Division of Student Affairs
By developing and maintaining a positive learning environment for all at Geisinger College of Health Sciences, the Division of Student Affairs will help you succeed.
Working together, we provide honest, practical, individualized guidance to build positive, relationships and successfully graduate each cohort of students.
The Division of Student Affairs consists of:
Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs
Provides strategic visioning and oversight for student support services to all Geisinger College of Health Sciences students. To meet the mission of the college, we work collaboratively with the centers listed below as well as with Geisinger Student Health Services, Geisinger Student Psychological Services, the Provost’s office, other departments in academic affairs and critical partnerships.
Center for Career Development
Provides comprehensive support to help MD students develop and implement career goals. The center offers a required career pathways program, one-on-one coaching, physician specialty mentoring and advising, and residency planning support. Resources and guidance foster professional development for your desired career path.
Center for Learning Excellence (CLE)
Provides academic support services to enhance your interpersonal and educational experiences. The CLE connects with every student to support their academic success. They work directly with you to guide you to accessibility services, peer mentors and tutors.
Center for Student Wellness
Collaborates with students and stakeholders to foster growth, support educational potential and actualize career goals. Our aim is to proactively address student well-being — individually and to the student population as a whole. Our wellness programs and initiatives normalize awareness and acceptance of challenges, acknowledge emotions and promote self-compassion.
Center for Student Affairs and Engagement
Fosters a positive learning community using a student-centered approach to personal and professional development. As the principal advisor for events, student governments, clubs and organizations, the center promotes the qualities of leadership and service and prepares students for careers in the medical and health related fields.
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Regional Campus, Clinical Phase Student Affairs Support
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine covers counties in northeastern and central Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, with five regional campuses in Atlantic City, Danville, Lewistown, Sayre and the Northeast (Scranton and Wilkes-Barre). Each campus plays an integral part of the school’s distributive model of medical education and provides students with early clinical experiences in diverse settings. The Division of Student Affairs supports you during clinical phases of the curriculum through the regional assistant deans of student affairs, who are housed on each clinical site in conjunction with the centers listed above.

The Division of Student Affairs is driven by these core values:
Advocacy
We advocate on your behalf in whatever capacity is needed, as appropriate. We care about your experience and do whatever we can to help you succeed.
Compassion
Students trust us because we trust them. We build relationships with you, so you know you are supported by the Geisinger College of Health Sciences community.
Flexibility
We adapt as needed. We process institutional adjustments and the ever-changing healthcare landscape and make it digestible and easier to understand.
Honesty
We have critical, sometimes challenging conversations that are crucial for your success and retention.
Trustworthiness
We build student and community trust through our expertise and proven track record of consistently graduating a well-rounded and professionally capable student body.
Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Tanja K. Adonizio, MD
Vice Provost of Student Affairs, Geisinger College of Health Sciences
Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Medical Sciences Building, 3069 East
570-504-9635
tkadonizio1@geisinger.edu

Jackie Ghormoz, MSW, CSW
Medical Sciences Building, 3007 East
570-504-9073
jbghormoz1@geisinger.edu

Julia A. Kolcharno, MA
Medical Sciences Building, 3071 East
570-504-9614
jakolcharno@geisinger.edu

Sharon Bednarz
Medical Sciences Building, across from 3071 East
570-504-9635
sabednarz1@geisinger.edu

Janis Williams
Medical Sciences Building, 3rd Floor East
570-558-4266
jlwilliams2@geisinger.edu
Center for Student Affairs and Engagement

Julia A. Kolcharno, MA
Medical Sciences Building, 3071 East
570-504-9614
jakolcharno@geisinger.edu

Kelsey Savka, MS
Medical Sciences Building
570-687-9682
ksavka1@geisinger.edu

Len Farber, MA
ljfarber1@geisinger.edu

Jessica Rogers, MAT
400 Highland Ave, Lewistown, PA 17044
jdrogers1@geisinger.edu
Center for Student Wellness

Halle B. Ellison, MD, MAS PSHQ, FACS
Medical Sciences Building, fourth floor west
570-687-9714
hellison@geisinger.edu
Center for Career Development

Christin Spatz, MD, FASN
Associate Professor of Medicine
Medical Sciences Building, 3015 East
cmspatz@geisinger.edu
Faculty Profile

Julia A. Kolcharno, MA
Medical Sciences Building, 3071 East
570-504-9614
jakolcharno@geisinger.edu

Linda Learn, MSW, MBA
Medical Sciences Building, 3097 East
570-687-9718
lalearn1@geisinger.edu

Carolyn Corcoran, MS
Medical Sciences Building
570-558-4286
cycorcoran1@geisinger.edu

David Fryzel, MD
Center for Learning Excellence

Jackie Ghormoz, MSW, CSW
Medical Sciences Building, 3007 East
570-504-9073
jbghormoz1@geisinger.edu

Sarah Triano, MS, NCC, LPC
Medical Sciences Building, 3005 East
570-558-4282
setriano1@geisinger.edu

Nicole Ferentino, DC
Medical Sciences Building, 2021 East
570-955-1307
nicoleferentino1@geisinger.edu

Kate Dickerson, MSc
Medical Sciences Building, 3097 East
570-504-9653
kdickerson@geisinger.edu
