicine, Associate Dean, Medical Education in Academic Affairs, Vice Chair, Department of Medicine for Education, Director, Office of Student Affairs, Director, Residency Training, Director, Primary Care Residency in General Internal Medicine, Professor, Medicine, Co-Chair, Simulation Center Executive Committee
Roya Yumul, MD, PhD, CHSE
Professor of Anesthesiology, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Vice Chair of Academic & Research Department of Anesthesiology, Residency Program Director, Residency Program Director, Simulation Medical Director, Anesthesiology, Program Director, MOCA Simulation
Russell Metcalfe Smith, MSc, NRP, CHSE-A, CHSOS
Director, Simulation Center, Co-Chair, Simulation Center Executive Committee
Michael Yashar MD, FACEP
Simulation Medical Director, Emergency Medicine
Jason Weiner, PhD, DBe, BCC
Senior Rabbi and Director, Spiritual Care Department
Scott Karlan, MD, CHSE
Associate Medical Director, Surgical Skills, Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery
Tara Cohen, PhD, CHSE
Human Factors Research Scientist, Department of Surgery, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Co-Director, Gewertz & Cohen Laboratory, Co-Chair, Simulation and Human Factors Research Committee
Have Questions or Need Help?
Contact us if you have questions or want to learn more about Women's Guild Simulation Center.
Cedars-Sinai Pavilion
127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Suite A1300
Los Angeles, CA 90048