In Yun's own words...

Empowering. That's the word I would use to describe my ELAM experience. ELAM gave me the courage to seek opportunities I would not have previously contemplated, and helped me develop the necessary skills to turn these opportunities into results. Those skills enabled me to get my dream job -- and I believe that the great reputation of ELAM likely helped me get my foot in the door.

I believe in ELAM's mission of increasing the representation of women in leadership roles in academic health institutions, which is still very much needed. I have personally gained immensely from my ELAM experience and treasure the community. These reasons inspire me to give to the program. I enjoy staying connected to the community by reading the Edge, connecting on LinkedIn, visiting the Facebook page and website, attending ELAM receptions at medical and dental conferences, and participating in Learning Community calls.

My Learning Community ("Double Ve Six" – French for W6) has been a source of strength, encouragement and counsel. Other ELUMs whom I connected with at conferences have also been so inspiring. As I start my new position at the University of Nebraska, I will seek out ELUMs at my new institution and look for ways to be supportive of and mentor others.

About Yun Saksena, DMD, MMSc

Dr. Yun Saksena joined the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry in January 2018 as Associate Dean for Education. Dr. Saksena grew up in Australia and earned her Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc) from The University of Melbourne, School of Dental Science, Australia. She came to the US for her residency, earning a Certificate in Prosthodontics and Master of Medical Science (MMSc) in Oral Biology from Harvard University School of Dental Medicine. In order to practice dentistry in the US, she earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. She joined the Tufts faculty in 2000, initially as a clinical instructor and held various roles including Faculty Advisory Board member for Tufts University Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, and Director of Pre-Doctoral Clinical Education at the School of Dental Medicine.

Dr. Saksena is an active member of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), is Chair for the Section on Educational Research, Development of Curriculum and served as Chair for the Special Interest Group on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Dr. Saksena is Tufts' liaison for the ADEA Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program. She enjoys teaching, mentoring and helping with outreach events for pre-dental students from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented minorities. She was inducted into the Robert R. Andrews Research Honor Society at Tufts for her exceptional commitment to mentoring students.