Meet Our Team

Allison R. Ownby received her doctorate in political science at Rice University and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston. She has worked in medical education since joining McGovern Medical School in 2002. She provides educational expertise in curriculum design and development, learner assessment, and program evaluation for the undergraduate and graduate medical education programs at MMS. Additionally, she is involved with faculty development in the areas of educational theory and practice, curriculum design, program and learner assessment, and feedback. In partnership with the other UTHealth schools, she leads the 18-month Health Educators Fellowship Program, an interprofessional faculty development program. She is specifically interested in the quality improvement aspect of teaching and enjoys working with faculty as they pursue their own development.

Peggy Hsieh earned her doctorate degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in the areas of learning, cognition, and teaching. She has dedicated herself in the field of medical education since 2009. Currently serving as the Assistant Dean for Educator Development at McGovern Medical School, Peggy is driven by her passion and responsibilities. Her primary role involves providing residents and faculty with workshops and individual consultation on teaching effectiveness, learning strategies, curriculum development, program evaluation, and educational research. Peggy is the Founder and Director of an 8-month Physician Educators Certificate Program to support residents and fellows passionate in education. She enjoys working with educators to explore innovative teaching methods to promote positive learning experiences.

After receiving her doctorate degree in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Houston, Abbey Bachmann worked as a postdoctoral research associate at Texas A&M University in the Educational Psychology department. Prior to this, she taught secondary English for 11 years. Abbey’s responsibilities in the Office of Educational Programs are to provide support and resources for creating positive learning environments, teaching effectiveness, and educational research. She enjoys fostering inclusive, supportive, and professional learning environments for all educators and learners.

Samuel E. Neher serves as an Assistant Professor, Educational Programs Associate, and Director of Educational Scholarship at McGovern Medical School. In these roles, he focuses on accreditation, conducting educational scholarship, and effective teaching techniques. His career has been focused in higher education. His research interest focuses on examining the effectiveness of educational programs. He earned his undergraduate degree at Indiana University working in the developmental psychology research lab of Linda B. Smith, PhD. He earned his master’s degree from Indiana University where he began his college teaching experience under the supervision of Trent Applegate, HSD. Later, he earned his Doctor of Education degree from the University of St. Thomas. Additionally, he teaches graduate courses in Resource Allocation, Policy Development and Advocacy, and dissertation courses.