HOPEful Conversations Workshop Series

Robert Sege, MD, PhD is a pediatrician at the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center and a Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, where he directs the Center for Community-Engaged Medicine. Dr. Sege is nationally known for his research on effective health systems approaches that directly address the social determinants of health. He is a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Social Policy in Washington and serves on the boards of the Massachusetts Children’s Trust and Prevent Child Abuse America. He has served on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect, and on its Committee on Injury, Violence, and Poisoning Prevention. He is a graduate of Yale College, and received his PhD in Biology from MIT and his MD from Harvard Medical School. Bob lives in the Boston area, where he and his wife Karen have raised three young adult children.

Dina Burstein, MD, MPH, FAAP is the Healthy Outcomes for Positive Experiences (HOPE) Project Director at the Center for Community-Engaged Medicine. Dr. Burstein is an experienced physician, healthcare project designer, and leader with over twenty years of success in scientific research, grant writing, analysis, training, and clinical practice. Previously, Dr. Burstein was an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, directing injury prevention focused community outreach programming and community based research projects, as well as teaching and mentoring undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. Her aim is to enhance the well-being of individuals and the community by presenting and promoting programs while leveraging proficiency in research, care management, injury prevention and clinical effectiveness. She is a graduate of Tufts University and holds an MD and MPH from the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Allison Stephens started in August as a program manager for the HOPE team. Allison recently received her PhD in Biomedical Informatics from Rutgers University. Before joining the HOPE team, Allison worked at Nevada PEP (Parents Empowering Parents) as the Statewide Family Network Director working with families of children with mental health needs.

Amanda Winn, macro-level MSW, received her degree from UC Berkeley with a joint focus on Health and Children and Families. She’s spent her professional career working at the intersection of parenting, gender, and poverty. Amanda directed a National Resource Center out of UC Berkeley’s School of Social Welfare providing training and technical assistance to providers around the country supporting families affected by substance use and/or HIV. She’s also worked extensively supporting LGBTQ+ families at the school district, medical, and community levels.

A New Jersey native and Bay Area girl at heart, Amanda currently lives in Portland, OR with her children and loves finding new waterfalls to explore.

Junlei Li, Ph.D. is Co-Chair of the Human Development and Education Program and the Saul Zaentz Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His research and practice focus on understanding and supporting the work of helpers – those who serve children and families on the frontlines of education and social services. Working in orphanages, schools, youth programs from North America to China, he develops the “Simple Interactions” approach (www.simpleinteractions.org) to help identify what ordinary people do extraordinarily well with children in everyday moments.

Robyn is Executive Director for “Circle of Friends – the Path to Inclusion,” She has improved systems and supports for children, youth and families for over 25 years.  Robyn’s first role model was Annie Sullivan, “Teacher” and friend to Helen Keller. She is a lifelong advocate for children who struggle to make their gifts and needs known.

She has worked with students with behavior disorders, and learning disabilities in residential programs and urban schools.  Robyn is inspired by the potential and resilience  of students when they feel accepted, respected and connected.