New OBGE Staff: Krissi Hewitt and Calla Telzrow

In August 2024, OBGE welcomed Dr. Krissi Hewitt as the new Director of the office. Krissi oversees the OBGE team and its mission, works on strategic planning with Beth Sullivan, the Associate Dean for Research Training, and is a liaison to the 17 School of Medicine PhD programs, as well as with The Graduate School and other university units. In the meantime, take a couple minutes to learn more about Krissi from a few questions that we asked her:

Briefly describe your path in biomedical sciences (i.e. undergrad, graduate, postgrad experiences) that led you to your OBGE position.

KH: I met an MD biomedical researcher at UCSD in the first year of my undergraduate career, and he gave me the opportunity to work in his protein biochemistry lab while completing my BS in Biology. He exposed me to both the research and clinical sides of medicine, and it was his mentorship that led me into scientific research. I earned my MS degree in Microbiology at San Diego State University, and while teaching Microbiology for Pre-Health majors as a graduate student, I fell in love with science education. I worked in a planarian regeneration lab for a time before opting to focus my PhD studies on Postsecondary Science Education with a minor in Microbiology at Oregon State University. I have since worked in teaching, research, and administrative roles in science education at the institutional, state, and national levels with a focus on promoting institutional effectiveness, advancing innovative teaching and learning, and leading strategic initiatives.

What area of graduate education are you most passionate about?

KH: I am most passionate about creating effective administrative and programmatic structures and policies to ensure that our graduate students can engage in forward-thinking, innovative research and learning experiences that equip them for advancing the biomedical sciences.

What is a major goal or initiative that you are specifically focusing on for this academic year?

KH: Since I am new to Duke, I am working hard to get to know our community to understand the uniqueness of our programs, students, and faculty and our shared common goals. I am focused on learning the current work of the office and identifying areas for growth where I can bring my own talents and passions to the role.

What do you like to do for fun or is there something you would like the readers (students, faculty, PhD programs) to know about you?

KH: I love nature and gardening, and my gardening hobby provides me with an outlet for my passions for biology and science. I have a vegetable garden, small orchard, berry patch, and a cottage garden for pollinators where I enjoy butterflies and bees and do fun horticulture experiments propagating and grafting plants.

In October 2024, OBGE welcomed Dr. Calla Telzrow as the new Associate Director of Curriculum, Advising, and Experiential Learning. Calla will build an experiential learning and internship curriculum, oversee management of BIOTRAIN courses and offer resources to students that complement training provided in the 17 School of Medicine PhD programs. Calla is currently available to all students for individual academic consultation; stay tuned for her new offerings in 2025. In the meantime, take a couple minutes to learn more about Calla from a few questions that we asked her:

Briefly describe your path in biomedical sciences (i.e. undergrad, graduate, postgrad experiences) that led you to your OBGE position.

CT: I earned my BS in Biology from High Point University in 2016 and my PhD in 2022 through the Molecular Genetics and Microbiology (MGM) program in Dr. Andrew Alspaugh’s lab here at Duke. As part of my graduate training, I served as an OBGE Administrative Fellow, helping develop and direct BIOTRAIN 701: Foundations in Professionalism. After graduation, I worked as a Senior Proposal Specialist at Thermo Fisher Scientific for over two years, collaborating with cross-functional teams to create strategic proposals for clinical trial requests. My OBGE position offers me the unique opportunity to combine my experience as a PhD student, my curriculum development interests, and my industry connections to support the next generation of Duke biomedical PhD students.

What area of graduate education are you most passionate about?

CT:  I’m focusing on expanding the internship/experiential learning resources available to our students. My goal is to develop a structured internship/experiential learning framework, an internal database of relevant opportunities, and a robust evaluation plan to assess their effectiveness. These resources aim to enable students to build technical skills and professional connections that will prepare them for diverse biomedical science careers.

What do you like to do for fun or is there something you would like the readers (students, faculty, PhD programs) to know about you?

CT: Students are always welcome to reach out to me to ask questions, brainstorm ideas, and plan next steps. I would like students to know that I’m available as a supplemental resource to support them in their academic and professional development journeys. I’m happy to share lessons I learned along my journey and help them connect with specialized university resources or industry contacts.