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INFORMATION FOR

Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

About ODEI

We envision an inclusive community where everyone's voice and contribution are valued and respected. Through specific programs and initiatives, we aim to create a sense of belonging for all.
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Leadership

  • Darin Latimore, MD

    Deputy Dean and Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine); Title IX Deputy Coordinator, Office of the Dean, School of Medicine; Discrimination and Harassment Coordinator, Office of the President

    Dr. Latimore is Yale School of Medicine’s first deputy dean for diversity and inclusion and its first chief diversity officer. He is devoted to increasing diversity within medical and academic spaces and to improving the climate of Yale School of Medicine’s learning and working environments. He is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategic plan for furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the school, which includes a focus on recruitment and retention of faculty and students from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in science and medicine.In his role, he has implemented a comprehensive program to improve faculty diversity and retention that focuses on policies, programs, and building community. He also oversees programs that support the outreach, recruitment, success, and retention of YSM students and postdoctoral fellows. He is co-chair of the YSM Program for Art in Public Spaces, which has commissioned new works of art featuring diverse YSM leaders and has hosted public exhibits that feature artwork by and about members of the YSM community.Dr. Latimore joined Yale in 2017 from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, where he was associate dean for student and resident diversity. After obtaining his medical degree at University of California, Davis School of Medicine and completing his residency in internal medicine at University of California, Davis Medical Center, he worked as a physician specializing in HIV care with The Permanente Medical Group in South Sacramento, CA where he also trained medical students and residents. His transition to academic medicine began with his appointment as associate program director for the UC Davis internal medicine residency program followed by his appointment as the inaugural director of medical student diversity at UC Davis in 2008.
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  • Karina Gonzalez, PhD

    Associate Dean, Diversity and Inclusion Programs

    Dr. Gonzalez Herrera comes to Yale after most recently operating as Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (EDIB) in the Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) and in the Division of Medical Sciences based at Harvard Medical School. There, she oversaw members of the Griffin GSAS EDIB team and was responsible for working in partnership with faculty, students, and staff to plan and develop strategies to support equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging for graduate programs at Harvard. Dr. Gonzalez Herrera developed and directed the GSAS Life Sciences Summer Institute, a pre-matriculation program with the goal of easing the transition into graduate school for entering PhD students. Dr. Gonzalez Herrera co-directed and helped to expand the Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program (SHURP), as well as the Research Scholar Initiative (RSI) post-baccalaureate program at Harvard. She serves as an academic advisor to current graduate students, SHURP, and RSI participants. In addition to leading and coordinating recruitment efforts, Dr. Gonzalez Herrera also focused on graduate student support through implementation of DEI workshops for faculty, students, and staff, in partnership with graduate student diversity and inclusion fellows. She has served as an advisor and supported multiple graduate student affinity groups. Dr. Gonzalez Herrera received her PhD in Biological and Biomedical Sciences from Harvard University in 2016, where she was also an active member of the Minority Biomedical Scientists of Harvard student group and participated in the Harvard Latino Leadership Initiative. Prior to her time at Harvard, she completed her Master of Science in Biological Sciences at California State University San Marcos in 2010, and her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (with a minor in Chemistry) at the same institution in 2008, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Throughout her academic career, Dr. Gonzalez Herrera has been committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM fields. She has been recognized for her work with several prestigious awards, including a National Institutes of Health Pre-doctoral Fellowship, the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, the Harvard Medical School Sharon P. Clayborne Staff Diversity Award, and was named as an inspiring Hispanic/Latinx scientist in America in a Cell Mentor article in 2020. She has also served as a mentor and advocate for underrepresented students in science, and has been an active member of several diversity and inclusion committees and organizations. As the Associate Dean for ODEI at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Gonzalez Herrera will lead the implementation and tracking of outcomes of the student section of the Diversity Strategic plan. She will also work closely with leadership and other stakeholders across the institution to develop and implement strategies to recruit and retain diverse biological and biomedical sciences (BBS) graduate student learners.
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People

Organizations on this page

  • Dept Diversity Vice Chairs & Champions

    • Nii Addy, PhD

      Albert E. Kent Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology

      Nii Addy is the Albert E. Kent Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology and the inaugural Director of Scientist Diversity and Inclusion at Yale School of Medicine. He is also Director of the Faculty Mentoring Program, Minority Organization for Recruitment and Expansion (MORE) and co-chair of the Career Development Subcommittee of the Anti-Racism Task Force in the Yale Department of Psychiatry. He contributes to graduate student and postdoctoral training and to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives through his efforts on campus and in scientific societies. He received his B.S. in Biology from Duke University and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Yale University. Dr. Addy directs a federally funded research program investigating cholinergic, dopaminergic and L-type calcium channel mechanisms mediating substance use and mood disorders. Dr. Addy’s team also studies the ability of tobacco product flavor additives to alter nicotine use behavior and addiction. He serves on the journal editorial board of Neuropsychopharmacology, Biological Psychiatry, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, and Neuropharmacology, and is a grant reviewer for the Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior (NMB) Study Section of the National Institutes of Health's Center for Scientific Review (CSR). In addition to his campus work, Dr. Addy hosts the Addy Hour podcast, discussing topics at the intersection of neuroscience, mental health, faith, culture and social justice. Episodes include dynamic conversations based on the lived experience and professional expertise of his guests - which include community leaders, clinicians and mental health experts, scientists, professional athletes and entertainers, faith leaders, and mental health advocates. As the creator and host of town hall community events, Dr. Addy has also built unique partnerships to encourage and equip audiences to embrace the use of holistic, integrated tools to address mental health challenges. He has collaborated with Lecrae (Grammy Award-winning artist and NY Times Best Seller), Doug Middleton (Jacksonville Jaguars/ Dream the Impossible Initiative), Allan Houston (former NBA All-Star, NY Knicks/ FISLL Project), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Veritas Forum, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), the Yale University Chaplain's Office, Yale Well, the Salvation Army, Every Nation Church NYC, the American Bible Society and others. His research and community work have been featured by National Public Radio (NPR), Newsday, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), The Source Magazine, Chuck Norris, BoldTV, Legitimate Matters, and Relevant Magazine. He has presented scientific lectures at universities throughout the United States and Europe, and he serves on the Board of Trustees for The Carver Project, aimed at empowering and connecting individuals across university, church and society.
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    • Claudio R. Alarcón, PhD

      Assistant Professor of Pharmacology

      Our lab uses multidisciplinary approaches to understand the impact of RNA metabolism in development, health and disease. We are primarily focused in identifying the physiological and pathophysiological roles of RNA modifications and non-coding RNAs at the molecular, cellular and organismal levels. Claudio, a native of Chile, obtained his Ph.D. from Cornell University in NYC. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the Rockefeller University before joining Yale University in 2017.
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    • Juan Bartolomei, MD

      Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery; Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Neurosurgery; Clinician; Yale Neurosurgery, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital - New London

      Interests include minimally invasive spine procedures with one day surgery specialty
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    • Julien Berro, PhD

      Associate Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, and of Cell Biology

      Julien Berro was initially trained in Applied Mathematics, Physics and Computer Sciences at the Institut National Polytechnique of Grenoble, France. He obtained his Ph.D. in Mathematical Modeling in Biology at Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France, where he worked with Jean-Louis Martiel and Laurent Blanchoin on mathematical models for actin filament biochemistry and mechanics. After a brief tenure as an assistant professor in the department of Mathematics at Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France, he decided to further his training by learning cell biology and quantitative microscopy in the laboratory of Tom Pollard at Yale University. Since he started his own laboratory in 2013, he has combined experimental, computational, and theoretical approaches to uncover the mechanisms of molecular machineries that produce forces in the cell, with a particular focus on the actin cytoskeleton and endocytosis.
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    • Joerg Bewersdorf, PhD

      Harvey and Kate Cushing Professor of Cell Biology, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Professor of Physics; Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Cell Biology

      Joerg Bewersdorf is the Harvey and Kate Cushing Professor of Cell Biology and Professor of Biomedical Engineering and of Physics at Yale University. He received his Master's degree (Dipl. Phys., 1998) and his doctoral degree in physics (Dr. rer. nat., 2002) from the University of Heidelberg training with Dr. Stefan W. Hell at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Goettingen, Germany. Since 2009, after 4 years at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, he has been leading a research group at Yale University focusing on the development of new light microscopy techniques and their application to biomedical research. An optical physicist/biophysicist by training, Dr. Bewersdorf has been a long-time contributor to the field of super-resolution light microscopy development and the application of these techniques to cell biological questions.
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    • Jessica Bod, MD

      Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

      Dr. Bod is the Director of Medical Student Education and the Director of the Emergency Medicine Clerkship and Sub-internship.
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    • Diane Bruessow, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA

      Assistant Professor Adjunct of Medicine (Physician Assistant Online Program); Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, PA Online Program; Core group member, Dean's Advisory Council (DAC) on LGBTQI+ Affairs, Yale Medicine Outlist

      Diane Bruessow divides her time between academia, clinical practice, and service. She has graduate and post-graduate teaching experience, over 30 years of clinical practice experience, and extensive leadership experience in mid-size non-profit corporations within the healthcare sector with annual operating budgets of $25m+. She is experienced in best practices of governance and oversight, and moving culture toward inclusion and belonging by reducing systemic bias. Bruessow has received honors, awards, and legislative proclamations for academic, clinical, humanitarian, and leadership excellence - including the New York State Society of PAs as the PA of the Year (2019), New Jersey State Society of PAs as the outstanding Humanitarian of the Year (2017), as well as the designation of Distinguished Fellow, a recognition of exceptional professional achievement, leadership, professional interaction, learning, and community service by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA). Less than two percent of PAs earn this designation. She is nationally certified by the NCCPA with excellence awarded in Primary Care (reflecting scores within the top 5th percentile). Her professional interests include healthcare disparities, workforce, policy, and leadership. Bruessow has been an invited speaker and has authored original research and other published articles and medical textbook chapters. She has held elected and appointed positions on multiple national boards, councils, and commissions. She formerly served as a board officer for GLMA (formerly the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association) and is a past president of the LBGT PA Caucus. In 2020, after serving in the roles of Director at Large and Secretary-Treasurer, she was elected President-elect of the American Academy of PAs. She has served on the editorial advisory board of the Transgender Health Journal since its inception and is serving a 3-year term on the board of directors of the US Professional Association for Transgender Health (USPATH). Bruessow graduated from the LIU Brooklyn PA program in 1993. In 2023, she was inducted into Pi Alpha, the national PA honor society, as a distinguished alumnus. She has been practicing clinically for over 30 years and has over 20 years of experience in transgender medicine across the lifespan. She is licensed to practice autonomously in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts and independently in Wyoming. Bruessow joined the Yale University PA Online Program in 2018 and gave the keynote address for the inaugural class White Coat ceremony. She currently serves as the director of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and an assistant professor adjunct in the Department of General Internal Medicine. She regularly participates in committees at the program and institutional levels, including academic affairs and the YSM Diversity Champions Advisory Council. She previously served on the PA Online program mission committee and the joint diversity, equity, and inclusion mission committee. She has served as a core member of the YSM Dean's Advisory Council (DAC) on LGBTQI+ Affairs and has chaired the DAC's LGBT health policy working group. Her faculty responsibilities include serving as course director of Preparing Future PAs 1, co-course director for Clinical Medicine and Capstone, an academic advisor, and facilitator for Problem-Based Learning 1-3, which includes small group work 3 days each week. She has been a lecturer in pulmonary, musculoskeletal, psychiatry, geriatric, and sexual history, taking lectures within Patient Assessments 1 and 2. She developed a virtual clinical elective in Sexual and Gender Minority Health that launched in 2020 and ran for 3 years during COVID. During the program's intensive residencies, Bruessow also teaches hands-on skill development in patient assessment and clinical procedures. She developed standardized patient case scenarios involving transgender patients which was implemented in 2021, and supported the development of a Virtual Inter-Professional Education (VIPE) scenario that included a transgender patient.
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    • Barbara Burtness, MD

      Anthony N. Brady Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology); Chief Translational Research Officer, Yale Cancer Center; Chief, Head and Neck Cancers/Sarcoma; Co-Leader, Developmental Therapeutics, Yale Cancer Center; Associate Cancer Center Director for Translational Research, Yale Cancer Center

      Barbara Burtness, MD is Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology) at the Yale School of Medicine, Chief Translational Research Officer, and Associate Cancer Center Director for Translational Research at the Yale Cancer Center. She serves as Co-Leader of the Developmental Therapeutics Program, Division Chief for Head and Neck/Sarcoma Oncology, and Director of the Yale Head and Neck Specialized Program of Research Excellence. Dr. Burtness is internationally recognized for her research in head and neck cancer. She chairs the ECOG-ACRIN Cooperative Group Head and Neck Cancer Therapeutics Committee and the ECOG-ACRIN Task Force for the Advancement of Women, and leads national and international trials of targeted therapy in head and neck cancer. Her laboratory studies synthetic lethal therapeutic strategies in head and neck cancer and the targeting of aurora kinase A to overcome adaptive resistance to EGFR inhibition and - in lung cancer- to direct KRAS inhibition.
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    • Paris Butler, MD, MPH, FACS

      Associate Professor of Surgery (Plastic); Vice Chair Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Surgery

      Dr. Paris D. Butler is an Associate Professor in the Division of Plastic Surgery at the Yale University School of Medicine. He is also the inaugural Yale Department of Surgery Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).  After completing his undergraduate education as a student athlete (basketball) at Roanoke College, he attended medical school at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He completed a general surgery residency at the University of Virginia and subsequently completed his plastic surgery training at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). He is board certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).  Dr. Butler has clinical interests in breast reconstruction, breast reductions, breast lifts, post bariatric body contouring, scar/wound management, breast implant removal, and aesthetic surgery (abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, liposuction, etc.).  During his general surgery training, he completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford University where he studied keloid biology. Additionally, he obtained a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from Univ. of California-Berkeley in health policy and management with special certificate in minority health. Dr. Butler is nationally recognized for his dedication to reducing healthcare disparities along ethnic lines – something he has approached with research, policy, and teaching in mind. Prior to being recruited to Yale, Dr. Butler served for 6 years on the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania.  In addition to his clinical appointment,  he also served as the Associate Designated Institutional Official (DIO) of Underrepresented in Medicine (UIM) Affairs in UPenn’s Graduate Medical Education office. He has received numerous teaching awards in addition to recognition for his work with mentoring residents, medical, undergraduate, and high school students aspiring to enter the field. Dr. Butler has authored over 75 publications in peer-reviewed journals and the lay press. He serves on the American College of Surgeons’ (ACS) Committee on Healthcare Disparities, Society of Black Academic Surgeons’ (SBAS) Membership, Financial, and Health Equity Committees, the American Board of Surgery’s (ABS) Governance Committee, the Association of Academic Surgeons’ (AAS) Diversity Committee, the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons’ (ACAPS) DEI Committee, and is Chair of the American Society of Plastic Surgery’s (ASPS) Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
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    • Michael Caplan, PhD, MD

      C. N. H. Long Professor of Cellular And Molecular Physiology and Professor of Cell Biology; Chair, Cellular and Molecular Physiology

      Michael J. Caplan received his bachelors degree from Harvard University and his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Yale University in 1987. He joined Yale's Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology as a faculty member in 1988, and is currently the C.N.H. Long Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology and Cell Biology. He has received fellowships from the Helen Hay Whitney Foundation, the David and Lucille Packard Foundation for Science and Engineering, and a National Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation. He has also received the Young Investigator Awards from the American Physiological Society and the American Society of Nephrologists. His work focuses on understanding the ways in which kidney cells organize and maintain their unique structures. His laboratory also studies the mechanisms responsible for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, and is working to identify targets for new therapies.
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    • Cindy Crusto, PhD

      Professor of Psychiatry; Associate Dean for Gender Equity, Yale School of Medicine; Director, Office for Women in Medicine and Science, Yale School of Medicine; Deputy Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Psychiatry; Director, Program Evaluation and Child Trauma Research , The Consultation Center; Professor, Social and Behavioral Sciences

      Cindy A. Crusto, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology Section), Yale University School of Medicine, is Associate Dean for Gender Equity and Director of the Office for Women in Medicine and Science and the Director of Program Evaluation and Child Trauma Research at The Consultation Center.Dr. Crusto has more than 20 years of experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating preventive interventions in schools and community agencies. She also has extensive experience providing training and technical assistance to schools and to community-based organizations on the evaluation of prevention programs. She is interested in culturally relevant interventions for children from racial/ethnic minority and low-income backgrounds and in school-based behavioral health services. Dr. Crusto's research examines the impact of family violence on children and the ecological influences on child and family well-being, and includes rigorous evaluations of community-based initiatives involving substance use and violence prevention, and the promotion of school readiness. Dr. Crusto earned a B.A. in psychology from Vassar College, an M.A. in clinical-community psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Ph.D. in clinical-community psychology from the University of South Carolina. She completed pre-doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships in clinical-community psychology at Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.
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    • Tara Davila, LCSW

      Assistant Clinical Professor of Social Work; Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Child Study Center; Associate Director of Youth Services, Child Study Center

      Tara Davila, MSW, identifies as a cis-gendered, heterosexual, multiracial Puerto Rican woman.  Born and raised in New York City, she is a first-generation college student. She earned her bachelor's from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, majoring in Psychology and minoring in African American Studies and Spanish.  Tara received her Master’s degree in Social Work from Boston College.  Tara also has a certificate in Advanced Clinical Supervision from Smith College Graduate School of Social Work and was a Standards of Professional Practice Fellow through the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education(NADOHE). Tara has also worked to strengthen her leadership skills through the Community Leadership Program(CLP), Yale's Emerging Leaders Program, and Bentley University's DEI Certificate Program. Tara is a licensed clinical social worker who has committed over 20 years to serving Connecticut’s historically marginalized children through direct clinical practice, supervision, advocacy, and clinic administration. Tara is passionate about teaching and training the next generation of clinicians, which has been her focus for the last 11 years as Assistant Clinical Professor of Social Work and one of the Associate Directors of the Yale Child Study Center’s Youth Services. Tara is a skilled bicultural and bilingual clinician trained in several evidence-based practices that she delivers with culturally responsive adaptations.  She is a nationally certified provider of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and a state trainer for MATCH- ADTC, a Cognitive Behavioral approach to treatment.  Tara feels strongly about supporting the growth of others and spends a great deal of her time mentoring, teaching, and sponsoring early-career clinicians and emerging leaders. She works to help others go beyond their learning edges and gain the skill and confidence to grow in their fields, interests, and talents. She co-coordinates the clinical intern program and co-teaches a practice seminar for multidisciplinary graduate students at the Child Study Center.  Guided by her social work values, and supported by her colleagues, Tara accepted the call to serve her community as the Child Study Center’s inaugural Chief Diversity Officer in 2020 and currently serves as Vice-Chair for Diversity, Equity, and inclusion. In her vice- Chair role, Tara has taken an innovative approach that centers on connection, empathy, education, and best practices.  This approach incorporates Restorative Justice principles and practices, racial equity education, and the creation of a professional learning community that harnesses the power of the collective to interrupt and dismantle structures that maintain the “norm”.   Tara supports her Child Study Center community through participation on several clinical and DEI committees.  She is chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging(DEIB) Action Group and co-chair of the clinician-focused mentorship committee. Tara received the Social Work Service Award in 2021 and the Sally Provence Award for Excellence in Clinical Supervision in 2022 and endeavors to operate in ways that will make her worthy of those honors.  When she is not spending time with her family and her dog, she can be found enjoying New Haven's cultural scene or working to grow philanthropy for and by the Latine community as co-chair of the Progreso Latino Fund.
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    • Mayur M. Desai, PhD, MPH, FACE

      Professor of Epidemiology (Chronic Diseases) and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging; Director, Advanced Professional MPH Program; Track Director, Applied Analytic Methods and Epidemiology, Executive MPH; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Core Faculty, National Clinician Scholars Program

      Mayur M. Desai, PhD, MPH, is a Professor of Epidemiology and the inaugural Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) at the Yale School of Public Health. Professor Desai received both his MPH in health policy and his PhD in epidemiology from Yale. He then served for two years as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer at CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, before returning to New Haven to join the Yale faculty. Professor Desai’s expertise is in the application of epidemiologic methods to clinical and health services research. The overarching goal of his work – across various content areas – is to improve health equity in access, quality, and outcomes of care in a broad range of populations and settings. Professor Desai has extensive experience (1) conducting studies at the interface of mental health and primary care; (2) developing risk-adjusted quality-of-care measures for the Medicare program; (3) determining the incidence, trends, and outcomes of surgical procedures; (4) examining the health, health beliefs, and healthcare utilization of marginalized and stigmatized populations, including immigrants, refugees, and incarcerated individuals; (5) contributing to numerous projects in low- and middle-income settings on a range of topics, including child health, prisoner health, diagnosis and treatment of both non-communicable and infectious diseases, and health systems strengthening; and (6) examining DEIB-related issues in the biomedical workforce. Professor Desai directs the accelerated, 11-month Advanced Professional MPH Program and is a core faculty member in Yale’s National Clinician Scholars Program and Global Health Leadership Initiative. He has a long and sustained history of global public health capacity-strengthening, having developed and taught innovative short courses and workshops on a range of topics – including epidemiology, biostatistics, monitoring and evaluation, strategic problem solving, and research mentorship and leadership – in over a dozen countries. He received the 2022 Drs. Anvar and Pari Velji Global Health Award for Teaching Excellence from the international Consortium of Universities for Global Health and is a 4-time recipient of YSPH’s Distinguished Teaching Award.
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    • Vicente Diaz, MD, MBA

      Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science; Chief of Ophthalmology, Yale Health; Chief of Ophthalmology, Bridgeport Hospital, Ophthalmology & Visual Science

      Dr. Vicente Diaz specializes in ocular inflammatory and infectious diseases. Dr. Diaz’ practice also includes Comprehensive Ophthalmology, treating ailments such as Dry Eye Syndrome, Glaucoma, and Cataracts.  His research interests include novel immunomodulatory therapies for the treatment of non-infectious inflammatory disease, management of Stevens Johnson’s Syndrome, a potentially lethal autoimmune disease, and innovative therapies in glaucoma.Dr. Diaz is Chief of Ophthalmology at the Yale Health Plan, addressing the eye needs of the Yale faculty, students, employees, and their families.  He is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at Yale University.  Dr. Diaz is also Director of Ophthalmology for the Bridgeport Hospital Burn Unit, where he oversees the care of all patients with Stevens Johnson's Syndrome in the state of Connecticut.Dr. Diaz was voted among the top eye doctors in Fairfield County in the Fairfield Advocate’s 2012 and 2013 reader’s polls. After graduating from Ophthalmology residency at Yale University, he completed a fellowship in Ocular Immunology & Infectious Disease at The New York Eye & Ear Infirmary where he was recently on the clinical and research faculty. He is currently a co-investigator on several FDA clinical trials of novel immunomodulatory therapies for inflammatory diseases, sponsored by companies such as Abott, Novartis, and Lux Biosciences. Dr. Diaz is also active in the surrounding community, with a presence that has grown consistently throughout his tenure in the Tri-State, including an appointment as keynote speaker at the 2011 Puerto Rican Festival in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Dr. Diaz founded the La Unidad Latina Medical Guild and was the architect of their annual medical mission to the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Honduras where he performs surgery, teaches medical residents, and cares for patients in need; the team created by Dr. Diaz sees between 3,000 – 5,000 patients abroad annually. Dr. Diaz received his BA from Brown University, his MD from Yale School of Medicine, and his MBA at Yale School of Management.
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    • Harris E. Foster Jr, MD

      Professor of Urology

      Clinical Interests: Female urology, urodynamics, neurogenic bladder, male and female urinary incontinence, interstitial cystitis; voiding dysfunction; benign prostatic hyperplasia, erectile dysfunction, urologic cancers.Dr. Harris E. Foster Jr. is board certified in urology and has specialized interests in voiding dysfunction and female urology. Particular to this area include treatment of female and male urinary incontinence, neurogenic bladder, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), interstitial cystitis, urethral diverticula and vesicovaginal fisulae. In addition, Dr. Foster treats general urological conditions such as kidney stones, erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer, superficial bladder cancer, and benign conditions involving the scrotum (hydrocele, epididymal cyst). He also performs circumcision and vasectomy in patients who desire these procedures. Dr. Foster has expertise in the evaluation of voiding dysfunction utilizing urodynamics.Dr. Foster earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He then graduated with honors from University of Miami School of Medicine, a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. Dr. Foster subsequently completed his urology residency at the University of Michigan Hospitals and joined the faculty at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Foster is Chief of Urology for the Veteran’s Administration Connecticut Healthcare System and is a urology consultant at the Gaylord Rehabilitation Hospital in Wallingford, Conn. and The Hospital for Special Care in New Britain, Connecticut. He also provides urological care at the Yale Health Services. Dr. Foster has received grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to perform clinical trials investigating the pharmacologic and phytotherapeutic treatment of BPH. He was also the chairman for many years of the NIH sponsored Interstitial Cystitis Collaborative Research Network. Dr. Foster was a member of the American Board of Urology Examination Committee and has functioned as an oral board examiner for this organization. He has written numerous research publications and textbook chapters and is a reviewer for many of the major urology journals including The Journal of Urology, Urology, and Neurourology and Urodynamics. Finally, Dr. Foster has been a member of the guidelines committee for the evaluation and treatment of BPH and overactive bladder (OAB) sponsored by the American Urological Association.Dr. Foster is dedicated to treating patients suffering from urological diseases with a particular focus on those who have voiding dysfunction. He recognizes that although most of these disorders do not affect duration of life, they can in many instances have significant if not devastating effects on quality of life. Despite being a urological surgeon, he fully understands that surgery is not frequently indicated nor is it always the best option for many patients.
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    • Wendy V. Gilbert, PhD

      Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry

      Wendy Gilbert is a Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. Her work focuses on regulatory elements in messenger RNA that control the cellular expression of the information stored in the genetic code. She earned her PhD at UCSF with Christine Guthrie, studying mRNA export and being fascinated by the exquisite mechanisms that couple export-competence to completion of RNA processing. As a postdoc in Jennifer Doudna’s lab at UC Berkeley, she uncovered a non-canonical mechanism of translation initiation. Her lab’s current work ranges widely across RNA biology with the unifying theme of elucidating the molecular mechanisms of RNA regulatory elements controlling mRNA biogenesis, translation and decay. Most recently, this has been in the area of RNA base modification. Notable awards include the RNA Society’s Early Career Award (2017) for her “paradigm-altering contributions to the field of post-transcriptional gene regulation” and the RNA Society Award for Excellence in Inclusive Leadership (2023) for her efforts to promote the training and professional development of underrepresented scientists.
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    • Rosana Gonzalez-Colaso, PharmD, MPH

      Assistant Professor in the Physician Associate Program, Department of Medicine; Faculty Director, Research Education, General Internal Medicine; Associate Director, Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership, Yale School of Management; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Faculty Director, Workforce Development and Diversity, Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC), General Internal Medicine

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    • Valentina Greco, PhD

      Carolyn Walch Slayman Professor of Genetics

      Valentina Greco was born in Palermo, Italy and earned her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology at the University of Palermo, Italy (1996). She earned her PhD at the EMBL/MPI-CBG, Germany (1998-2002), her post-doc at the Rockefeller University (2003-2009) and is currently a Professor in the Genetics, Cell Biology and Dermatology Departments, and a member of the Yale Stem Cell Center and Yale Cancer Center at Yale University (2009-present). The Greco lab aims to define how tissues maintain themselves throughout the course of our lives in the face of continuous cellular turnover, frequent injuries, and spontaneous mutations. To do so, the Greco lab developed novel tools that integrate imaging of stem cells in their niche in live mice with both genetic and cell biological approaches that empower a better understanding of the complex orchestration of tissue regeneration using the skin as a model system. This has led to a number of discoveries, including but not limited to 1) stem cell position dictates their fate in the hair follicle, 2) a stem cell-mediated phagocytic clearance mechanism regulates the size of the hair follicle stem cell pool and 3) tissue correction preserves skin epithelial homeostasis. These scientific discoveries are driven by the lab's desire to create a stimulating academic environment where the focus is on doing good, collaborative science while promoting inclusivity within the scientific community, prioritizing mentoring of the lab's trainees’ scientific growth, and striving to make science accessible to everyone.Dr. Greco has been the recipient of many awards over her career, most recently the 2021 International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Momentum Award, the 2019 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, the 2019 Yale Postdoctoral Mentoring Award, the 2018 Yale Graduate Mentor Award in the Natural Sciences, and in 2018 was named the Inaugural Holder of the Carolyn Slayman Endowed Professorship.
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    • Giovanna Guerrero-Medina, PhD

      Director of Yale Ciencia Program; Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Wu Tsai Institute; Executive Director, Ciencia Puerto Rico

      Dr. Giovanna Guerrero-Medina is Director of the Yale Ciencia Initiative in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of Yale School of Medicine, and Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of Yale’s Wu Tsai Institute. Through these positions, Dr. Guerrero-Medina leads programs that broaden participation and increase inclusion and retention in STEM training pathways and careers. Programs such as Yale PATHS, the Yale Ciencia Academy, and Intersections Science Fellows Symposium empower scientists from historically excluded backgrounds and level the playing field. Dr. Guerrero-Medina is also the founding Executive Director of Ciencia Puerto Rico. Under her leadership, CienciaPR has become one of the largest networked communities of Hispanic scientists in the world. The organization has been recognized for their work promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the areas of science communication, education, and careers by the Union of Concerned Scientists, the AAAS-Caribbean Division, and the White House. She is co-author of two National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine reports to promote advancement, diversity and inclusion in the STEMM workforce and her expertise has been sought by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, multiple NIH and NSF peer review panels, and several nonprofit and scientific Advisory Boards. Dr. Guerrero-Medina’s work is funded by grants from the NIH and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, among others. Originally from Puerto Rico, Dr. Guerrero-Medina has a Bachelors in Science from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras and a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by a science policy fellowship with the National Academies and science policy work at the NIH and the Van Andel Institute. Hear how to pronounce my name.
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    • Shaili Gupta, MBBS

      Associate Professor of Medicine (General Medicine); Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity, GME, VA; Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Department of Medicine; Vice-Chair of DEI at VACHS, Veterans Affairs Healthcare System of CT

      Dr Gupta is a clinician-educator with expertise in clinical virology, and diversity, equity and inclusion in healthcare education. Her primary interests are in clinical research, medical education, and enhancement of equity for learners, faculty, as well as patients. She is an Associate Program Director for Yale Internal Medicine residency program, and Vice-Chair and Director of DEI at VA Connecticut. She is faculty leader for the Race, Bias and Advocacy in Medicine, a Distinction Pathway track in Internal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Gupta has been serving as research supervisor, thesis advisor and mentor to students, residents, fellows and faculty for more than a decade, and is passionate about career development for her mentees. She completed her fellowship training at Yale in 2008, and currently divides her time between providing patient care for veterans admitted to the VA hospital, education for trainees, administrative efforts for DEI enhancement, and clinical research.
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    • Raul J Guzman, MD

      Donald Gutherie Professor of Vascular Surgery; Surgeon-in-Chief, Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy

      Dr. Guzman is Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery at Yale New Haven Hospital. He is also Surgeon-in-Chief, Vascular Surgery, Heart and Vascular Center for the Yale New Haven Health System. He came to Yale from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. Prior to moving to Boston, he spent the early portion of his career at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee where he served for several years as Chief of Vascular Surgery at the Nashville VA Hospital. He received his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. After completing his residency in general surgery, he undertook research training in the Cardiology Branch of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD and subsequently completed a fellowship in vascular surgery at Stanford University Hospital. He currently serves as a permanent member of the Bioengineering, Technology, and Surgical Sciences Study Section of the NIH. His clinical interests relate to patients with diabetic vascular disease and ischemic foot ulcers. His research focuses on the role of arterial calcification in lower extremity ischemia.
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    • Marc Hammarlund, PhD

      Professor of Genetics and of Neuroscience

      Marc did his doctoral work with Erik Jorgensen, studying genetics and synaptic transmission. In his postdoc with Mike Bastiani he pioneered the study of axon regeneration in C. elegans and discovered the DLK regeneration pathway. The Hammarlund lab studies neuronal degeneration, regeneration, and cell fate. We aim to discover fundamental mechanisms of neuronal cell biology. Please visit our web site: hammarlab.org.
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    • Lou Hart, MD

      Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Hospital Medicine); Medical Director of Health Equity, Yale New Haven Health System

      Lou Hart, MD, pediatric hospitalist, medical director of Health Equity for Yale New Haven Health and assistant professor of Pediatrics at the Yale University School of Medicine is on a mission. He is passionate about improving the equity, quality, safety, and cost of the US healthcare system. In his role at Yale New Haven Health, Dr. Hart heads efforts to eliminate healthcare disparities driven by unnecessary variability and low value clinical care. These costly variations in care lead to differences in treatment and outcomes for patients based on culture, race, ethnicity, insurance status, gender, age, socioeconomic status, and other socially driven factors. His research also reveals that the current misuse of racially biased tools, tests, and guidelines that recommend caring for patients differently based on their race alone leads to less-effective diagnosis, treatment, and worse healthcare outcomes for all patients. By leveraging quality improvement and patient safety methodologies and infrastructures, Dr. Hart works to address the systems-based drivers of health and quality disparities, including the innate flaws of race-based medicine and its contribution to a lower standard of care for all patients. Dr. Hart studied financial economics, medicine health and society, and philosophy while at Vanderbilt University. He attended medical school at the University of California-San Diego and completed his residency training in Pediatrics at NYU. He began his clinical leadership career at NYC Health + Hospitals and is now a Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellow & MBA ’25 candidate at the Yale School of Management.
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    • Paula Kavathas, PhD

      Professor of Laboratory Medicine, of Immunobiology and of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology; Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Laboratory Medicine; Vice Chair of Diversity, Immunobiology; Institutional Leader, CIRTL Network

      Dr. Kavathas studies the T cell co-receptor CD8ab and the  functional significance of four isoforms of the human CD8b protein that exist in humans and great apes but not mice. More recently she is studying the basis for acquired resistance to immunotherapy of human lung cancer tumors.Dr. Kavathas is currently Vice Chair of Diversity for both the Departments of Immunobiology and of Laboratory Medicine.  She is on the board of Status of Women in Medicine, SWIM, and of the Women’s Faculty Forum, WFF,  (Chair from 2013-2017). She played a role in diversifying portraits at Yale including commissioning a portrait of the first women PhDs located in the nave of Sterling library.  Other activities include  co-organizing a conference entitled “Gender Rules,” publication of The View (a demographic analysis of women and URMs at Yale), expansion of the Phyllis Bodel Childcare Center, and changes in parental leave policies.
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    • Vandana Khungar, MD, MSc

      Associate Professor of Medicine; Vice-Chief for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Section of Digestive Diseases; Associate Medical Director of Liver Transplant, Transplantation Center; Medical Director of Outpatient and Outreach Transplant Hepatology, Transplantation Center

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    • Themis Kyriakides, PhD

      Professor of Pathology; Director, Graduate Programs, Pathology

      Dr. Kyriakides completed a PhD at Washington State University in 1993. He did a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington and has expertise in the areas of extracellular matrix, inflammation, angiogenesis and arteriogenesis in relation to tissue repair. The Kyriakides lab is investigating the regulation and function of matricellular proteins that modulate cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Our overall goal is to create novel engineering strategies based on biological observations to enhance tissue repair. Dr. Kyriakides is Director of Graduate Studies for the Experimental Pathology PhD program. He also serves as a mentor for students from the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
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    • Darin Latimore, MD

      Deputy Dean and Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine); Title IX Deputy Coordinator, Office of the Dean, School of Medicine; Discrimination and Harassment Coordinator, Office of the President

      Dr. Latimore is Yale School of Medicine’s first deputy dean for diversity and inclusion and its first chief diversity officer. He is devoted to increasing diversity within medical and academic spaces and to improving the climate of Yale School of Medicine’s learning and working environments. He is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategic plan for furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the school, which includes a focus on recruitment and retention of faculty and students from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in science and medicine.In his role, he has implemented a comprehensive program to improve faculty diversity and retention that focuses on policies, programs, and building community. He also oversees programs that support the outreach, recruitment, success, and retention of YSM students and postdoctoral fellows. He is co-chair of the YSM Program for Art in Public Spaces, which has commissioned new works of art featuring diverse YSM leaders and has hosted public exhibits that feature artwork by and about members of the YSM community.Dr. Latimore joined Yale in 2017 from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, where he was associate dean for student and resident diversity. After obtaining his medical degree at University of California, Davis School of Medicine and completing his residency in internal medicine at University of California, Davis Medical Center, he worked as a physician specializing in HIV care with The Permanente Medical Group in South Sacramento, CA where he also trained medical students and residents. His transition to academic medicine began with his appointment as associate program director for the UC Davis internal medicine residency program followed by his appointment as the inaugural director of medical student diversity at UC Davis in 2008.
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    • Ifat Levy, PhD

      Professor and Vice Chair for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity at Comparative Medicine; Co-director, Science Fellows Program

      I am interested in the neural mechanisms underlying decision-making in humans, in individual differences in these mechanisms, and in the possible contribution of decision traits to pathological behavior. Our research focuses on decision-making under uncertainty, and on value learning and encoding. To study these topics we combine behavioral economics methods with functional MRI, as well as eye tracking and physiological measurements.
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    • Graeme Mason, PhD

      Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and of Psychiatry; Director Metabolic Modeling and Director Psychiatric MRS, Magnetic Resonance Research Center; Director, Neuroimaging Sciences Training Program, Radiology & Biomedical Imaging and Psychiatry; Chair, Magnetic Resonance Research Center Protocol Review Committee, Radiology & Biomedical Imaging

      Dr. Graeme F. Mason develops experimental models and methods for studies of brain metabolism using 1H and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Mass Spectrometry in conjunction with 13C isotopic labeling in vivo, in cell preparations, and other systems. His work began during his graduate studies at Yale where he used a rat model for the experimental determination of brain glucose transport kinetics, energetics, and neurotransmitter metabolism. Dr. Mason received further training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he guided the group's 13C-labeling studies of the human brain in vivo in the 4.1T whole-body MR system. Dr. Mason studies metabolism and neurotransmission in the brain in vivo, including effects of psychiatric, neurological, and metabolic conditions. Dr. Mason examines healthy subjects and patients to investigate relationships among GABA, glutamate, and glutamine concentrations and their rates of synthesis and release in the brain, in particular with regard to effects of acute and chronic use of alcohol. He also studies detailed kinetic modeling of isotopomer and isotopologues using data from high-resolution NMR and mass spectrometry.
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    • Benjamin Mba, MBBS

      Professor of Medicine (General Medicine); Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Department of Internal Medicine; Graduate Medical Education Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Associate Designated Institutional Official, Yale New Haven Hospital & Yale School of Medicine

      Benjamin Mba, MBBS, MRCP (UK), CHCQM, FACP is the Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Department of Internal Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, the Graduate Medical Education Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Associate Designated Institutional Official for Yale New Haven Hospital and Yale School of Medicine, and professor of medicine (general medicine.) Dr. Mba joined the YSM and YNHH on July 1, 2023. Before joining Yale, Dr. Mba was the Associate Chair of Medicine for Faculty Development for the Department of Medicine, Cook County Health, Chicago. Dr. Mba was also a Professor of Medicine at Rush Medical College in Chicago. Dr. Mba worked at Cook County Health for 24 years. Dr. Mba’s career focus has spanned clinical education, diversity, equity, and inclusion advocacy in graduate medical education, residency program leadership, faculty development, quality improvement, and patient safety. Over the years, Dr. Mba has received several accolades for his clinician educator and mentor role. Dr. Mba was recognized as a Great Teaching Attending in a national research study from the University of Michigan 2017. This exploratory qualitative study identified and studied 12 exemplary teaching physicians nationwide. The findings were published in a book titled Teaching Inpatient Medicine by the Oxford University Press and in several peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Hospital Medicine and the American Journal of Medicine. Dr. Mba is a four-time recipient of the Sir William Osler Award for teaching internal medicine from the Department of Medicine at Cook County Health (CCH), a four-time recipient of the CCH Division of Hospital Medicine’s Cooker Award for inpatient medicine teaching and team leadership, and a two-time recipient of the Clinical Skills and Scholarship Award as a medicine resident. Dr. Mba is a four-time recipient of the Excellence in Medical Student Education Award from the Department of Medicine, Rush Medical College. He received a National ACP Certificate of Appreciation for National Mentoring Month, recognizing his commitment to mentoring and the positive impact of mentorship within the internal medicine community. In 2023, the Cook County Health Department of Medicine created the Dr. Benjamin I. Mba Award for Teaching Internal Medicine to honor Dr. Mba's dedication and excellence in clinical teaching. This annual award honors medicine attendings for excellence in clinical teaching. Dr. Mba has given talks and presented workshops on clinical reasoning at regional and national meetings of the Society of Hospital Medicine and the American College of Physicians. He has been an invited speaker to deliver grand rounds and faculty development workshops at various teaching institutions regionally, nationally, and internationally. Dr. Mba has been a blinded discussant on Clinical Care Conundrums published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine. He was invited by the American College of Physicians (ACP) to give a national webinar on “Resident Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic”. Dr. Mba practices as a hospitalist (inpatient medicine) at YNHH. Dr. Mba graduated from the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He completed internal medicine residency training in the United Kingdom, obtaining the designation (MRCP (UK) via examination. He completed a second IM residency program and served as Chief Medicine Resident at the Cook County Hospital in Chicago.
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    • Michael Medvecky, MD

      Professor; Head Team Physician & Head Orthopaedic Surgeon WNBA CT Sun Women's basketball team, Yale Orthopaedics

      Dr. Medvecky joined the faculty of Yale Orthopaedics 2001 after completing his subspecialty fellowship training in orthopaedic sports medicine, arthroscopy and reconstructive knee & shoulder surgery at Cincinnati Sportsmedicine & Orthopaedic Center. Under the direction of Frank Noyes, MD, an internationally recognized authority on complex knee injuries & conditions, he gained experience in diagnosing and treating the most complicated conditions that sports medicine surgeons will face. Prior to this training, he completed his internship and residency in Manhattan at NYU-Bellevue Hospital Medical Center and New York University-Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute, respectively. He is presently a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Vice-Chair for Faculty Affairs within the Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, in addition to serving as the Fellowship Director for the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship, which trains one post-graduate surgeon per year in the sub-specialty care of orthopaedic sports medicine. Since starting practice, he has also been an active participant in the Yale-New Haven Hospital Level-1 Orthopaedic Trauma Service, assisting in the care of poly-traumatized patients. His coupled interests in sports medicine and orthopaedic trauma have given him experience in the evaluation and treatment of complex knee and shoulder injuries and he utilizes both arthroscopic and open approaches to treat ligament, meniscus and articular cartilage injuries, based upon biomechanical and anatomical principles and proven clinical studies. Dr. Medvecky serves as the Head Team Physician & Head Orthopedic Surgeon for the WNBA Connecticut Sun based at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. He is also a consultant orthopaedist to the Yale University Athletic teams. He has also played an active role in regional athletic event coverage and continues to voluntarily serve the New Haven Road Race for over 15 years. He has previously served as Head Tournament physician for the WTA Connecticut Open tennis tournament, until its departure from New Haven in 2019 as well as the New England Blackwolves men’s professional indoor lacrosse. Dr. Medvecky has been an active participant in graduate medical education and received the University Faculty Teaching Award for his contribution to the Yale-New Haven Hospital orthopaedic residency education. He has established an annual post-graduate medical education course to teach practicing primary care physicians how to best evaluate & treat musculoskeletal conditions seen in their practice. In his efforts to promote health and safety in youth and adult athletics, he also serves on the CT State Medical Society’s Committee on the Medical Aspects of Sports.
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    • Reshma Narula, MD

      Assistant Professor of Neurology; Director, Vascular Neurology Fellowship Program, Stroke; Departmental Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Neurology

      Dr. Reshma Narula is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology and the Program Director for the Yale Neurovascular Fellowship Program.  She specializes in the care of patients with cerebrovascular disease.  She is a graduate of New York University and New York Medical College.  She completed both her residency training in Neurology and fellowship in Vascular Neurology at Yale New Haven Hospital.Dr. Narula has a particular interest in evaluating patients with cryptogenic strokes –or strokes of unknown etiology- and currently serves as the site primary investigator for ARCADIA a – NIH StrokeNet trial. During her residency training at Yale she completed a specialized training curriculum in education and continues to be interested in the development of medical education.  She is also an elected member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society and strongly promotes patient centered care.
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    • Juan Carlos Perez Lozada, MD

      Associate Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging; Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Radiology & Biomedical Imaging; Medical Director of Vascular and Interventional Radiology at Park Avenue Medical Center, Radiology & Biomedical Imaging

      Juan Carlos Perez Lozada, MD, is an interventional radiologist who says he enjoys the minimally invasive aspect of his work that allows patients to recover rapidly.“The extensive variety of pathology each day makes this field my passion,” Dr. Perez Lozada says. “My favorite part of interventional radiology is the scope and breadth of clinical conditions and procedures that I can treat and the constant innovation of my field. I love that I still am able to guide and counsel patients in clinic and be part of their treatment team.” He says he always lets his patients know that their well-being is his priority. “I want them to be safe regardless of the procedure. I want the best treatment possible regardless of the specialty that will take care of them,” he says. “The best patient is the one that has knowledge of their options.” Dr. Perez Lozada offers uterine fibroid embolization, spine interventions, pain management and nerve blocks, dialysis interventions, management of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, and interventional oncology.
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    • Joanna Radin, PhD

      Associate Professor of History of Medicine

      Joanna Radin (Associate Professor) received her PhD in History and Sociology of Science from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a historian of biomedical futures who cares about how people in the past imagined how science, technology and medicine would change their lives. This has led her to think and write about global histories of biology, ecology, medicine, technology, and anthropology since 1945; history and anthropology of life and death; biomedical technology and computing; feminist, Indigenous, and queer STS; and science fiction.All of these themes are present in her current book project, which reconsiders the history of science through the career of Michael Crichton.She is the author of Life on Ice: A History of New Uses for Cold Blood (Chicago 2017), the first history of the low-temperature biobank and co-editor, with Emma Kowal of Cyropolitics: Frozen Life in a Melting World (MIT 2017), which considers the technics and ethics of freezing across the life and environmental sciences.
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    • Faye Rogers, PhD

      Associate Professor of Therapeutic Radiology; Associate Cancer Center Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Therapeutic Radiology; Associate Director, Yale MD-PhD Program; Director, Yale BioMed Amgen Scholars Program

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    • Perry Shear, MD, FRCS(C), FAANS

      Assistant Professor

      Dr. Shear is a general neurosurgeon with an interest in spine disorders and an assistant professor in the department of neurosurgery at Yale School of Medicine. He has practiced in Fairfield County, Connecticut for 28 years. Previously, he has served as Chief of the Division of Neurosurgery at Bridgeport Hospital for six years. There, he also served as a member of the Bridgeport Hospital Medical Executive Committee and received the Humanism Award. As a clinician, Dr. Shear prides himself on his ability to listen and communicate with his patients. This is critical to making an accurate diagnosis in order to discuss the best treatment options. He is mindful of the anxiety that his patients are experiencing when they present to a neurosurgeon with diseases of the brain or spinal cord.  It is important to him to connect and empathize with the patient when discussing a diagnosis and treatment plan. When treating patients with spine disorders, he always tries to maximize non-surgical options before considering surgical treatment.  Dr. Shear chose to leave private practice neurosurgery and join an academic environment at Yale School of Medicine, in order to further expand his own knowledge base and provide better neurosurgical care.  At the same time, it will allow him to collaborate with his new neurosurgical colleagues, who are involved in new, innovative and state of the art neurosurgical treatments.  His patients, in Fairfield County will now have more direct access to the Department of Neurosurgery at Yale School of Medicine.Dr. Shear is certified as a specialist in Neurological Surgery by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Board of Neurological Surgeons. After obtaining his medical degree at the University of Toronto, he underwent his residency training at the University of Ottawa in Canada.Dr. Shear practices in Fairfield County with offices in Trumbull, CT and Stamford, CT.
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    • Sangini S Sheth, MD, MPH, FACOG

      Associate Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI), Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences; Associate Chief, Gynecologic Specialties; Director of Colposcopy and Cervical Dysplasia, Gynecologic Specialties

      As a member of the winning research team for Yale’s 2015 Excellence in Educational Innovation Prize, Dr. Sangini S. Sheth is equally at home caring for patients and mentoring young doctors. She serves as an associate professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at Yale School of Medicine. “I deeply enjoy the great breadth and depth of Ob/Gyn,” says Sheth. “Discussing preventative medicine in clinic one day and performing complex surgery with advanced technology the next.”A native of Connecticut, Dr. Sheth graduated cum laude from Yale University and returned to her alma mater in 2013 after receiving her MD and MPH from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health. In clinical practice, she is passionate about providing a full range of gynecologic services to women in all stages of life, from cervical cancer prevention and prenatal care to advanced treatments and surgery for conditions like fibroids and abnormal uterine bleeding. Her role as an educator and academic at Yale School of Medicine consistently informs the care she provides her patients. “There are several quickly changing areas within Ob/Gyn,” Dr. Sheth says. “I'm excited to be a frontline provider with a researcher's lens.”As part of her continuing commitment to improving women’s reproductive health worldwide, Dr. Sheth has partnered with colleagues in Nepal and Mexico on public health and implementation science studies to improve cervical cancer prevention programs. She is particularly sensitive to those who may feel marginalized by age, gender, race or ethnicity, and women living with HIV. “The field of women's reproductive health is inherently linked to social and political advocacy and addressing health inequities is central to my work,” Dr. Sheth says. An advocate of patient education, she believes in partnering with patients and encouraging women to become knowledgeable and active participants in all aspects of their reproductive health.Dr. Sheth is a member of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Society for Academic Specialists in General Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology.
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    • Joan Steitz, PhD

      Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry

      As a college student in the 1960s, Joan Steitz never imagined herself as a top-flight scientist. Certainly, she was fascinated by science. She even assisted senior scientists in laboratories at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was befriended by James D. Watson, co-discoverer of the DNA double helix, and at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. But when it came time to choose a career path, she had never seen a female professor or head of lab. So, she never aspired to such goals. Today, Prof. Joan Steitz is one of leading scientists in her field. Steitz is best known for her pioneering work in RNA. She and her student Michael Lerner discovered and defined the function of small ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) in pre-messenger RNA—the earliest product of DNA transcription—and was the first to learn that these cellular complexes (snRNPs) play a key role in processing messenger RNA by excising noncoding regions and splicing together the resulting segments. Her breakthroughs into the previously mysterious splicing process have clarified the science behind the formation of proteins and other biological processes, including the intricate changes that occur as the immune system and brain develop. Steitz earned her Ph.D. from Harvard in 1967. After completing postdoctoral work in Cambridge, England, she joined the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale as an assistant professor and later became an associate and full professor, as well as chair of the department.
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    • Donna-Ann Thomas, MD

      Associate Professor of Anesthesiology; Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Anesthesiology; Division Chief Pain Medicine and Regional Anesthesiology, Anesthesiology; Associate Professor Anesthesiology, Anesthesiology

      Dr. Donna-Ann Thomas is the Division Chief of Pain Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology.  Dr. Thomas received her medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical Center in 1999.  Following her General Surgery residency at Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia, she completed a residency in Anesthesia at SUNY Syracuse.  She is co-chair of the New York State Society of Anesthesiologists and co-chair of the Pain Curriculum Committee at the Yale University School of Medicine.   Dr. Thomas is actively involved in public service, including her steady volunteer work for Abundant Life Christian Center and her contributions to medical missions in Zimbabwe and Kenya.
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    • Marietta Vazquez, MD, FAAP

      Professor of Pediatrics (General Pediatrics); Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Pediatric Global Health Track Director; Associate Dean for Medical Student Diversity, Medical Education

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  • Executive Committee (Art in Public Spaces)

    • Darin Latimore, MD

      Co-Director

      Deputy Dean and Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine); Title IX Deputy Coordinator, Office of the Dean, School of Medicine; Discrimination and Harassment Coordinator, Office of the President

      Dr. Latimore is Yale School of Medicine’s first deputy dean for diversity and inclusion and its first chief diversity officer. He is devoted to increasing diversity within medical and academic spaces and to improving the climate of Yale School of Medicine’s learning and working environments. He is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategic plan for furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the school, which includes a focus on recruitment and retention of faculty and students from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in science and medicine.In his role, he has implemented a comprehensive program to improve faculty diversity and retention that focuses on policies, programs, and building community. He also oversees programs that support the outreach, recruitment, success, and retention of YSM students and postdoctoral fellows. He is co-chair of the YSM Program for Art in Public Spaces, which has commissioned new works of art featuring diverse YSM leaders and has hosted public exhibits that feature artwork by and about members of the YSM community.Dr. Latimore joined Yale in 2017 from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, where he was associate dean for student and resident diversity. After obtaining his medical degree at University of California, Davis School of Medicine and completing his residency in internal medicine at University of California, Davis Medical Center, he worked as a physician specializing in HIV care with The Permanente Medical Group in South Sacramento, CA where he also trained medical students and residents. His transition to academic medicine began with his appointment as associate program director for the UC Davis internal medicine residency program followed by his appointment as the inaugural director of medical student diversity at UC Davis in 2008.
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    • Melissa Grafe, PhD

      John R. Bumstead Librarian for Medical History & Head of the Medical Historical Library

      Melissa Grafe is the Head of the Medical Historical Library at Yale School of Medicine and joined Yale University in 2011 as the John R. Bumstead Librarian for Medical History at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library. She leads the Medical Historical Library team and manages the library's collections, including over 100,000 medical and scientific volumes from the 12th-21st centuries, as well as a growing digital collection. She also works with students and faculty on research and classes; develops grants and publications; oversees major digitization projects; curates and stages exhibitions; and manages gifts and donations, among other duties.Grafe received her Ph.D. in the History of Medicine from Johns Hopkins University and was a Council of Library and Information Resources (CLIR) postdoctoral fellow at Lehigh University Library followed by an appointment as the Humanities Librarian at Lehigh before coming to Yale. She is past president for the Medical Heritage Library (2018-2020) and Archivists and Librarians in the History of the Health Sciences (renamed Librarians, Archivists, and Museum Professionals in the History of the Health Sciences).
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    • Lena Smith Parker

      Senior Program Leader and Relationship Manager

      Lena is the Senior Program Leader & Relationship Manager for YSM Communications. She started out as a Internet Specialist in communications for Yale Medicine in 2004, and in 2006 was promoted to have purview over the web for all of YSM. Within months she created the first iteration of the brain trust dedicated to the mission of a "world-class" web presence for YSM, which has now grown to a full web team. The group is dedicated to these goals: Beautiful, useful, consistently branded websites that as a unit speak to the excellence of YSM All faculty and organizations being able to promote their important work, regardless of whether or not they have resources Ease of accessibility for users and web editors Excellent communication with clients and administration Efficient use of accurate data across websites In 2016, Lena was promoted to be the Operations Director for the Yale School of Medicine Office of Communications, and in 2021 again to Senior Program Leader & Relationship Manager for YSM Communications.
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  • Office for Women in Medicine and Science

    • Cindy Crusto, PhD

      Associate Dean for Gender Equity and Director of the Office for Women in Medicine and Science

      Professor of Psychiatry; Associate Dean for Gender Equity, Yale School of Medicine; Director, Office for Women in Medicine and Science, Yale School of Medicine; Deputy Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Psychiatry; Director, Program Evaluation and Child Trauma Research , The Consultation Center; Professor, Social and Behavioral Sciences

      Cindy A. Crusto, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology Section), Yale University School of Medicine, is Associate Dean for Gender Equity and Director of the Office for Women in Medicine and Science and the Director of Program Evaluation and Child Trauma Research at The Consultation Center.Dr. Crusto has more than 20 years of experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating preventive interventions in schools and community agencies. She also has extensive experience providing training and technical assistance to schools and to community-based organizations on the evaluation of prevention programs. She is interested in culturally relevant interventions for children from racial/ethnic minority and low-income backgrounds and in school-based behavioral health services. Dr. Crusto's research examines the impact of family violence on children and the ecological influences on child and family well-being, and includes rigorous evaluations of community-based initiatives involving substance use and violence prevention, and the promotion of school readiness. Dr. Crusto earned a B.A. in psychology from Vassar College, an M.A. in clinical-community psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Ph.D. in clinical-community psychology from the University of South Carolina. She completed pre-doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships in clinical-community psychology at Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.
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    • Ishita S. Arora, PhD

      Postdoctoral Associate

      Ishita Sunita Arora, Ph.D., (she/her/hers) is a post-doctoral researcher at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Arora has a joint appointment with the Office for Women in Medicine and Science (OWiMS) within the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the Department of Psychiatry’s Division of Prevention and Community Research (DPCR). At OWiMS, she conducts prevention research, implementation, and evaluation of the programs aiming at increasing gender equity and academic career development of all women within Yale School of Medicine. At DPCR, her research focuses on two core areas - prevention and intervention of gender-based violence, and the promotion of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. Dr. Arora is a clinical and community psychologist who has worked with underserved and marginalized populations in the resource-limited settings of India and the United States. Dr. Arora has extensive experience in the evaluation of preventive interventions in institutes of higher education, and in research aimed at identifying key risk and protective factors predictive of intimate partner violence, mental health services accessibility and utilization, and other behavioral outcomes. Dr. Arora completed her predoctoral fellowship at Yale University’s Department of Psychiatry - The Consultation Center (TCC) and Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC). During this time, she 1) worked with the Department of Psychiatry’s Anti-Racism TaskForce; 2) worked towards building a supplement to New Haven’s police crisis response system for people living with mental health concerns, substance use, and unhoused populations; 3) helped conduct a consumer-based participatory research project in collaboration with consumer researchers of CMHC to assess consumers' mental health needs during COVID-19. Dr. Arora earned her Ph.D. in Clinical and Community Psychology from the University of Maryland and a Master’s in Liberal Studies and Leadership from Ashoka University, India. In India, she has worked as a therapist for street kids and unhoused families for the not-for-profit organization Salaam Baalak Trust. Dr. Arora’s work is guided by anti-racist, anti-casteist, anti-oppressive, and decolonial praxis.
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  • Title IX Coordinators

    • Cindy Crusto, PhD

      Deputy School of Medicine Title IX Coordinator

      Professor of Psychiatry; Associate Dean for Gender Equity, Yale School of Medicine; Director, Office for Women in Medicine and Science, Yale School of Medicine; Deputy Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Psychiatry; Director, Program Evaluation and Child Trauma Research , The Consultation Center; Professor, Social and Behavioral Sciences

      Cindy A. Crusto, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology Section), Yale University School of Medicine, is Associate Dean for Gender Equity and Director of the Office for Women in Medicine and Science and the Director of Program Evaluation and Child Trauma Research at The Consultation Center.Dr. Crusto has more than 20 years of experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating preventive interventions in schools and community agencies. She also has extensive experience providing training and technical assistance to schools and to community-based organizations on the evaluation of prevention programs. She is interested in culturally relevant interventions for children from racial/ethnic minority and low-income backgrounds and in school-based behavioral health services. Dr. Crusto's research examines the impact of family violence on children and the ecological influences on child and family well-being, and includes rigorous evaluations of community-based initiatives involving substance use and violence prevention, and the promotion of school readiness. Dr. Crusto earned a B.A. in psychology from Vassar College, an M.A. in clinical-community psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Ph.D. in clinical-community psychology from the University of South Carolina. She completed pre-doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships in clinical-community psychology at Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.
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    • Jessica Wilen, PhD

      Deputy School of Medicine Title IX Coordinator

      Director of Professional Standards, Office of the Dean, School of Medicine

      Jessica Wilen, Ph.D., LCSW is an Assistant Professor at the Yale Child Study Center.  She manages the Viola W. Bernard Fund for Innovation in Mental Health Care, focused on promoting health equity and access for vulnerable children and their families.  Dr. Wilen also serves as the inaugural Director of Professional Standards for the School of Medicine.  In this role, she is responsible for fostering a shared community vision of professionalism, overseeing processes and mechanisms for reporting and resolving professionalism concerns (including investigations, climate assessments, and 360 evaluations), and mediating faculty disputes. Dr. Wilen previously served as the Assistant Dean of Students at Washington University in St. Louis, where she created and managed the University’s behavioral intervention team and case management services for students of concern.  She was also responsible for a number of high-level initiatives focused on cultivating an inclusive climate, including leading university-wide task forces on diversity & inclusion and sexual misconduct, creating and launching a campus-wide reporting system for discriminatory harassment, and creating gender-inclusive policies. She has prior experience as an organizational consultant, psychotherapist, and mediator.  Dr. Wilen maintains a private leadership coaching and consulting practice focused on the unique needs of working parents.
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    • Darin Latimore, MD

      Deputy School of Medicine Title IX Coordinator

      Deputy Dean and Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine); Title IX Deputy Coordinator, Office of the Dean, School of Medicine; Discrimination and Harassment Coordinator, Office of the President

      Dr. Latimore is Yale School of Medicine’s first deputy dean for diversity and inclusion and its first chief diversity officer. He is devoted to increasing diversity within medical and academic spaces and to improving the climate of Yale School of Medicine’s learning and working environments. He is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategic plan for furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the school, which includes a focus on recruitment and retention of faculty and students from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in science and medicine.In his role, he has implemented a comprehensive program to improve faculty diversity and retention that focuses on policies, programs, and building community. He also oversees programs that support the outreach, recruitment, success, and retention of YSM students and postdoctoral fellows. He is co-chair of the YSM Program for Art in Public Spaces, which has commissioned new works of art featuring diverse YSM leaders and has hosted public exhibits that feature artwork by and about members of the YSM community.Dr. Latimore joined Yale in 2017 from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, where he was associate dean for student and resident diversity. After obtaining his medical degree at University of California, Davis School of Medicine and completing his residency in internal medicine at University of California, Davis Medical Center, he worked as a physician specializing in HIV care with The Permanente Medical Group in South Sacramento, CA where he also trained medical students and residents. His transition to academic medicine began with his appointment as associate program director for the UC Davis internal medicine residency program followed by his appointment as the inaugural director of medical student diversity at UC Davis in 2008.
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    • Rosemarie Fisher, MD

      Deputy School of Medicine Title IX Coordinator

      Professor Emeritus of Medicine (Digestive Diseases); Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Office of the Provost; Emeritus Director of Resident/Fellow Well-being, Graduate Medical Education

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  • YSM Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

    • Darin Latimore, MD

      Deputy Dean and Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine); Title IX Deputy Coordinator, Office of the Dean, School of Medicine; Discrimination and Harassment Coordinator, Office of the President

      Dr. Latimore is Yale School of Medicine’s first deputy dean for diversity and inclusion and its first chief diversity officer. He is devoted to increasing diversity within medical and academic spaces and to improving the climate of Yale School of Medicine’s learning and working environments. He is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategic plan for furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the school, which includes a focus on recruitment and retention of faculty and students from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in science and medicine.In his role, he has implemented a comprehensive program to improve faculty diversity and retention that focuses on policies, programs, and building community. He also oversees programs that support the outreach, recruitment, success, and retention of YSM students and postdoctoral fellows. He is co-chair of the YSM Program for Art in Public Spaces, which has commissioned new works of art featuring diverse YSM leaders and has hosted public exhibits that feature artwork by and about members of the YSM community.Dr. Latimore joined Yale in 2017 from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, where he was associate dean for student and resident diversity. After obtaining his medical degree at University of California, Davis School of Medicine and completing his residency in internal medicine at University of California, Davis Medical Center, he worked as a physician specializing in HIV care with The Permanente Medical Group in South Sacramento, CA where he also trained medical students and residents. His transition to academic medicine began with his appointment as associate program director for the UC Davis internal medicine residency program followed by his appointment as the inaugural director of medical student diversity at UC Davis in 2008.
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    • Karina Gonzalez, PhD

      Associate Dean, Diversity and Inclusion Programs

      Dr. Gonzalez Herrera comes to Yale after most recently operating as Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (EDIB) in the Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) and in the Division of Medical Sciences based at Harvard Medical School. There, she oversaw members of the Griffin GSAS EDIB team and was responsible for working in partnership with faculty, students, and staff to plan and develop strategies to support equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging for graduate programs at Harvard. Dr. Gonzalez Herrera developed and directed the GSAS Life Sciences Summer Institute, a pre-matriculation program with the goal of easing the transition into graduate school for entering PhD students. Dr. Gonzalez Herrera co-directed and helped to expand the Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program (SHURP), as well as the Research Scholar Initiative (RSI) post-baccalaureate program at Harvard. She serves as an academic advisor to current graduate students, SHURP, and RSI participants. In addition to leading and coordinating recruitment efforts, Dr. Gonzalez Herrera also focused on graduate student support through implementation of DEI workshops for faculty, students, and staff, in partnership with graduate student diversity and inclusion fellows. She has served as an advisor and supported multiple graduate student affinity groups. Dr. Gonzalez Herrera received her PhD in Biological and Biomedical Sciences from Harvard University in 2016, where she was also an active member of the Minority Biomedical Scientists of Harvard student group and participated in the Harvard Latino Leadership Initiative. Prior to her time at Harvard, she completed her Master of Science in Biological Sciences at California State University San Marcos in 2010, and her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (with a minor in Chemistry) at the same institution in 2008, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Throughout her academic career, Dr. Gonzalez Herrera has been committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM fields. She has been recognized for her work with several prestigious awards, including a National Institutes of Health Pre-doctoral Fellowship, the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, the Harvard Medical School Sharon P. Clayborne Staff Diversity Award, and was named as an inspiring Hispanic/Latinx scientist in America in a Cell Mentor article in 2020. She has also served as a mentor and advocate for underrepresented students in science, and has been an active member of several diversity and inclusion committees and organizations. As the Associate Dean for ODEI at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Gonzalez Herrera will lead the implementation and tracking of outcomes of the student section of the Diversity Strategic plan. She will also work closely with leadership and other stakeholders across the institution to develop and implement strategies to recruit and retain diverse biological and biomedical sciences (BBS) graduate student learners.
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    • Nii Addy, PhD

      Albert E. Kent Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology

      Nii Addy is the Albert E. Kent Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology and the inaugural Director of Scientist Diversity and Inclusion at Yale School of Medicine. He is also Director of the Faculty Mentoring Program, Minority Organization for Recruitment and Expansion (MORE) and co-chair of the Career Development Subcommittee of the Anti-Racism Task Force in the Yale Department of Psychiatry. He contributes to graduate student and postdoctoral training and to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives through his efforts on campus and in scientific societies. He received his B.S. in Biology from Duke University and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Yale University. Dr. Addy directs a federally funded research program investigating cholinergic, dopaminergic and L-type calcium channel mechanisms mediating substance use and mood disorders. Dr. Addy’s team also studies the ability of tobacco product flavor additives to alter nicotine use behavior and addiction. He serves on the journal editorial board of Neuropsychopharmacology, Biological Psychiatry, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, and Neuropharmacology, and is a grant reviewer for the Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior (NMB) Study Section of the National Institutes of Health's Center for Scientific Review (CSR). In addition to his campus work, Dr. Addy hosts the Addy Hour podcast, discussing topics at the intersection of neuroscience, mental health, faith, culture and social justice. Episodes include dynamic conversations based on the lived experience and professional expertise of his guests - which include community leaders, clinicians and mental health experts, scientists, professional athletes and entertainers, faith leaders, and mental health advocates. As the creator and host of town hall community events, Dr. Addy has also built unique partnerships to encourage and equip audiences to embrace the use of holistic, integrated tools to address mental health challenges. He has collaborated with Lecrae (Grammy Award-winning artist and NY Times Best Seller), Doug Middleton (Jacksonville Jaguars/ Dream the Impossible Initiative), Allan Houston (former NBA All-Star, NY Knicks/ FISLL Project), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Veritas Forum, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), the Yale University Chaplain's Office, Yale Well, the Salvation Army, Every Nation Church NYC, the American Bible Society and others. His research and community work have been featured by National Public Radio (NPR), Newsday, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), The Source Magazine, Chuck Norris, BoldTV, Legitimate Matters, and Relevant Magazine. He has presented scientific lectures at universities throughout the United States and Europe, and he serves on the Board of Trustees for The Carver Project, aimed at empowering and connecting individuals across university, church and society.
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    • Ishita S. Arora, PhD

      Postdoctoral Associate

      Ishita Sunita Arora, Ph.D., (she/her/hers) is a post-doctoral researcher at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Arora has a joint appointment with the Office for Women in Medicine and Science (OWiMS) within the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the Department of Psychiatry’s Division of Prevention and Community Research (DPCR). At OWiMS, she conducts prevention research, implementation, and evaluation of the programs aiming at increasing gender equity and academic career development of all women within Yale School of Medicine. At DPCR, her research focuses on two core areas - prevention and intervention of gender-based violence, and the promotion of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. Dr. Arora is a clinical and community psychologist who has worked with underserved and marginalized populations in the resource-limited settings of India and the United States. Dr. Arora has extensive experience in the evaluation of preventive interventions in institutes of higher education, and in research aimed at identifying key risk and protective factors predictive of intimate partner violence, mental health services accessibility and utilization, and other behavioral outcomes. Dr. Arora completed her predoctoral fellowship at Yale University’s Department of Psychiatry - The Consultation Center (TCC) and Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC). During this time, she 1) worked with the Department of Psychiatry’s Anti-Racism TaskForce; 2) worked towards building a supplement to New Haven’s police crisis response system for people living with mental health concerns, substance use, and unhoused populations; 3) helped conduct a consumer-based participatory research project in collaboration with consumer researchers of CMHC to assess consumers' mental health needs during COVID-19. Dr. Arora earned her Ph.D. in Clinical and Community Psychology from the University of Maryland and a Master’s in Liberal Studies and Leadership from Ashoka University, India. In India, she has worked as a therapist for street kids and unhoused families for the not-for-profit organization Salaam Baalak Trust. Dr. Arora’s work is guided by anti-racist, anti-casteist, anti-oppressive, and decolonial praxis.
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    • Cindy Crusto, PhD

      Professor of Psychiatry; Associate Dean for Gender Equity, Yale School of Medicine; Director, Office for Women in Medicine and Science, Yale School of Medicine; Deputy Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Psychiatry; Director, Program Evaluation and Child Trauma Research , The Consultation Center; Professor, Social and Behavioral Sciences

      Cindy A. Crusto, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology Section), Yale University School of Medicine, is Associate Dean for Gender Equity and Director of the Office for Women in Medicine and Science and the Director of Program Evaluation and Child Trauma Research at The Consultation Center.Dr. Crusto has more than 20 years of experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating preventive interventions in schools and community agencies. She also has extensive experience providing training and technical assistance to schools and to community-based organizations on the evaluation of prevention programs. She is interested in culturally relevant interventions for children from racial/ethnic minority and low-income backgrounds and in school-based behavioral health services. Dr. Crusto's research examines the impact of family violence on children and the ecological influences on child and family well-being, and includes rigorous evaluations of community-based initiatives involving substance use and violence prevention, and the promotion of school readiness. Dr. Crusto earned a B.A. in psychology from Vassar College, an M.A. in clinical-community psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Ph.D. in clinical-community psychology from the University of South Carolina. She completed pre-doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships in clinical-community psychology at Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.
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    • Daryn David, PhD

      Assistant Professor in the Child Study Center; Associate Director for Leadership Development, Office of Academic & Professional Development (OAPD) and Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (ODEI)

      Daryn H. David, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, educator, and leadership development coach. At the Yale School of Medicine, Daryn is an Assistant Professor at the Child Study Center and serves as Associate Director for Leadership Development in the Offices of Academic & Professional Development (OAPD) and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (ODEI). Through dynamic pedagogy, leadership development coaching, and innovative programming, Daryn leverages her expertise to help academics and health care providers actualize their fullest professional potential. She further promotes the educational mission of Yale University by coaching high-impact global leaders through the Yale Greenberg World Fellowship. In addition to her work in academia, Daryn maintains a small psychotherapy and coaching practice devoted to supporting women professionals. Daryn holds a Bachelor of Arts (AB) degree in Social Studies from Harvard University and a PhD in psychology from Yale University, where she also completed her predoctoral clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship. Following her formal academic training, Daryn pursued an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Additionally, she completed the Playing Big Facilitators Training with Tara Mohr and the Blue Mesa Transformational Coaching Program and is a certified facilitator of the Zenger Folkman Extraordinary Leader, Advancing the Extraordinary Leader, and Extraordinary Performer workshops.
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    • Aja Diggs

      Sr. Administrative Assistant

      Aja is the Senior Administrative Assistant in the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, Community Engagement and Equity (DICE), where she supports leadership, serves as the primary contact to students and affinity groups, and assists with scheduling, planning, and coordinating various DEI programs, events, and conferences. Aja previously served as a Referral Specialist and Senior Administrative Assistant for the Yale Medicine Administration. She was born and raised in New Haven and graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Anthropology. She's passionate about optimizing health for women and children and will become a certified doula.
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    • Chelsea Gomez

      Program Manager

      Chelsea Gomez (She/Her), MsEd, is a Program Manager at the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Chelsea is a first-generation Dominican-American from Queens, New York. She received her BA in Psychology from St. John's University and MS Ed from Long Island University. Prior to joining the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Chelsea was the Residency Program Coordinator for the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences here at Yale.
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    • Giovanna Guerrero-Medina, PhD

      Director of Yale Ciencia Program; Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Wu Tsai Institute; Executive Director, Ciencia Puerto Rico

      Dr. Giovanna Guerrero-Medina is Director of the Yale Ciencia Initiative in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of Yale School of Medicine, and Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of Yale’s Wu Tsai Institute. Through these positions, Dr. Guerrero-Medina leads programs that broaden participation and increase inclusion and retention in STEM training pathways and careers. Programs such as Yale PATHS, the Yale Ciencia Academy, and Intersections Science Fellows Symposium empower scientists from historically excluded backgrounds and level the playing field. Dr. Guerrero-Medina is also the founding Executive Director of Ciencia Puerto Rico. Under her leadership, CienciaPR has become one of the largest networked communities of Hispanic scientists in the world. The organization has been recognized for their work promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the areas of science communication, education, and careers by the Union of Concerned Scientists, the AAAS-Caribbean Division, and the White House. She is co-author of two National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine reports to promote advancement, diversity and inclusion in the STEMM workforce and her expertise has been sought by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, multiple NIH and NSF peer review panels, and several nonprofit and scientific Advisory Boards. Dr. Guerrero-Medina’s work is funded by grants from the NIH and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, among others. Originally from Puerto Rico, Dr. Guerrero-Medina has a Bachelors in Science from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras and a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by a science policy fellowship with the National Academies and science policy work at the NIH and the Van Andel Institute. Hear how to pronounce my name.
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    • Linda Jackson

      Associate Director, YSM Diversity Office; Director of Educational Outreach Programs

      Linda V Jackson, Director of the Yale School of Medicine Office of Diversity, Inclusion, Community Engagement, and Equity (DICE), received her Bachelors of Science in Human Services from Springfield College and Masters of Science in Counseling from Southern Connecticut State University. Linda is an active member of the National Association of Medical Minority Educators, Inc. (NAMME), where she currently hold the position of regional director and the National Association of Advisors of the Health Professions, Inc. (NAAHP).  Linda manages various programs from elementary school through medical school for underrepresented students and those from disadvantaged back groups interested in or pursing a career in the field of medical or biomedical research. She is involved in the recruitment and retention of students from disadvantages background for the School of Medicine and supports student affinity groups.   “I love working directly with students – watching them flourish from undergraduates to medical students to doctors is a great joy for me. I can say that I am friends with some of the smartest people in the medical field.” Linda has been a licensed foster parent for over 20 years and enjoys mentoring teen aged girls. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling to the Caribbean Islands.
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    • Carolina L Machado

      Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Program Coordinator

      Born and raised in Venezuela and with a Bachelors in Manufacturing Engineering from Boston University, Carolina comes highly recommended. For the past three years she has been the Manager of Operations of the Aux 3 Pommes language schools, managing student registration, scheduling, marketing, payroll, and onboarding processes. In that role she was able to transform operations by automizing processes and developing student and teacher-facing tools. Carolina has always had a passion for education and diversity and inclusion. She has a long history as a Spanish teacher and curriculum developer and most recently she led the development of an elementary school cultural awareness program. Her experience in the world of education has opened her eyes to the importance of representation and to the hidden curricula that present challenges for people from minoritized or marginalized backgrounds and is what motivated her to seek to join a team dedicated to making a difference in this space.
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    • Eduardo Reyes

      Senior Administrative Assistant, YSM Diversity

      Eduardo has experience working as a Medical Interpreter and Translator and as a volunteer at Yale New Haven Hospital. As a Health Navigation, Eduardo works collaboratively with team members to assess health needs, connect people with care and services, provide education, and use his translation skills. He has a passion for learn new things and his goals are to promote healthy lifestyles and the early detection of cancer to improve lives in our community.
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    • Faye Rogers, PhD

      Associate Professor of Therapeutic Radiology; Associate Cancer Center Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Therapeutic Radiology; Associate Director, Yale MD-PhD Program; Director, Yale BioMed Amgen Scholars Program

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    • Marietta Vazquez, MD, FAAP

      Professor of Pediatrics (General Pediatrics); Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Pediatric Global Health Track Director; Associate Dean for Medical Student Diversity, Medical Education

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