Skip to Main Content

Office of Development & Alumni Affairs

About Development & Alumni Affairs

Development is focused on philanthropy, which plays an important role in the advancement of medicine and science. Alumni Affairs is dedicated to serving and promoting the interests of current and future alumni, as they pursue their role as leaders in medicine, healthcare delivery, and the biomedical sciences.

Development & Alumni Affairs Leadership

Development & Alumni Affairs

  • Alumni Affairs (YSM)

    • Director of Alumni Engagement

      The daughter of Grenadian immigrants, Dr. Arthur was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She obtained a bachelor's degree in political science from Brown University before earning her medical degree at Yale. She then completed her internship at St. Vincent's Medical Center in New York City, her residency in the Department of Ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and her fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Arthur is currently the owner of the private practice, Park Slope Eye Care Associates, in Brooklyn, New York and performs surgical procedures at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. In addition to volunteering as a teacher and physician in the United States and abroad, she has established and acted as the founding board member for multiple student scholarships, co-chaired diversity and community engagement committees, served on the NYS Board for Professional Medical Conduct and held the role of PTA president for PS 11 in Brooklyn. Her passion is working at the intersection of healthcare, advocacy, equity, education, philanthropy and community building.
    • Director of Development For Alumni

      Michael Fitzsousa is director of development for alumni. He joined the School of Medicine in 1994 as a writer and editor in the Office of Public Information. He served as editor of Yale Medicine magazine from 1997 to 2010 and various other communications roles, including director of publications and communications director. From 2010 to 2015 he was director of strategic communications, with a focus on digital media, internal communications, and project management. Since 2015 he has worked with alumni/ae and friends of YSM to build support for student financial aid and medical education.
    • Senior Administrative Assistant Yale School of Medicine Alumni Affairs; Sr. Administrative Assistant, YSM Alumni Affairs

  • Development & Alumni Affairs

    • Communications Officer, YSM Development and Alumni Affairs

      Julia Chianelli joined Yale University in February 2023 as the inaugural communications officer in the School of Medicine’s Office of Development and Alumni Affairs and Office of Communications. She has 26 years of experience in marketing communications and has won numerous awards for innovation and excellence in communication. Prior to joining Yale, she served as director of development and alumni affairs communications at Quinnipiac University, director of advancement communications at Trinity College-Hartford, and manager of alumni communications at The University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc. She also held communications roles at Fortune 500 companies and was managing editor of a special-interest consumer magazine. Julia earned two bachelor of arts degrees at the University of Connecticut and studied at the Universität Mannheim and Goethe-Institut Mannheim in Mannheim, Germany. She holds a master of science in interactive media and communications at Quinnipiac University. While a graduate student at Quinnipiac, Julia was inducted into Lambda Pi Eta, the official honor society of the National Communication Association.
    • Program Coordinator 2, Expert Resource

      Sharon Fitzpatrick has over 20 years experience in administrative management. She is an organized and results-driven professional with a tech savvy side. She has been in her current role at Yale for almost 4 years. Sharon completed her bachelor's degree in Hotel and Business Management at Post University.
    • Director of Development For Alumni

      Michael Fitzsousa is director of development for alumni. He joined the School of Medicine in 1994 as a writer and editor in the Office of Public Information. He served as editor of Yale Medicine magazine from 1997 to 2010 and various other communications roles, including director of publications and communications director. From 2010 to 2015 he was director of strategic communications, with a focus on digital media, internal communications, and project management. Since 2015 he has worked with alumni/ae and friends of YSM to build support for student financial aid and medical education.
  • YSM Corporate & Foundation Relations