It’s an honor to invite you to our sixth annual Diversity Week at Weill Cornell Medicine, April 15 to April 19. Inclusion is core to our institution’s character, so I trust the WCM Community will turn out enthusiastically to take full advantage of this milestone event.
This year’s program offers us the opportunity to learn from accomplished experts on topics related to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging within academic medicine and healthcare. I encourage you to participate in as many events as suit your schedule, as we all benefit — including those we treat and serve — when we take a more inclusive approach to our work.
There are two keynotes in Uris Auditorium that I would like to bring to your attention:
I look forward to learning alongside you and am eager to honor both mentors and pioneers at the awards ceremony in Griffis Faculty Club on opening night. As the first in my family to go to college, I also encourage people to participate in the 3 pm April 16 session on “Experiences of First-Generation Students at Elite Campuses” moderated by WCM Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine Keith LaScalea, MD.
There will also be virtual options to attend events throughout the week, and you can review the full schedule of events online.
Thank you to so many dedicated organizers for planning such a well-rounded and engaging Diversity Week. WCM views diversity as a critical driver of creative solutions to challenging healthcare problems, something that also advances cutting-edge biomedical research and innovations in medical education.
Together, let’s celebrate all we are and all we serve.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Harrington, MD
Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean, Weill Cornell Medicine
Provost for Medical Affairs, Cornell University
On behalf of the Weill Cornell Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion, in collaboration with faculty, staff, and students, we are pleased to welcome you to the Sixth Annual Diversity Week. This year's diversity week features two keynote lectures, diversity grand round talks from experts in their fields, to conversations on topical issues, networking social events organized in response to the suggestions we received from our WCM community.
In addition, winners of the Ritu Banga Healthcare Disparities Research Awards, Pioneers in Diversity Awards, and the Jessica M. and Natan Bibliowicz Award for Excellence in Mentoring Women Faculty and members of our community that have been recognized nationally will be honored during an evening in celebration of diversity.
Once again Diversity Week is made possible by the unwavering support of our academic leaders starting with the Cornell University Office of the President, the Weill Cornell Medicine Board of Fellows, the Dean’s Office, and the numerous departmental/divisional heads across our institution for whom this week represents an opportunity to affirm their commitment to diversity and inclusion.
We invite all to attend the diversity week events across campus and continue to learn and celebrate the contributions made by people of all identities, different perspectives and experiences in our diverse community.
With warm regards,
Executive Committee on Diversity and Inclusion
| Belfer Research Building BB 204-A, BB 204-B, BB 204-C and Zoom
Ross Brann
Milton R. Konvitz Professor of Judeo-Islamic Studies
Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow
Department of Near Eastern Studies
Cornell University
Diversity Town Hall | Belfer Research Building BB 302-C, BB 302-D and Zoom
Cash Ahenakew, PhD
Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples' Well-being
Associate Professor, Department of Education
University of British Columbia
Urology Grand Rounds | Zoom
Channa Amarasekera, MD
Assistant Professor of Urology
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Neurological Surgery Grand Rounds |Belfer Research Building BB 204-A, BB 204-B B (Breakfast Reception to Follow)
Mr. Ivan M. Hageman
Head of School
The East Harlem School at Exodus House
Obstetrics and Gynecology Grand Rounds |Griffis Faculty Club / Zoom
Dr. Camille Clare
Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at SUNY Downstate Medical
Cardiothoracic Surgery |CT Conference Room M407
Jonathan Villena-Vargas, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Cardiothoracic Surgery
Surgery Grand Rounds |Uris Auditorium
Nancy L. Gantt, MD FACS
Professor of Surgery, Northeast Ohio Medical University
First Vice-President Elect, American College of Surgeons
Chair, Association of Women Surgeons Foundation
Co-Medical Director, Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center, Mercy St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital
Cyma Rubin Women in Science Lectureship 2024 |Weill Auditorium (C-200) / Zoom
Bonnie L. Bassler, PhD
Squibb Professor in Molecular Biology
Chair, Department of Molecular Biology
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
Princeton University
Office of Student Diversity | Belfer Research Building BB 204-A, BB 204-B, BB 204-C and Skylight Lounge
|Uris Auditorium and Zoom
Thomas LaVeist, Ph.D
Dean, Weatherhead Chair, & Professor
Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
|Griffis Faculty Club
Emergency Medicine | Zoom
Pilar Ortega, MD
Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine
University of Illinois at Chicago
Pediatrics | Pediatric Library
Clyde Yancy, MD, MSc
Vice Dean of Diversity and Inclusion
Professor of Medicine and Chief of Cardiology
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Associate Director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Magerstadt Endowed Professor Chair, Department of Medical Social Sciences
| Weill Greenberg Center, 1305 York Ave., 2nd Floor, Conference Rooms A and Zoom
Keith LaScalea, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine Weill Cornell Medicine
Mehrose Ahmad, Medical Student, MS1
Steven Persaud, Medical Student, MS1
Parhesh Kumar, Medical Student, MS1
Michelle Ho, Medical Student, MS1
Serena Zampino, Medical Student, MS1
| Uris Auditorium and Zoom
C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC
Irwin and Sheila Allen Chair in Women’s Heart Research
Director, Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center
Director, Linda Joy Pollin Women's Heart Health Program
Erika J Glazer Women’s Heart Research Initiative
Director, Preventive Cardiac Center
Professor of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute
| Griffis Faculty Club
Psychiatry Grand Rounds | Uris Auditorium and Zoom Information Contact Monica Fortsch : mof4007@med.cornell.edu
Ayana Jordan, MD, PhD
Barbara Wilson Associate Professor, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Pillar Co-Lead, Institute for Excellence in Health Equity
PI, Jordan Wellness Collaborative
David Rogers Health Policy Colloquium | Belfer Research Building BB302A & 302B (Lunch Buffet Available ) or Zoom Link Details Contact Paul Howell plh4001@med.cornell.edu
Office of Staff Diversity, Inclusion & Engagement | Griffis Faculty Club
Population Health Sciences | Zoom
Maria Isabel Roldós, DrPH
Associate Professor
Department of Health Sciences
Lehman College
LGBTQ+ | Weill Greenberg Center, 1305 York Ave., 2nd Floor, Conference Rooms A and Zoom (Reception to Follow)
Jennifer L Glick, PhD MPH
Associate Professor
Nolan Endowed Professorship in Women’s Health
Community Health Science & Policy (CHSP)
LSUHSC, School of Public Health
New Orleans, LA
Office of Staff Diversity, Inclusion & Engagement | Uris Auditorium Register Here
H. David Jaramillo Gil, Ph.D.
Program Manager in Diversity, Health Equity and Inclusion
Department of Radiology
Jamal D. Lopez, JD, CDP, SHRM-SCP
Director Office of Professionalism
Office of the Dean
Fanesse George, CDP®
Director, Office of Staff Diversity, Inclusion & Engagement
Staff and Organizational Development
Office of Student Diversity | Griffis Faculty Club
Jessica Clemons, M.D. '15
Board-Certified Psychiatrist
Ophthalmology Grand Rounds | Weill Greenberg Center, 1305 York Ave., 2nd Floor, Conference Rooms B & C and Zoom
Deepinder Kaur Dhaliwal, MD, L.Ac
Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Vice Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, Wellness and Communications
Chief of Refractive Surgery
Director and Founder, Center for Integrative Eye Care
Associate Director, Campbell Ocular Microbiology Laboratory
Clinical Co-Director, Corneal Stem Cell Task Force
President-Elect, Cornea Society
Chair, International Council, International Society of Refractive Surgery
Office of Student Diversity | Student Hearth: Feil Center
Radiology | Zoom
Dr. Paula Cashin
Canadian Medical Association
Blackwell Society and Office of Student Diversity | WCMC Campus; 1305 2nd Floor; WGC-A
Fifth Annual Conference
The Trusted Messenger:
Increasing Health Literacy through Social Media
Fifth Annual Conference | Virtual
| 9:00AM | Welcome Remarks
Ikenna Onyekwere, MS4 – General Welcome Kevin Holcomb, MD |
| 10:00AM | Keynote Address by Russell J. Ledet, MD, PhD, MBA, Co-founder of The 15 White Coats, Activist, Physician-scientist, Veteran |
| 10:45AM | Questions for Keynote |
| 11:00AM | Break |
| 11:45AM | Breakout Small Group Sessions |
| 11:45AM – 1:00PM
Separating the Real from the Fake: Social Media Health Advice Ikenna Onyekwere, MS4 Session focuses on how to navigate public health advice on social media, determining credibility, and identifying conflicts of interest. |
|
| 12:00PM – 1:00PM
Being a Healthcare Messenger on your own Platform Small group session geared towards teaching participants how they too can share credible health information to their following. |
|
| 1:00PM | Celebration of Science and leadership in Medicine (SLiM) Students Kevin Holcomb, MD |
| 1:20PM | Closing Remarks Ikenna Onyekwere, MS4 |
| 1:30PM | End of program |
Anesthesiology | A-950 Conference Room & Zoom
Wendy Mendes, PhD
Charles C. and Dorathea S. Dilley Professor of Psychology
Yale University
Medicine Grand Rounds- Dr. Louis Wade Sullivan Diversity Department of Medicine Lectureship Speaker and Visiting Professor | Uris Auditorium and Zoom Details Contact Jaklien Samaan at jas2033@med.cornell.edu
Dr. Cristina Gonzalez
Professor of Medicine and Population Health
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Associate Director, Institute for Excellence in Health Equity
NYU Langone Health
Thomas LaVeist, PhD
Dean, Weatherhead Chair, & Professor Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Dr. LaVeist's research and writing has focused on three broad thematic research questions: 1) What are the social and behavioral factors that predict the timing of various related health outcomes (e.g. access and utilization of health services, mortality, entrance into nursing home?); 2) What are the social and behavioral factors that explain race differences in health outcomes?; and 3) What has been the impact of social policy on the health and quality of life of African Americans? His work includes both qualitative and quantitative analysis. LaVeist seeks to develop an orienting framework in the development of policy and interventions to address race disparities in health-related outcomes. Specific areas of expertise include: U.S. health and social policy, the role of race in health research, social factors contributing to mortality, longevity and life expectancy, quantitative and demographic analysis and access, and utilization of health services.
C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC
Irwin and Sheila Allen Chair in Women’s Heart Research
Director, Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center
Director, Linda Joy Pollin Women's Heart Health Program, Erika J Glazer Women’s Heart Research Initiative
Director, Preventive Cardiac Center
Professor of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute
C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, is Director of the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center, the
Linda Joy Pollin Women’s Heart Health Program, the Erika J. Glazer Women’s Heart
Research Initiative, and the Preventive Cardiac Center at the Smidt Cedars-Sinai Heart
Institute. She also is Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Dr. Bairey Merz's research interests include women and cardiovascular disease, mental
stress and heart disease, the role of exercise and stress management in reversing
disease, the role of cholesterol and nutrition management in heart disease, adverse
pregnancy outcomes and cardiovascular disease, and precision medicine monitoring to predict unexpected cardiovascular events. She is chair of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-sponsored WISE(Women's Ischemic Syndrome Evaluation) initiative, which is investigating potential methods for more effective diagnosis and evaluation of ischemic heart disease in women. Dr. Bairey Merz has received investigational grants from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), NIH-National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine (NCCAM), the National Institutes of Aging (NIA), the Flight Attendants Medical Research Institute, the Pfeiffer Foundation, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, the Barbra Streisand Foundation, the Erika J. Glazer Women’s Heart Research Initiative, the Society for Women’s Health Research, the Linda Joy Pollin Women’s Heart Health Program, and the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program of the Department of Defense.
A prolific lecturer, Dr. Bairey Merz, is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the European Society of Cardiology, the American Association of Physicians, the Association of University Cardiologists, the Advisory Board of the NIH Office of Research in Women’s Health, and chairs of the ACC CVD in Women Committee. She is past member of the NHLBI Advisory Council, the Board of Trustees of the ACC, and is a past-chair of the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease committee, and the Women in Cardiology Committee of the AHA. Other professional associations have included membership on the National Space Biomedical Research Institute Board of Scientific Counselors, the American Board of Internal Medicine(ABIM) Board of Examiners, and she chaired the NIH-sponsored Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigations 2 Diabetes (BARI-2D) Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). She serves on the advisory boards of lay organizations, including Women Heart, and the Women’s Heart Alliance. She has an extensive scientific publication record of over 450 scientific publications and book chapters, and more than 300 abstracts. Her work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, Circulation, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, and the Journal of Women's Health.
Dr. Bairey Merz has received numerous awards and honors including the ACC Bernadine Healy Leadership in Women’s CV Disease Award, 2016, the 2014 Professional Achievement Award from the University of Chicago, the 2013 Fellowship Award from the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the 2012 17th Annual Women in Leadership Award from the City of West Hollywood, CA, the 2012 Distinguished Scientist(Clinical Domain) Award from the American College of Cardiology, the 2012 Journal of Women’s Health Award for Outstanding Achievement in Women’s Health Research award, the 2011-2012 Annual DeSteven’s Lectureship from Northwestern University in Chicago IL, the 2011 Visiting Professorship, Christiana Care Health System award, the 2009 AHA Women in Cardiology Mentoring Award, the 2008 McCue Female Cardiologist of the Year Award, the 2005 Red Dress Award For Leadership in Cardiovascular Research in Women, the 2005 VHA Inc. Best Practices Awards for Special Achievement Award presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of health care, the 2005 Women of the 21st Century award from the Women's Guild of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and the 2006 Alvin P. Shapiro Award by Psychosomatic Society for excellence in clinical research.
Dr. Bairey Merz has appeared frequently in the media, recognized as an authority on the subject of heart disease. Her television appearances have included 60 Minutes, the Today Show, Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, NBC Dateline and 20/20. She has also been interviewed for articles published in The New York Times, Ladies Home Journal, US News & World Report and Working Woman Magazine, to name a few.
Dr. Bairey Merz received her bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and her medical degree from Harvard University. She completed her residency at the University of California, San Francisco, where she served as Chief Medical Resident. Dr. Bairey Merz also completed fellowships in clinical cardiology and nuclear cardiology and served as Chief Cardiology Fellow at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Monday, April 15th
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Griffis Faculty Club
The celebration will include recognition of diversity award recipients.
PDF Schedule of Events for Download
The Jessica M. and Natan Bibliowicz Award for Excellence in Mentoring Women Faculty recognizes outstanding men and women faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine who demonstrate commitment to advancing the academic careers of women in the areas of clinical care, research, or education. The individual must have a track record of providing strong mentorship, as well as fostering a nurturing and supportive environment for all faculty.
The Louis Wade Sullivan, MD Award for Excellence in Public Health Advocacy honors a resident or postdoctoral fellow who has been an outspoken champion for health promotion and a public health advocate, especially for medically underserved populations.
The Bruce Laine Ballard, MD Award for Excellence in Mentorship is presented to a faculty member who demonstrates a commitment to improving student life and to fostering a nurturing and supportive environment where students are able to thrive and succeed.
Marie Metoyer, M.D. Award for Excellence in Community Service recognizes faculty or alumnus of the medical college who has gone above and beyond to serve communities despite difficult conditions.
The Administrative Staff Award recognizes staff members who embody the spirit of cultural diversity and service. This award honors staff members who have gone beyond the call of duty to make sure the environment is inclusive, engaging and welcoming, and whose efforts may often go unnoticed.
The Ida Sophia Scudder, MD Award for Excellence in Public Service recognizes an MD, PhD, MD-PhD, or PA student who has made significant contributions in the field of community service and providing care to the underserved.
The Ida Sophia Scudder, MD Award for Excellence in Public Service recognizes an MD, PhD, MD-PhD, or PA student who has made significant contributions in the field of community service and providing care to the underserved.
Follow @WeillCornell, use #WCMDiversityWeek
and tweet about what sessions you will be attending, who you are excited to see and what you learn.
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
diversityinclusion@med.cornell.edu
https://diversity.weill.cornell.edu
