Leadership
PERFORM-KUH is organized around four integrated cores: the Administrative Core, TL1 Core, Professional Development Core, and Networking Core. These cores work together to provide trainee recruitment and admissions, stipend support, mentorship oversight, professional development, networking, summer outreach, program evaluation, and administrative coordination.
Executive Leadership
Lawrence Holzman, MD
Wei Tong, PhD
Gregory Tasian, MD, MSc, MSCE
Meera Harhay, MD, MPH, MSCE
M. Paula Martinez-Cantarin, MD, MSCE
Hong Wang, MD, PhD
Jordana Cohen, MD, MSCE
Michelle Denburg, MD, MSCE
Four-core structure
Administrative Core
Core Director/MPI: Lawrence Holzman, MD
Co-Director/MPI: Wei Tong, PhD
Program Manager: Adam Mussell, MA
Evaluation Program Lead: Hannah Anderson, MBA
Site Directors - Drexel: Meera Harhay, MD, MSCE | Jefferson: Paula Martinez-Cantarin, MD | Temple: Hong Wang, MD, PhD
The Administrative Core provides overall leadership, financial management, administrative support, communications, governance, website infrastructure, annual reporting, program evaluation, and continuous-improvement processes. The core convenes the Steering Committee and its subcommittees, manages the annual scientific retreat and External Advisory Board meeting, maintains program records, and coordinates communication across institutions.
TL1 Core
Core Director/Heme Focus Lead: Wei Tong, PhD
Kidney Focus Lead: Lawrence Holzman, MD
Urology Focus Lead: Gregory Tasian, MD, MSCE
The TL1 Core supports predoctoral and postdoctoral research training in KUH-related science. It oversees trainee recruitment, admissions, appointments, research training expectations, mentorship structures, stipend support, and coordination with the Administrative, Professional Development, and Networking Cores.
Professional Development Core
Core Director: Jordana Cohen, MD, MSCE
The Professional Development Core provides curricula and programming to help trainees compete for funding, strengthen scientific writing and communication, present research effectively, develop leadership and mentorship skills, manage career transitions, and prepare for academic advancement. The core also supports formal mentor training and mentorship quality improvement.
Networking Core
Core Director: Michelle Denburg, MD, MSCE
Summer Program Leads: Donita Brady, PhD | Jamie Shuda, EdD
The Networking Core builds the KUH pipeline and community and coordinates summer research opportunities for undergraduates, post-baccalaureate students, medical students, pre-professional students, and Philadelphia-area high school students. It also supports peer and near-peer mentoring, social pods, Teams and SharePoint communication, newsletters, alumni engagement, and community-building events.