Heather Aliotta joined the staff in January 2017 and has special interests in women's health and primary care. She earned her B.A. from Brown University concentrating in psychology and health and society. She became a certified nurse practitioner after earning her MSN from the MGH Institute of Health Professions. She is board-certified in advanced practice nursing in women's health by the National Certification Corporation, as an adult nurse practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and is certified by the state of Rhode Island as a nurse practitioner with prescription privileges. 

Her previous affiliation was with Massachusetts General Hospital. She returned to Rhode Island to work as a nurse practitioner in the emergency room at Women & Infants Hospital. She is registered by the state of Rhode Island as a registered nurse practitioner with prescription privileges.

She enjoys spending time with her family, visiting the beach, trying new cuisines and reading novels.

Annie Alvarez joined the staff in January, 2022. She graduated from Swarthmore College with a B.A. in Political Science and Latin American Studies, followed by earning her B.S.N and M.S.N. from the University of Pennsylvania.

As a nurse practitioner at Hasbro Children's Hospital from 2005-2022, Annie was a provider in various clinical settings, including Pediatric Primary Care, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Child Protection, and Adolescent Medicine. She has special interests in health equity and advocacy for under-resourced child and young adult populations.

Outside of work, she loves spending time with her two children and their dog, Sally. She enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, paddling, exploring nature, reading, listening to music of (almost) all kinds, gardening, and cooking all different cuisines.

Tracy Bergeron joined the Student Health Services staff in January 2015. She earned her B.S. in nutrition and dietetics from the University of Vermont and completed her dietetic internship at the University of Rhode Island. As a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, Bergeron works with many of the teams and student-athletes at Brown. Prior to starting at Brown, she was senior pediatric dietitian at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence where she specialized in the treatment of eating disorders of all types.  With this specialty, Bergeron also earned the title of Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and approved consultant by the International Association of  Eating Disorders Professionals. Tracy is  a proud “No-Diet Dietitian” and a Health at Every SizeⓇ clinician with a passion for compassionate, inclusive care focusing on healing one's relationship with food. 

Outside of work, Tracy enjoys reading and spending quality time with her family. 

Celia Cordeiro joined the Student Health Services staff as a physician assistant in December 2021. She earned her B.S. in nutrition and dietetics from The University of Rhode Island and her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) from Johnson & Wales University. Celia is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and by the state of Rhode Island as a physician assistant with prescriptive privileges. Prior to joining Brown University Student Health Services as a physician assistant, she spent 4 years serving in various clinical roles within Student Health Services.  

In her spare time she enjoys cooking, plant-shopping and being the fun aunt to her 10 nieces and nephews.

Valerie is board-certified as a family nurse practitioner by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center. She started her career working in pediatrics at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. After receiving her master's degree from Pace University she worked at a school-based clinic in New York City. Valerie’s professional background includes public health, family practice, and behavioral medicine. While working in Colorado, Valerie developed an adjunct young adult clinic to the Community Health Clinic to meet the specific needs of this population. 

She relocated to Rhode Island in 2020 and has since focused on college health. Valerie joined the team at Brown Student Health Services in 2021. Valerie values developing a trusting, confidential rapport with students, helping them to make individualized, educated, decisions regarding their health.

In her spare time, Valerie loves to travel and enjoys most anything by the ocean.

Scott Jusseaume, MD joined Brown University Student Health Services in December 2023. Dr. Jusseaume is board-certified in Family Medicine and has a special interest in primary care and sports medicine. Dr. Jusseaume received his BS from Tufts University and his MD from the University of Connecticut. He completed a family medicine residency in the Tufts Family Medicine program. Dr. Jusseaume has extensive experience in a university health setting having previously been a staff physician at Boston College from 2009-2021 and a Medical Director for schools in the Colleges of the Fenway from 2022-2023. When not at work Dr. Jusseaume enjoys spending time with his family and dog, running, and watching sports. In the winter he can be found in the mountains skiing and in the summer at the beach.

Hung M. Le, MD joined Brown University Student Health Services in 2021. He serves as the Medical Director of Sports Medicine at Brown University. He completed a combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and specialty training in Primary Care Sports Medicine and Sports Medicine Musculoskeletal Ultrasound at Boston Children's Hospital. 

His clinical and research interests include diagnostic and therapeutic musculoskeletal ultrasound, understanding and addressing mental health as it relates to return to sport following injury, and the utility of orthobiologics, such as platelet-rich plasma, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, and prolotherapy, in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Honors include Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and Gold Humanism Honor Society. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and golfing. 

Spencer Lynch joined the staff in July 2018. She earned her BSN and her MSN as a family nurse practitioner from Boston College. She is certified in advanced practice nursing as a family nurse practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and is certified by the state of Rhode Island as a nurse practitioner with prescriptive privileges. Prior to joining Brown University Student Health Services, she worked as a nurse with patients in acute condition in the Neurology ICU at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.  

In her spare time, she enjoys running, traveling, hiking with her husband and their dog and going to the beach.

Dr. Merritt grew up in rural Alaska and was fortunate to come to Brown in 2005 for the Program in Liberal Medical Education '09/'13MD. After medical school he completed residency and chief residency at the George Washington University Department of Emergency Medicine in 2017. Following residency he completed the Medical Education Research Fellowship at the Department of Emergency Medicine of Brown University and a Master's in Medical Education of the Health Professions at Johns Hopkins University in 2019. He previously serviced as an Assistant Dean of Medicine for PLME Advising and as The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University’s inaugural Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Learning Environment. Dr. Merritt and his husband live in Rhode Island with their three beautiful children and two rambunctious pug dogs.

Gillian Morris joined the staff in July 2018. She earned her Sc.B. in neuroscience from Brown University and her M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine. She completed her family medicine residency at the Brown University Program in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. She is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. 

Morris has special interests in the care of gender diverse patients; reproductive health and long-acting reversible contraception; mental and behavioral health; and dermatology. She also enjoys teaching medical students and residents as a clinical instructor of family medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

In her spare time, she loves cooking, exploring new cuisines and vintage shopping. 

Leah Murphy is a family nurse practitioner. She earned her master’s degree in family nursing from the Frontier Nursing University in Hyden, Kentucky. She completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing science at the University of Rhode Island, and earned a BA in philosophy from the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. She joined the Brown Student Health Services team in 2020.

As a RN, Leah worked at Newport Hospital, Providence Community Health Centers, and VNS of Bristol and Newport Counties. As a NP, she also currently works for Southcoast Health in primary care.
Previously, Leah worked for a community health center and at the Memory and Aging Program at Butler Hospital. Other work experience includes the SNAP Outreach Project at URI and research related to food accessibility and nutrition status of Rhode Island’s homeless population.

Leah’s interests include socioeconomic factors that impact health and chronic disease prevention and management. She loves time outdoors and eating delicious food.

Hannah Nesbeda joined the staff in 2023. She earned a BA in psychology with a concentration in neuroscience from Williams College, after which she spent a few years working as a ski patroller, raft guide, and EMT before obtaining a BS in nursing from Simmons University. She worked as a staff nurse in the cardiac surgery ICU at Boston Medical Center for 10 years before training to become a nurse practitioner, earning her MSN from Simmons University in 2013. Hannah is certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and is licensed as an APRN with prescriptive authority in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island; in addition to her role with Student Health Services, she works in high-risk adult internal medicine/primary care at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. 

Hannah is particularly interested in integrating comprehensive mental health care into the primary care setting and developing strategies for improving shared decision-making and health literacy for all patients. Outside of work, she is an accomplished mixed media and textile artist and maintains a studio in an art collective in Fall River, MA. She also enjoys gardening, cooking, and - when they let her - sharing the couch with her three dogs.

Adam Pallant joined the staff in August 2017. Pallant received his B.A. in biochemistry from Haverford College in Pennsylvania and his M.D. and Ph.D. at the University of Rochester. He completed his specialty training in pediatrics and adolescent medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. 

Prior to joining the Student Health Services team, Pallant had been the pediatric residency director at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and a primary care pediatrician at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence for 19 years. He has a special interest in the intersection of mental and physical health.

When free, he loves to be outdoors —especially body surfing at the ocean — and, while not a great cook, he's a serious foodie.

Gita Pensa, M.D., FAAEM, joined the staff in 2022 after over two decades of practice as an emergency physician, and is board certified in emergency medicine. She is Adjunct Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine. She has practiced in myriad settings, from small community hospitals to large academic trauma centers. Dr. Pensa graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (now Perelman School of Medicine) and subsequently completed her emergency medicine residency training at George Washington University in Washington, DC, serving as Chief Resident in her final year.  Honors include AOA (Alpha Omega Alpha) Honor Society, the Dean's Excellence in Teaching Award (Brown, 2020), National Faculty Mentor of the Year (Emergency Medicine Residents' Association, 2018) and the RI American College of Emergency Physicians' Special Service Recognition Award (2019).  She is also an avid podcaster, and enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, and spending time with her family.

Sheila C. Raimondo joined the staff in February 2011. She earned a B.A. at the College of the Holy Cross and a D.O. at the University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency in family practice at Cranston General Hospital in Rhode Island. She is board-certified by the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. Previous affiliations include Health Services at Rhode Island College and Johnson and Wales University and urgent care centers.

Tanya Sullivan joined the staff in January 2019. She is board-certified as a family nurse practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and is licensed in Rhode Island as an advanced practice nurse with prescriptive privileges. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from University of Massachusetts Boston, her Master of Science in Nursing from the MGH Institute of Health Professions and her bachelor’s in psychology from Providence College. Prior to joining Brown University Student Health Services, she was the associate director of Wellesley College Health Services and also worked in family and adolescent community health. 

Sullivan’s clinical interest includes supporting students with complex and diverse health and mental health concerns including eating disorders. As an auricular acu-technician (AAT) she provides individual and group auricular acupuncture using the 5NP protocol to students, staff and faculty. Outside of work, she finds joy in feeding people and spending time out on the water. 

Jessica B. Wilder, CNM, WHNP, is a nurse practitioner in Student Health Services, joining Brown in September 2020. Wilder graduated from Smith College with a B.A. in women's studies and biology, followed by receiving her BSN and M.S. from Columbia University in 2007. While living in New York City, she joined the team at NY Presbyterian Hospital in the maternity unit and worked there for several years. After moving to Rhode Island, she began her career as a certified nurse-midwife with Women's Care, handling full-scope midwifery. Her passion for women's health led her to join Planned Parenthood of Southern New England in 2008 as a full-time nurse practitioner, while also serving on their panel for policies and procedures, and quality improvement. 

During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two sons, Jack and Theo, visiting the beach and watching bad reality television.

Micayla Zelny joined the staff as a Nurse Practitioner in April 2021. She earned a BS in Psychology from The Ohio State University, and her Bachelor and Masters of Science of Nursing from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions. Micayla is board-certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) and is certified by the state of Rhode Island as a nurse practitioner with prescription privileges. 

In her spare time, Micayla enjoys being outdoors with her family and spirited puppy, Mya, perfecting her chocolate chip cookie recipe, and discovering (and frequenting) the best ice cream in town.