It is with pleasure that we announce that as of March 1st, Dr Brooke Ellison will be named Director of the Center for Community Engagement and Leadership Development (CCE) in the School of Health Technology and Management. Brooke previously served as Associate Director under Dr. Carlos Vidal. In keeping with Dr. Vidal’s mission, Brooke hopes to strengthen and build off of the work that the Center has taken part in historically, particularly that related to educational enrichment and the development of educational pipelines into the health professions for Long Island students. However, working in conjunction with the Center faculty and the Dean’s office, Brooke foresees the CCE becoming much more fully integrated into SHTM’s Strategic Plan and priorities. Over the course of the next several years, Brooke plans to integrate cross-campus collaborations, professional development, and leadership skill-building into the programs and initiatives promoted through the Center. Brooke also plans to implement panel discussions, workshops, and grant-seeking opportunities built on community-based research for those interested in working with the Center.
Brooke Ellison, PhD is an Associate Professor at Stony Brook University. Dr. Ellison received her undergraduate degree in cognitive neuroscience from Harvard University in 2000, followed by her Master Degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2004. After running for New York State Senate in 2006, Dr. Ellison completed her PhD in Sociology from Stony Brook University in 2012. A policy and ethics expert in stem cell research for over 15 years, Brooke has been committed to changing the perception of life-saving science. From 2007-2014, Brooke served on the Empire State Stem Cell Board, which designed New York State’s stem cell policy. Through a nonprofit organization she founded, The Brooke Ellison Project, Brooke produced a documentary about stem cell research, entitled Hope Deferred, which was shown to audiences across the country.
As a faculty member at Stony Brook University, Brooke is the Interim Program Director of the PhD program in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, and teaches in the Bachelor of Science in Health Science program. Brooke has taught classes at the undergraduate, Masters, MD, and PhD levels, and focuses on medical ethics, science ethics, health care quality, and health policy. Her research focuses on the ethics and policy of science and health care, particularly the intersection of disability and bioethics, and strategies to make healthcare and technology accessible to those most in need. As a result of her work in the stem cell field, in 2011, Dr. Ellison was granted an honorary degree from Rutgers University, and, in 2014, was chosen to be a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, a position through which she works to elevate the importance of stem cell research as well as tackle challenges experienced by people with disabilities. In 2017, Brooke was chosen to serve on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the New York Civil Liberties Union. In 2018, Brooke was chosen to be a Truman National Security Project Political Partner. In 2020, Brooke was elected to the SUNY Faculty Senate, representing the schools of the Health Sciences Center, and she was also appointed to the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission.
