The following announcement to the Yale School of Medicine community was made January 5, 2022 by Darin Latimore, MD, Deputy Dean of Diversity and Chief Diversity Officer.
It is with great pleasure that I announce the appointment of Cindy Crusto, PhD, professor of psychiatry, as associate dean for gender equity and director of the Office for Women in Medicine and Science beginning in January 2022.
Dr. Crusto will build on the groundbreaking work laid by her predecessor, Merle Waxman, who held the position for over 30 years and retired in May 2021. She and I will work closely on fulfilling the goals outlined in the YSM Diversity Strategic Plan, including increased mentorship and networking opportunities for women faculty, sponsoring women for leadership positions, and promoting policies and procedures that benefit women faculty.
Her vision is to draw on many of the lessons she’s learned building equity in her department and at YSM in roles that include deputy chair for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the Department of Psychiatry, co-chair of the Yale School of Medicine Minority Organization for Retention and Expansion (MORE), executive committee member of the Committee on the Status of Women in Medicine (SWIM), and deputy Title IX coordinator.
Dr. Crusto has been a leader in the Department of Psychiatry’s DEI work, co-chairing the department’s Anti-Racism Task Force and strategically using Grand Rounds to launch discussions around DEI and attract national speakers. She has also focused on connecting women faculty with sponsors—senior faculty who can help build bridges and open opportunities for career advancement—and wants to provide access to coaching to help build women faculty members’ professional skills. She is currently a fellow in the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program, which is designed to accelerate the career paths of promising women faculty.
Her personal experience navigating academic medicine as the first Black female professor of psychiatry at YSM serves as a guide for how she will approach the role, focusing not just on women but on the intersections of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and ability status among other identities.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Crusto to this important role.