Led by a team of world-renowned physicians, veteran educators, and dedicated professionals, our executive team represents our commitment to excellence.
Their passion for medical education runs deep - as evidenced by their collective influence in training the next generation of healthcare workers around the world. Whether they’re teaching at distinguished Ivy League schools in the United States, establishing critical care training programs in the Middle East, or leading renowned international medical schools in the Caribbean, our executive team remains at the cutting-edge of healthcare education.
We believe our success is measured by the accomplishments of our graduates. Throughout their careers and continuing today, our team has supported thousands of students on their journey to becoming successful medical practitioners across every specialty and trained to the highest standards.
President of ACSOM
Mr. James is President the Chief Executive Officer of the medical school and is responsible for all operations and management of business initiatives at ACSOM. He establishes operational teams that ensure ACSOM's vision and mission is enacted.
Prior to joining ACSOM, Mr. James served as Vice President of Operations for Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM), the second-largest provider of physicians to the United States. During his 15-year tenure as an administrator, Mr. James oversaw more than 10,000 MD graduates and managed all operational matters in the RUSM Chancellor's administration - including $200MM in revenue generation per annum, and over $500MM in long-term affiliation agreements with US teaching hospitals. Before being promoted to Vice President, Mr. James held the position of Associate Dean of Operations and Admissions, where he was responsible for recruiting and enrollment for the university. He was also a professor of Biochemistry at RUSM, and thus understands both the academic and operational issues from all levels.
Mr. James earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Biochemistry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, where his research contributions to water quality in the Chesapeake Bay were published as part of an interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers. He holds an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Business in Chicago.
Dean of ACSOM
Ramin Ahmadi, M.D., M.P.H. is the Dean and Chief Academic Officer of ACSOM. He is responsible for oversight of the faculty, curriculum, and accreditation.
Dr. Ahmadi drives ACSOM’s primary purpose of improving the quality of health care globally, via its support in building infrastructure and development programs. He has also helped develop the ACSOM curriculum with the assistance of medical professionals from Yale University and Penn State Medical School.
Dr. Ahmadi has worked with numerous academic medical centers and community hospitals for two decades. As a professor of medicine and public health at Ivy League institutions, he has been the recipient of many awards of excellence. As a researcher, he has secured critical resources through highly competitive private funding and has received over $20 million in federal grants to build accredited residency training programs in primary care.
He is the former Chairman of Graduate Medical Education and Research at Western Connecticut Health Network, a network including three hospitals and 160 physician practices. Dr. Ahmadi is a trusted medical and public health expert, and his insightful perspectives on healthcare have been featured in Healthline, Marketwatch, Cosmopolitan, and PBS Next Avenue.
Dr. Ahmadi graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin, studied Internal Medicine at Yale School of Medicine, and earned a Master of Public Health degree from Yale School of Public Health.
VP of Student Support Services & Student Operations
Dr. Parvin Bagherpour is the VP of Student Affairs for ACSOM. In this role, Dr. Bagherpour provides leadership in strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs within the Division of Student/Faculty Affairs & Services. These services include student/faculty room and board, travel, transporation, immigration, spouse works permits, counseling, and other non academic services to promote student and faculty well-being and success. She will work closely with the Director of Admissions, HR officer, and Dean.
Dr. Bagherpour holds a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from Sam Houston State University. She has over 30 years of experience in higher education and has served in senior leadership roles, with a focus on oversight of international student services. As Associate Vice Chancellor at Houston Community College, she was responsible for international student services and Study Abroad programs agreements, risk management, and emergency protocol and evaluation.
Dr. Bagherpour is a visionary leader with a keen understanding of multiculturalism and diversity. She has exemplified innovative problem-solving skills, as well as using her strong leadership across the system, which supported over 6 colleges. As an administrator and consultant, she has experience with program reviews, accreditation, compliance, strategic planning, program development and implementation, reorganizations, policy and procedure, and articulation agreements. She is a strong believer in the power of education and emphasizes the importance of education in providing the skills and knowledge students need for a successful life.
Dr. Bagherpour is deeply involved in the education community, sharing her experience and advice by speaking locally, nationally, and internationally. Her motivation comes from a strong passion for education and the belief that community involvement, locally and internationally, helps promote globalization and diversity. Her hard work and dedication have been recognized by numerous organizations.
Throughout her career, Dr. Bagherpour has touched many lives. Her true devotion in coaching and mentoring students, employees, and members of the educational community exemplifies a unique leadership skill-set reflective of her general outlook on life.
Senior Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education and Accreditation
Dr. Kaplan will coordinate and advise on multiple critical areas that directly impact the student’s success. This includes residency placement, accreditation, and overall academic and business operations of the medical school.
Dr. Kaplan most recently served as the V.P. of Strategy for the healthcare group at Adtalem which included the American University School of Medicine of the Caribbean ( AUC) and Ross University School of Medicine. Prior to that he was Clinical Dean and Chief Academic Officer of AUC for over 10 years.
Dr. Kaplan, a board-certified rheumatologist, previously served as Chair of Rheumatology, DIO, DME, and Internal Medicine program director for Providence Hospital and Medical Centers (PH) of Wayne State University School of Medicine (WSUSOM). He has served on numerous boards including WSUSOM, President of the medical staff at PH and Rehabilitation Institute of WSUSOM.
In addition to his academic experience, Dr. Kaplan was the owner of a multi-office practice for 30 years. He has contracted with many U.S. hospitals for clinical rotations, participated in multiple accreditations and regulatory hearings as a subject matter expert, and was selected as Chairman of the Board of a national internal medicine and rheumatology certification board.
Dr. Kaplan served, as a consultant, for many hedge firms and private equity firms via the Gerson Lehrman Group.
Assistant Dean of Interdisciplinary Collaboration & Leadership Development
Susan Iovino is ACSOM Associate Dean for Interprofessional and Multidisciplinary Training, as well as leadership development of medical students and faculty. Doctors must work as a part of a team, not only in the operating room, but in triage in the emergency room, and during codes, as examples. Dr. Iovino will lead this effort to help our students integrate with nurses and allied health personnel to provide the best example of team coordination to support patient healthcare.
Dr. Iovino graduated from Adelphi University with a Bachelor in Nursing, earned her master of science in nursing from Western Connecticut State University, and completed the Wharton Nurse Executive Fellowship at the esteemed Wharton School of Business. A lifelong learner, Dr. Iovino earned a doctor Of nursing practice from Oakland University in Rochester, MI.
Dr. Iovino has been nationally recognized for her innovation in nursing education and leadership development. She also serves as an educator, speaker, and subject matter expert for several nursing schools. Dr Iovino maintains an active professional role as chief nursing officer and vice president for one of New York’s busiest hospitals and supervises all nursing services for its level one, inner-city trauma center. A proven leader in her field, she oversees critical care services - including level three neonatology, high-risk labor and delivery, surgical ICU, medical ICU, intermediate care, pediatrics, OR, ED, medicine, surgery, cardiology, and nursing research. Her responsibilities also include labor relations, quality/performance improvement, strategic planning, financial management, regulatory compliance, and leadership development.
Faculty and Senior Advisor to the Dean on Education, Curriculum and Faculty Development
Dr. Wong is the Senior Advisor to the Dean for Faculty and Curriculum Development at ACSOM. He has overseen a multi- year faculty and curricula development plan to implement problem- based small classroom learning, as the best model for medical student education.
He is currently the Associate Dean for Medical Education at University Park Curriculum, College of Medicine (Hershey) and Associate Dean for Medical Education, University Park Curriculum, College of Medicine (University Park). Previously, he was Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education – Emeritus and a Professor of Medicine at Medical University of South Carolina.
He received his doctor of medicine degree from the University of Utah School of Medicine, and completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Duke University Medical Center. He has served on the faculty at Duke in the Division of General Internal Medicine, attaining the rank of assistant professor and as director of the Yale Primary Care Residency Training Program. The current ACSOM curriculum has been developed under the direct supervision of Dr. Wong.
