Chancellor Awards for Diversity recognize the outstanding efforts of individuals who demonstrate a strong dedication to diversity. Individuals recognized are leaders and pioneers in their respective fields and to the communities in which they serve.
The Office of Diversity and Outreach is proud to introduce the 2019 award recipients by category:
Advancement of Women
Faculty category:
Nicole Bush, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry
"Dr. Bush works tirelessly towards the advancement of women, both individually, by mentoring numerous female trainees and faculty, as well as through her teaching and leadership roles. Her research program addresses health disparities and factors that contribute to resilience among underserved, underprivileged populations, with a special emphasis on addressing the needs of pregnant women and mothers."
— Matthew State, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry
Staff category:
Jacqueline Fabius
Chief Operating Officer, Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI)
"(Jacqueline's) primarily self-driven and most palpable commitment during all these QBI efforts is always promotion of women and assurance that they are equally represented as applicants, grant reviewers, and are included in research initiatives."
— Natalia Jura PhD, Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology
Student/resident/postdoctoral scholar category:
Heather Richbourg, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
"(Dr. Richbourg's) sustained efforts and leadership go well beyond the expectations of a trainee, and will undoubtedly have significant impacts on women within her laboratory, her university, her community, and the world, as she has made successful, concrete contributions to advancing women at each of these levels."
— Ralph Marcucio, PhD, Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Disability Service
Staff category:
Timothy Montgomery
Director, Student Disability Services
"Without Tim Montgomery's dedication to bringing awareness to people with disabilities, we would not be able to continue to break through the barriers. He has empowered colleagues around him to lead with inclusive practices that better support our students."
— Alece Alderson, Interim Executive Director of Student Life
Student/resident/postdoctoral scholar category:
Raziel Rizzo
Student, Doctor of Physical Therapy
"Raziel is a role model, demonstrating not only success in the academic program, but also in wide-ranging life experiences, far beyond those of many who have not faced mobility challenges. Raziel is an inspiration to faculty, staff and students, exemplifying UCSF's PRIDE values locally and nationally."
— Kimberly Topp, PT, PhD, FAAA, Professor and Chair Emeritus of the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership
Faculty category:
Matthew Bucknor, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging
"Our UIM (Underrepresented in Medicine)students in this year's class can be directly attributed to the pipeline initiatives that have been implemented under Dr. Bucknor's aegis. It is incredibly gratifying and inspiring to see Dr. Bucknor's efforts helping us to better identify appropriate candidates for our program and contribute to real changes in representation."
— Christopher Hess, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging
Tung Nguyen, MD
Professor, School of Medicine
"Dr. Nguyen is a strong and outspoken advocate for issues of bias, discrimination, and inequity in academic medicine, particularly for minority and women faculty. He is a wonderful role model for his dedication and effectiveness as a champion for health equity and social justice. Its lasting impact will be through the students and faculty he has inspired to dedicate their careers toward these goals."
— Jane Jih, MD, MPH, MAS, Professor, School of Medicine
Staff category:
Laura Camp
Assistant Finance Director, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
"Laura is a role model for members of not only the Black Caucus, but UCSF to emulate. She is goal oriented and works well with others by creating an atmosphere of inclusion and openness. Her willingness to listen to others to include their ideals and create mutual goals and objective that meets the needs of everyone personifies the values of inclusivity and diversity."
— Crystal Morris, UCSF Retiree, Former Chair of the Black Caucus
Student/resident/postdoctoral scholar category:
Kwadwo (Kojo) Opoku-Nsiah
PhD Student, Chemistry & Chemical Biology
"(Kojo) engaged with program directors to challenge them to bring diversity to the core curriculum, developing and delivering a component within the graduate program boot-camps that address inclusion and diversity as a core professional commitment to being a scientist."
— Elizabeth Silva, PhD, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, Graduate Division
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex Leadership
Faculty category:
Susan Kegeles, PhD
Professor, School of Medicine
"(Susan's) groundbreaking work to mobilize young gay men to organize around HIV prevention in their local communities has resulted in one the most widely implemented HIV prevention programs, called the Mpowerment Project, across the country and now internationally."
— Greg Rebchook, Associate Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Prevention Science
Staff category:
Lori Thoemmes
Director, UCSF Alliance Health Project
"(Lori) has demonstrated humility, fairness, curiosity, and advocacy for those who are marginalized, or whose voices are often not heard. (She) is known as a tireless champion for marginalized women, people of color, people with disabilities, and especially for the health and human rights of LGBTQI individuals."
— James Dilley, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Executive Director at the Alliance Health Project
Student/resident/postdoctoral scholar category:
Adair Borges
PhD Student, Biomedical Science
"Adair's advocacy and activism has raised awareness for transgender issue with UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood and other senior leaders who committed to a public statement on transgender rights and started the process of improving access and navigation of healthcare for transgender people at UCSF."
— Martin Kampmann, PhD, Assistant Professor, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases