Welcome to the National Society of
Academic Medical Administrators!
Education, collaboration, and innovation for academic medical administrators
As a volunteer-run organization, our success depends on the engagement of our members. Here are some ways you can get involved!
Join a committee! We have several working committees that are always open to all members.
-
Education – Plans and organizes our bi-monthly educational sessions and other learning tools for medical administrators.
-
Communications – Manages and designs outreach to potential and current members. Join this committee to help with newsletters, social media, outreach, and recruitment.
-
Conference Planning – Designs and coordinates the annual conference.
2026 NSAMA Award Recipients
At the 2026 NSAMA Annual Conference in April, these recipients were announced for the following awards:
The Distinguished Medical Education Administrator Award (DMEA) for medical education administrators in their role for a minimum of 3 years, as well as the Distinguished New Medical Education Administrator Award (DNMEA) for medical education administrators in their role for under 3 years.
The Distinguished Medical Education Administrator Awards acknowledge the extraordinary contributions made by a medical administrator towards fulfilling the goals and mission of their organization and colleagues.
Dubois Excellence in Leadership & Service Award
Sara K. Brown
Sara K. Brown, MA, C-TAGME, is a Senior GME Program Manager at the University of Kentucky with over nine years in graduate medical education and more than fifteen years in office management and education. A proud UK alumna and NSAMA Education Committee Co-Chair, she is passionate about leadership development, mentorship, and advancing the coordinator role as a professional career path. Sara blends her background in Art Education with surgical education to foster innovative, people-centered learning environments that support trainee and coordinator success.
New Medical Education Administrator Award (NMEA)
Arielle King
Arielle is the Psychiatry Program Administrator for Graduate Medical Education, where she manages daily operations and supports strategic planning for the residency program. She partners with faculty, residents, and leadership to ensure ACGME compliance, strengthen program development, and support trainee growth.
With over a decade of experience in higher and medical education, she brings strong organizational and leadership skills to accreditation efforts, process improvement, and team collaboration. She holds a master’s in management and leadership from Western Governors University.
She is driven by a commitment to improving medical training systems, with a focus on equity, professional development, and mental health education. Outside of work, she is a wife and mother of three, and an advocate for mental wellness in her community.
Distinguished Medical Education Administrator Award (DMEA)
Melissa S. Erb
Melissa S. Erb is a Graduate Medical Education Program Manager at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania. She has 23 years of experience in Laboratory Medicine and Pathology with 9 of those years in GME. Beginning her career as a medical transcriptionist, she has grown into a respected leader in graduate medical education. Melissa currently leads five program administrators and supports the pathology residency and multiple fellowship programs, with new ACGME accreditation efforts underway. She became TAGME‑certified in October of 2022. Melissa is serving her second term as member‑at‑large for the coordinator section of the Association for Academic Pathology where she is committed to advancing the mission of NSAMA and academic medicine nationwide through mentorship and collaboration.
Distinguished Medical Education Administrator Award (DMEA)
Jennifer Nandlal
Jennifer Nandlal serves as an Administrative Manager in the Department of Psychiatry at UTHealth Houston, where she supports residency and fellowship programs through strategic administration, GME compliance, and team development. With a background spanning academic medicine and public service, she is committed to improving systems, supporting educators, and creating clear, sustainable processes that enhance the trainee, faculty, and coordinator experience.
Recent News
