2026 Women in Medicine | Faculty
Planning Committee Members’ Disclosure Statement
Drs. Michelle Drobny and Katie Jones; and Shelly Bonforti report no potential conflicts of interest or affiliations with any corporate organizations.
Dr. Radica Alicic reports that she was a consultant for Bayer Pharmaceuticals Advisory Board, Boehringer Ingelheim Global Heart Failure Advisory Board, Boehringer Ingelheim US Kidney Strategic Advisory Panel, and Eli Lilly US Kidney Strategic Advisory Panel, and received research funding from Otsuka; AstraZeneca, Bayer AG, the Benaroya Research Institute, CareDx, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Eli Lilly, the George Institute for Global Health, KBP BioSciences, Novo Nordisk, ProKidney, Novartis, and Travere Therapeutics; National Institutes of Health grants OT2HL161847, OT2HL1568, OT2OD032581, U24TR00160812; and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention project numbers 75D301-21-P-12254 and 75D301-23-C-18264. The Planning Committee has determined that none of the learning objectives relates to the products/services that are provided by the companies with whom she has relationships.
Sherri Lynch, PhD
Assistant Dean, School of Leadership Studies
Gonzaga University
Sherri Lynch, PhD is the Assistant Dean of the School of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University. She is the co-founder of the Women Lead program, which is a series of conferences, events, and a certificate program focused on women’s leadership. For over ten years, the program has educated and empowered women, both personally and professionally. Sherri teaches in the Certificate in Women’s Leadership Program at Gonzaga, a program she authored, and also teaches leadership at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Sherri’s doctoral research focused on women’s leadership and the ways women build community.
Disclosure Statement: Dr. Lynch reports no potential conflicts of interest or affiliation with any corporate organizations.
Jonna Damiano - RICP®, CDFA®
Wealth Advisor
Jonna Damiano - RICP®, CDFA® Born and raised in Spokane, Jonna graduated from Eastern Washington University with a degree in Finance. She began her career as a Financial Advisor shortly after graduation in 1996.
She loved the idea of creating solutions for people and building valuable, long-term relationships. Following her clients’ life paths and researching the numerous financial products and concepts that fit their situation best makes her career so rewarding for Jonna. As an Advisor, Jonna holds the securities registrations 7 and 65 through LPL Financial as well as insurance licenses. She earned her Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) designation in October 2015 and her Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®) in 2024. Jonna is married with 3 children: A daughter who graduated from WSU, and two boys, one in college and a senior in high school. Attending their football games and other activities keeps their family busy. They also love to spend time at the family lake cabin, avid sports fans, and attending many country concerts.
Disclosure Statement: Mrs. Damiano reports no potential conflicts of interest or affiliation with any corporate organizations.
Rebecca “Beck” Burson, DO
Board Certified Psychiatrist
Alpenglow Mental Wellness
Rebecca R. Burson, DO is a board-certified psychiatrist and creative with a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. She loves engaging with “neurons and narratives”, knowing what we tell ourselves matters. She is the CEO of Alpenglow Mental Wellness. More recently, she founded Flamelight Creative, where light grows when community and creativity ignite. A former U.S. Air Force officer, she has worked in the VA, private practice, and research, including serving as a site principal investigator on a Yale-led study on ketamine. She lives in Spokane, Washington with her family, grateful to be rooted again in the Inland Northwest.
Disclosure Statement: Dr. Burson reports no potential conflicts of interest or affiliation with any corporate organizations.
Christine Cronin, DPT
U-Inspire Leadership Coach
Christine Cronin, DPT is passionate about living life fully. She loves people, leadership and creating healing and inspiring environments. She has been working as a physical therapist at U-District PT since 2008. In 2018 she and her husband Brian and their business partner Mike Nilson created a leadership program for their team, U-Inspire Leadership. In the last 5 years her professional emphasis has been serving the team at U-District, writing, leadership coaching, leading their Encouragement Team and creating and sustaining Kindness Cultures. Christine is currently teaching K-2 PE at St. Aloysisus Gonzaga Catholic Grade School and leading small groups in the community in their leadership program. In addition to leadership coaching, both Brian and Christine have been volunteer youth sports coaches for their three children’s grade school teams.
Disclosure Statement: Christine Cronin reports no potential conflicts of interest or affiliation with any corporate organizations.