Science Education Opportunities Staff
César Tapia-Chávez
On Track OHSU! Director
César is the director of the On Track OHSU!, a health and science outreach program that starts working with student in grade 6 and continues with those same students through high school and into college. He collaborates with students, families, schools, and community members to identify opportunities and grow the program to meet students’ needs. César also coordinates OHSU student and faculty volunteers from programs and departments throughout the university, who participate in the program as role models and teachers. His two favorite parts of the job are bringing high school students to the OHSU campus to see all the career opportunities and recruiting OHSU students for events.
Azalea Martinez
Community Liaison, On Track OHSU!
Azalea was the first community liaison for On Track OHSU! She works with the Woodburn School District, and as a Woodburn resident she was excited to be able to return home and work within the district she grew up in. She graduated from Oregon State University and while there she developed her interest in public health, education and creating equitable access to opportunities for all. As a Community Liaison, Azalea works to connect On Track OHSU! with the Woodburn school district, students, family and community members to support the pursuit of students’ post-secondary goals. During her free time, Azalea loves to spends time with her three dogs! She tries to get outside hiking and paddle boarding as often as the weather permits, and she has a knack for cleaning and organizing everything and anything when she isn’t distracted by a good book.
Sameya Amme
Community Liaison for the North Portland Community, On Track OHSU!
Sameya Amme is the On Track Community Liaison for the North Portland community. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Sameya has always known she wanted to serve her community. As a Jefferson High School alumna, Sameya is excited to come back and assist students as they figure out what they want after high school. Recently graduating from Warner Pacific University with her Bachelor's in Social Science/Political Science, Sameya is bringing a fresh outlook on higher education. For about 8 years Sameya, has been working in the North Portland community helping Oromo youth with secondary education and is honored to support a diverse group of youth. Her favorite pastimes are going on hikes to explore different trails in the city and taking drives to the coast to watch the sunset.
Will Hess
Community Liaison
Will joined the On Track OHSU! Team in October 2022 as the Klamath Falls Community Liaison. A Klamath tribal member and lifelong Klamath County resident, he has spent the majority of his career in roles serving tribal youth in the Klamath community and continues to do so through the On Track OHSU! program. Will is excited to see the meaningful impact that providing pathways to careers in health and science have on youth in the Klamath tribal community and beyond. Through this role he hopes to help the program diversify Oregon’s health and science workforce by providing culturally relevant content and information to help tribal youth to explore careers in these fields. In his spare time, Will enjoys spending time with his family, being outdoors, and going on road trips around the Northwest and beyond.
Katherine Mijal
Middle School Coordinator, On Track OHSU!
Katherine is the On Track OHSU! Middle School Coordinator. Katherine started teaching in 2020 and has worked in public K-12 education across both Washington and Oregon. They hold their Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education (M.Ed.) degrees from the University of Washington and have a deep passion for working with multilingual and multicultural students. As the Middle School Coordinator, Katherine teaches two lessons each year across all our On Track Middle School sites and ignites students’ interest in science and medicine careers. During their free time, Katherine enjoys going to concerts, rock climbing, and spending time with their wife and cats.
Mike Walsh
Vice Provost for Student Affairs
Mike Walsh is the Vice Provost for Student Affairs at OHSU. Student Affairs centers the learner experience and champions learner needs, including the experience for those interested in science education opportunities in middle school, high school, and college.
Susan Shugerman, M.F.A., Ed.D.
Assistant Vice Provost, Education Outreach and Collaboration
Susan is the first director of Science Education Opportunities at OHSU. This office provides the central coordination for OHSU's K-12 science education efforts. She works with faculty, students and staff to provide direct services to classroom teachers and students, develop OHSU faculty, students and staff to be better teachers, mentors, and translators of science, provide general scientific education to the public and develop OHSU's infrastructure to support science education. Susan also chairs the SOAR (Science Outreach and Resources) committee.
David W. Robinson, Ph.D.
Executive Vice Provost
David oversees the Office of Science Education Opportunities and outreach efforts campus-wide. The SOAR (Science Outreach and Resources) Committee is advisory to him and together they establish budgetary priorities and develop strategies for securing new funding with our community partners. These efforts help to develop and mobilize OHSU's unique resources and increase science literacy throughout the region.