Prior to joining Brown, Dean Fisher served as Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of the Master’s in Biomedical Science program at the University of Northern Colorado. Her early research focused on the physiology of aquatic organisms, but she moved to research in the area of bioeducation where she examined the impact of course-based undergraduate research experiences on students’ attitudes, science identity, and sense of belonging. In addition to her teaching and research, she has been advising students at both the graduate and undergraduate level for more than 20 years. She was responsible for the creation and implementation of the Master’s in Biomedical Science degree program at the University of Northern Colorado and served as its director since its inception. In this role, she has helped to guide students as they complete their journey to a career in healthcare. Dean Fisher earned her B.A. in Biology and B.S. in Environmental Health from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her M.S. in Biology and Ph.D. in Biology with a specialization in Aquatic Physiological Ecology from Wake Forest University. 

Ari Gabinet has thirty-five years of experience in the legal profession spanning private practice, government and corporate positions. He spent twenty years as a trial lawyer in a large multinational law firm, representing clients in litigation including discrimination and securities class actions, contested takeover cases (going public and going private), valuation proceedings, complex commercial cases, insolvency and bankruptcy litigation and workouts of defaulted real estate loan portfolios. From 2002 to 2005 he was the director of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Philadelphia office, overseeing the SEC's enforcement and regulatory examination programs in the mid-Atlantic region. From 2005 to 2010, he managed the securities regulation, shareholders services, litigation, tax and international legal function for Vanguard, the world's largest mutual fund complex, and from 2010 to 2016, he was General Counsel of OppenheimerFunds, a top ten U.S. mutual fund company, where he was a member of the senior leadership team and was responsible for the legal, compliance and internal audit functions. He is a senior fellow in the Watson Institute at Brown, where he teaches Law and Public Policy (IAPA 1700D, an introduction to the regulation of corporations and securities markets) and Legal Methods for Public Policy (IAPA 1804D, a capstone seminar that teaches students how to understand and write about judicial opinions, focusing on the U.S. Supreme Court).

As Assistant Director of Pre-Professional Advising, Megan supports students as they explore and prepare for careers in the fields of law or healthcare. She counsels undergraduates and recent alumni interested in pursuing education and careers in law and in a broad range of health professions, from initial exploration of pathways to engagement in the professional school application process. 

Megan has over 12 years of experience working at research universities in a variety of student services and leadership positions developing programming and providing strategic direction to help students navigate transformative experiences. She is excited to be working with students and alumni as they pursue careers in healthcare and law as the Assistant Director of Pre-Professional Advising. Megan earned her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Utah and her MSc in International and European Politics from the University of Edinburgh.