A Salute to 100 Trailblazing Women of UCLA Health

“We believe that when women and girls are empowered to live to their full potential, everyone benefits exponentially.” - Melinda Gates

Women’s Equality Day is being celebrated August 26, 2020, honoring the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, establishing women’s right to vote. To mark the date, we wish to honor 100 women of achievement at UCLA Health.

We also want to acknowledge that despite the passage of the 19th Amendment granting the rights of all people to vote, discriminatory practices did not protect that right for Black Americans and other people of color. It wasn’t until nearly a half-century later, with the signing into law of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, that everyone was able to exercise their right to vote.

The work ahead of us remains significant. But as the past has taught us, when we knock down walls, we open doors. We know there are thousands of women at UCLA Health who are making an impact daily. Honoring the following trailblazers is just the beginning of the stories we will share.

The 100 in 100 are merely some of the thousands of women who show up to UCLA Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine every day to provide our patients the best health care experience in California, and to lead the world with groundbreaking research and education.

Elizabeth Barnert

MD, MPH; assistant professor of pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a pediatrician at the Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar

Dr. Barnert serves as an adviser to the California state legislature and to U.S. Congress on juvenile justice policy. Her research contributed to the passage of California SB 1322, which decriminalized child victims of commercial sexual exploitation; to AB 2992, which requires police officer training on commercial sexual exploitation of children; and to SB 439, which excludes children 11 and younger from the juvenile justice system.

Grace Aldrovandi

MD, CM; chief of the division of infectious diseases at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and a professor of pediatrics

With more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Aldrovandi is a world-renowned lecturer and author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications. She has led research into general pediatric infectious diseases and cared for HIV-infected children and their families.

Johnese Spisso

MPA; president of UCLA Health, CEO of UCLA Hospital System and associate vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences

Spisso is a nationally recognized academic health care leader with more than 30 years of experience. She was named to Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Most Influential Women Leaders in 2019, LA Business Journal’s 500 Most Influential Leaders in Los Angeles in 2020 and Modern Healthcare’s Top 50 Clinical Leaders of 2020 in the U.S.

Kelsey Martin

MD, PhD; first female dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Martin is among only a handful of women to lead a medical school in the United States. A neuroscientist who studies learning and memory, she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016.

Karen Grimley

PhD, MBA, RN, FACHE; chief nursing executive for UCLA Health and assistant dean in the UCLA School of Nursing

"With more than 30 years of experience as a nurse leader, Dr. Grimley is responsible for the overall delivery and management of nursing practice, education, professional development, research, administration and clinical services.

Eve Glazier

MD; associate clinical professor for the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

A clinician educator, Dr. Glazier is president of the UCLA Health Faculty Practice Group, a 1,200-plus member academic practice and one of the largest physician groups participating in the California health care industry.

Roshan Bastani

PhD; professor of Health Policy and Management and co-director of UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Control and Survivorship Program

Dr. Bastani has led multiple studies targeting low income, ethnic minority and immigrant populations. She led a National Cancer Institute post-doctoral career development program with a heavy focus on transdisciplinary cancer control training and disparities research.

Kathleen Brown

MD; assistant dean for equity and inclusion at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and section chief of thoracic imaging

Dr. Brown serves as the vice chair of the UCLA College of Applied Anatomy. She is the recipient of multiple teaching awards including the Excellence in Education Award and the Serge and Yvette Dadone Clinical Teaching Award.

Medell Briggs-Malonson

MD; assistant professor of emergency medicine and medical director of clinical effectiveness for UCLA Health

Dr. Briggs-Malonson is a nationally recognized adviser, speaker and author. In 2015, she was named among the “Top Healthcare Professionals Under 40” by the National Medical Association.

Carol Bennett

MD; Henry E. Singleton Chair in urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and chief of urology at the West Los Angeles VA Healthcare Center

Dr. Bennett was the first female faculty member when she joined UCLA Urology in 1996, and in 2015, she received the “Secretary’s Coin” from former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald for her work promoting patient-centered care.

Carrie Bearden

PhD; UCLA professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences

Dr. Bearden directs the UCLA Center for Assessment and Prevention of Prodromal States (CAPPS) program for at-risk youth, chairs the Women’s Leadership Group of the Society for Biological Psychiatry and the DSM-V Serious Mental Disorder Review Committee, and she is a Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and the Association for Psychological Science. Dr. Bearden was named to the scientific council of the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation in 2017. The foundation represents the nation’s top non-governmental funder of mental health research grants.

Quanna Batiste-Brown

DNP, RN, NEA-BC; chief nursing officer, Ambulatory Care, UCLA Health System; associate adjunct professor, UCLA School of Nursing; dean and founder of the UCLA Medical Assistant Program

Batiste-Brown is a nationally recognized nurse executive with more than 20 years nursing experience overseeing ambulatory care clinical practice and policy, leading efforts in community outreach and system-wide improvements in clinical care. She was elected 2020 president-elect of the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing. She was president of the Association of California Nurse Leaders Los Angeles Chapter in 2018.

Susan Bookheimer

PhD; Joaquin M. Fuster Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and co-director of the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment

Dr. Bookheimer has published more than 215 articles in the field of neurological and neurodevelopmental disabilities and has been a leader in the field of autism neuroimaging.

Heather Christofk

PhD; director of basic and translational research at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and professor of biological chemistry and pharmacology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; member Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research

By investigating how stem cells and cancer cells use nutrients to fuel growth, Dr. Christofk aims to develop new approaches for manipulating metabolism and treating cancer.

Kristen Chin

BSN, RN, CCTN; registered nurse in the Liver Transplant Service (8 North); Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

Chin has served as chair of the 8 North Unit Practice Council, Sepsis Champion, chair of the UCLA Health Empirical Outcomes Council, and currently chair of the Ronald Reagan Transformational Leadership Council. She is among the first clinical nurse chairs of the new Professional Governance model that started in 2018 and has been integral in ensuring the right processes are in place, so nurses at the bedside can be transformative leaders on their units and significantly influence outcomes for patients and nursing practice.

Alejandra Casillas

MD, MSHS; assistant professor of medicine, division of general internal medicine and health services research, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Casillas has worked extensively to close the gap on health disparities for Latinos using telemedicine and other electronic health tools.

Susan Bukata

MD; orthopaedic oncology surgeon at UCLA Orthopaedic Center in Santa Monica

Dr. Bukata leads a quarterly support/advocacy group of women surgeons in all specialties at UCLA Health.

Ziva Cooper

PhD; interim director and research director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative and associate professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Cooper is internationally recognized for her research on the potential therapeutic and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, the chemical constituents of the cannabis plant.

Sarah Dry

MD; interim chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and director of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Translational Pathology Shared Resource

Dr. Dry helped develop the Pathology Research Portal, which handles more than 50,000 biofluid samples annually in support of more than 350 research studies and clinical trials.

Rochelle Dicker

MD; professor of surgery and anesthesiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and vice chair for critical care, chief of surgical critical care, associate chief of trauma and emergency general surgery and associate chief of trauma and emergency general surgery at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

Dr. Dicker has devoted her career to violence prevention. She is the founding director of the San Francisco Wraparound Project and is a member of the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention advisory board.

Annabelle de St. Maurice

MD, MPH; assistant professor of pediatrics, division of infectious diseases and co-chief infection prevention officer at UCLA Health

Dr. Annabelle de St Maurice, MD, MPH, is an assistant professor of pediatrics, division of infectious diseases, and co-chief infection prevention officer at UCLA Health. Among her many accomplishments she was on the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she studied emerging viral pathogens.

Judith Currier

MD; chief of the UCLA Division of Infectious Diseases

Dr. Currier is among the top-funded NIH investigators in the country and serves as chair of the AIDS Clinical Trials Group, the world’s largest HIV research network.

Gay Crooks

MBBS; co-director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research and director of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program

Dr. Crooks is a pediatric bone marrow transplant physician in the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Mattel Children's Hospital, UCLA. She studies how blood stem cells can be isolated and manipulated to improve the results of bone marrow transplants, a treatment for a variety of blood diseases, including leukemias.

Sherin Devaskar

MD; physician-in-chief of Mattel Children’s Hospital and holder of UCLA’s Mattel Executive Endowed Chair in the department of pediatrics

Dr. Devaskar is a highly accomplished pediatrician/neonatologist, researcher and educator, who has served on several national committees and organizations that have furthered pediatric research and clinical practices for decades. Dr. Devaskar was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2012.

Linda Demer

MD, PhD; professor of medicine and cardiology, physiology and bioengineering at UCLA

Dr. Demer is executive director of the UCLA specialty training and advanced research (STAR) program that offers the opportunity to combine clinical fellowship or residency training with formal, advanced research training leading to a graduate degree, coordinated with clinical training.

Joann Elmore

MD; professor of medicine and director of the UCLA National Clinician Scholars Program

Dr. Elmore is a National Institutes of Health-funded investigator who has done groundbreaking research on the accuracy of mammography and is studying how artificial intelligence could improve cancer diagnosis.

Dawn Eliashiv

MD; professor of neurology and co-director of the UCLA Seizure Disorders Center

Dr. Eliashiv was one of the first researchers to locate seizures in the brain using magnetoencephalography — a neuroimaging technique for mapping brain activity. She is a commission member of the International Board of Epilepsy. She has studied neurocysticercosis in Peru and Ecuador, nodding syndrome in Uganda, and has conducted outreach in Morocco to alleviate the global health burden of epilepsy.

Misty Eleryan

MD

Dr. Eleryan is UCLA Health's first Black female Micrographic Surgery Dermatology Oncology Fellow. She is passionate about addressing the lack of diversity in the field of dermatology, and is leading a UCLA research study on the issue.

Patricia Eshaghian

MD; assistant professor of medicine in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of the adult cystic fibrosis program at UCLA

Dr. Eshaghian played a central role in obtaining accreditation for the adult cystic fibrosis program that offers specialized services to this unique population.

Patricia Ganz

MD; distinguished professor and director of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Control and Survivorship Program

Dr. Ganz, a pioneer in the assessment of quality of life in cancer patients and survivors, was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2007 and served on the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors and on the American Society of Clinical Oncology Board of Directors.

Lee Galuska

PhD, RN, NE-BC; executive director, Nursing Practice, Education and Research, UCLA Health; adjunct assistant professor, UCLA School of Nursing

Dr. Galuska led the establishment of an evidence-based nursing leadership development program to assure that nurses are prepared to lead as well as partner in health care management, leadership and transformation.

Isla Garraway

MD, PhD; director of urologic research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and member of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and member Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research

A surgeon-scientist, Dr. Garraway has received the Donald S. Coffey Career Development, Young Investigator, and Challenge Awards from the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Meena Garg

MD; medical director of the UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

A practicing neonatologist for more than 20 years, Dr. Garg has shaped neonatal care at Mattel Children’s to meet patients and families with diverse needs and backgrounds and has received the Excellent Physician Award.

Amander Clark

Ph.D.; professor and chair of molecular, cell and developmental biology; member Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research and member of the executive committee for the International Society for Stem Cell Research

A stem cell biologist specializing in pluripotency and germline cell differentiation, her laboratory specializes in developing novel treatment options to improve women’s reproductive health and the birth of healthy children.

Genevieve Colvin-Thomas

IBCLC; International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, UCLA Health

Colvin-Thomas is a very strong advocate for breastfeeding who came to us from L.A. County, so she is an expert in navigating MediCAL and payor barriers to get services to all of our patients. She set up the breast pump exchange program at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica with MediCAL-approved pumps so all moms can get a pump in the hospital and start pumping. This is really important for NICU moms who have to start pumping as soon as able after birth. Colvin-Thomas also coordinated UCLA’s first breast milk donation drive, collecting more than 2,000 milliliters.

Anne Coleman

MD, PhD; vice chair of ophthalmology at the UCLA Stein Eye Institute

Internationally recognized for her research and clinical expertise in the fields of glaucoma and cataract surgery, Dr. Coleman is also president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2016.

Judith Gasson

PhD; professor emerita and senior adviser to the David Geffen School of Medicine for Research and Innovation at UCLA

Dr. Gasson was the first female director of a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center and served as director of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center for two decades.

Brigitte Gomperts

MD; professor and vice chair of research in pediatric hematology-oncology and pulmonary medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine and member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research

Dr. Gomperts’ scientific research focuses on the role stem cells play in repairing and regenerating the lungs after injury. Dr. Gomperts has spent years perfecting methods for creating stem cell-derived three-dimensional lung organoids, and is now using those organoids to study how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, affects lung tissue and to rapidly screen thousands of prospective treatments.

Lynn Gordon

MD, PhD; senior associate dean for equity and diversity inclusion at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and professor at the UCLA Stein Eye Institute

Dr. Gordon, a former chair of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Council, specializes in neuro-ophthalmology and inflammatory diseases of the eye.

Christine Grella

PhD; professor-in-residence of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and co-director of the Integrated Substance Abuse Programs

Dr. Grella has led several longitudinal cohort studies, over a dozen evaluation studies of treatment interventions for individuals with substance use or mental health disorders, and conducted epidemiological studies using state and national survey data.

Alma Guerrero

MD, MPH; assistant clinical professor in the department of pediatrics at UCLA

Dr. Guerrero practices general pediatrics at the Venice Family Clinic and works with vulnerable populations who have high unmet medical and psychosocial needs. She also sees patients at UCLA’s Fit for Healthy Weight Program for children.

Ming Guo

MD, PhD; P. Gene & Elaine Smith Chair in Alzheimer's Disease Research and professor of neurology, molecular and medical pharmacology

Dr. Guo is chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. She also serves as a member of a Blue Ribbon Panel for the NIH/NINDS, the ANA Scientific Program Advisory Committee, the Society of Neuroscience Program Committee, and the Scientific Advisory Committee of the A.P. Giannini Foundation.

Nina Harawa

PhD; professor-in-residence of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health

Dr. Harawa has led ground-breaking community-based clinical trials on reducing HIV risk. She directs the policy core of the UCLA Center for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment Services and is a nationally recognized expert on research on HIV, racial disparities, and incarceration. She was awarded the NAACP Unsung Hero award in 2011.

Jody Heymann

MD, PhD; founding director of the WORLD Policy Analysis Center; distinguished professor, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Luskin School of Public Affairs and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Through the WORLD Policy Analysis Center, Dr. Heymann examines laws and policies that matter to equality, health and economic outcomes in all 193 UN countries. She was dean of Public Health from 2013 to 2018.

Risa Hoffman

MD, MPH

Dr. Hoffman is cofounder and director of the UCLA Global Health Program, which builds partnerships with low- and middle-income countries and focuses on improving health equity while training the next generation of leaders in global health.

Desert Horse-Grant

Senior director of research and innovation at UCLA Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and co-executive director of UCLA Biodesign

Since joining UCLA Health in 2017, Horse-Grant has led efforts to identify and develop key programs that accelerate the translation of lab discoveries to the patient’s bedside. She was named to Modern Healthcare's Top 25 Innovators list in 2020.

Sara Hurvitz

MD; associate professor of medicine and medical director of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Clinical Research Unit

Dr. Hurvitz’s research has contributed to innovative treatment strategies for breast cancer that have been adopted globally, including the use of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors as an effective way to treat hormone receptor positive breast cancer.

Shafali Jeste

MD; associate professor of psychiatry, pediatrics and neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of the Care and Research in Neurogenetics Clinic (CARING Clinic)

Dr. Jeste received a 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for her “exceptional promise for leadership in science and technology.” She has designed studies to aid in the early prediction of autism. Her work in tuberous sclerosis complex led to the first randomized controlled clinical trial of behavioral intervention in infants who are likely to develop autism due to TSC.

Patricia J. Johnson

PhD; professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics.

Dr. Johnson was elected in 2019 to the National Academy of Sciences for her distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Her lab focuses on the molecular and cellular biology of a single cellular parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis.

Beth Karlan

MD, PhD; vice chair of women’s health research and director of Cancer Population Genetics at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dr. Karlan, a renowned expert in the field of gynecologic oncology, is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, was appointed by the White House to the National Cancer Advisory Board and has served as president of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology. She is chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2015.

Connie Kasari

PhD; professor of psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Kasari, founding member of the Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART) is an international expert in developing interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders.

Her team developed Joint Attention Symbolic Play Engagement and Regulation (JASPER) therapy as an evidence-based treatment for autistic children.

Amy Kraft

Director of Real Estate; Planning, Design & Construction; Medical Arts Program and The Tiverton

Amy Kraft is responsible for all design and construction projects for UCLA Health on campus and in the community, focusing on providing a comfortable, healing environment compatible with the quality of medical care received from UCLA Health.

Deborah Krakow

MD; chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA and professor of orthopaedic surgery and human genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Krakow has spent the last several years researching the genes that cause the development of skeletal dysplasias prior to birth and identifying the disease genes and biologic mechanisms that lead to the inherited osteochondrodysplasia, a group of more than 350 distinct genetic disorders.

Allison Krupa

RN; Clinical Nurse, Emerging Infectius Disease Champion, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

Krupa volunteered to join the Emerging Infectious Disease Team to care for infectious patients. When COVID-19 presented in early 2020, she volunteered as a champion to provide multiple departments with “just in time” education when they encountered their first positive patients.

Clara Lajonchere

PhD; deputy director of the UCLA Institute for Precision Health and chair of the California Precision Medicine Advisory Council

Dr. Lajonchere is a recognized expert on neurodevelopmental disorders and a champion for communities underrepresented in biomedical research.

Jenny Kim

Director of Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology Fellowship and Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology

Dr. Kim is the first Micrographic Surgery Dermatology Oncology Fellowship Director in UCLA history, and is one of only a few women in the country to hold such a position. Her laboratory studies the immune response in skin and her research is conducted in collaboration with the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. She has been a faculty member at UCLA for more than 20 years.

Zhaoping Li

MD, PhD; Lynda and Stewart Resnick Endowed Chair in Human Nutrition and professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Li has been principal investigator for more than 50 investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored clinical trials in the fields of nutrition, obesity and botanical research.

Linda Liau

MD, PhD; chair of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of the UCLA Brain Tumor Program

Dr. Liau’s development of a personalized immunotherapy vaccine, which significantly extends glioblastoma patients’ lives, led to her election to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine in 2018. Dr. Liau is the second woman in the nation — and the first Asian-American woman — to lead an academic department of neurosurgery.

Catherine Lord

PhD; George Tarjan Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Lord co-developed the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), which are together considered the gold standard in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

Carol Mangione

MD, MSPH, FACP; chief of the UCLA Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, vice chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and a member of the National Academy of Medicine

Dr. Mangione, a practicing primary care doctor and an expert on diabetes care, diabetes prevention, health disparities and minority faculty development, has been at the forefront of UCLA’s efforts toward community engagement. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2019.

Emilie Marcus

PhD; executive strategy officer at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Marcus joined UCLA after 20 years at Cell Press, a division of Elsevier, where she served as CEO and editor-in-chief of the journal Cell.

Fola May

MD, PhD, MPhil; director of Melvin and Bren Simon Gastroenterology Quality Improvement Program

Dr. May, a gastroenterologist, is a national expert in cancer prevention research and champion for health equity. She is passionate about improving awareness about health disparities and is involved in advocacy at the state and national level to develop and encourage policy to improve health care delivery.

Jeannie Meyer

RN, MSN, CCRN-K, CCNS, PCCN-K, ACHPN; Clinical Nurse Specialist for Palliative Care

Meyer led innovative programs to facilitate advanced care planning and hospice care for homeless patients.

Hanna Mikkola

MD, PhD; professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology and member of Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research and UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dr. Mikkola studies blood-forming stem cells – which can create all types of blood and immune cells – in order to inform the development of methods to generate these cells in the lab to treat blood diseases such as leukemia and aplastic anemia.

Karen Miotto

MD; clinical professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, director of the UCLA Health Physician and Faculty Wellness Program and interim director of the David Geffen School of Medicine Behavioral Wellness Center

Dr. Miotto has been recognized for her work advocating for physician and medical trainee mental health and well-being at the state and national level. Most recently, she led the COVID-19 Wellness and Mental Health Workgroup, which provides mental health services to all health care workers at UCLA Health.

Sherie Morrison

PhD; distinguished professor emeritus and former chair of microbiology, immunology and medical genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Morrison’s long-time research interest has been the functional properties of antibodies, including critical work that catalyzed the successful production of antibody therapeutics for many human diseases.

Anna Barbara Moscicki

MD; division chief of adolescent and young adult medicine

A physician-researcher for more than 40 years, Dr. Moscicki has focused her career on adolescent gynecology and STI research with a specific concentration on Human Papillomavirus, HIV infection and mucosal immunology.

Elizabeta Nemeth

MD; professor in the division of pulmonary medicine and critical care and in the department of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and of the UCLA Center for Iron Disorders

Dr. Nemeth has been studying the pathobiology of the iron-regulatory peptide hepcidin and has made major contributions to the understanding of iron homeostasis and its dysregulation in many diseases. She is also president-elect of the International Bioiron Society.

Elizabeth Neufeld

PhD

Considered a giant in science, UCLA biochemist Dr. Neufeld’s drive and groundbreaking research led to new treatments for children with lysosomal storage disorders. Her discoveries led to membership in the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine, the prestigious Lasker Award and a long list of other honors.

Larissa Mooney

MD; associate clinical professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences and director of the UCLA Addiction Psychiatry Clinic

Dr. Mooney is nationally recognized in the field of addiction psychiatry and serves as president-elect of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, co-director of the Greater Southern California Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network, and deputy division chief of behavioral health at the Greater Los Angeles VA.

Thanh Neville

MD; assistant professor in the Division of Pulmonary Critical Care at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Neville is medical director of the 3 Wishes Program, started in 2017 at Ronald Reagan Medical Center, which aims to improve the end-of-life experience in the intensive care unit by fulfilling small wishes for dying patients. Her research interest is in improving the quality of care at the end of life in the ICU.

Karin Nielsen

MD; professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital

Dr. Nielsen is an internationally recognized expert in the field of pediatric HIV and Zika and has been a leader at tracing the devastating effects of Zika on the unborn.

Patti Oliver

MS, MBA; director of nutrition services at UCLA Health, overseeing Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica

During her 21-year career, Oliver has implemented numerous initiatives to improve nutritional quality and access, including the elimination of fried foods from the menu at the medical centers while increasing the use of locally grown or organic produce and beef and poultry raised without antibiotics. She is the 2017 Silver Plate Award winner from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, which recognizes excellence in food service operations in the health care industry, and she also earned the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Healthcare Foodservice.

Leia Nghiemphu

MD; associate professor of clinical neurology and vice chair for Academic Affairs in the Department of Neurology

Dr. Nghiemphu is the operational director for the UCLA Brain Tumor Center, charged with developing an integrated, patient-centered practice for the care of patients with brain tumors.

Kate Perkins

MD, PhD; associate dean for graduate medical education at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and vice chair for education in pediatrics

Dr. Perkins’ passion for graduate medical education and partnership with residents propels her award-winning teaching, research and curriculum redesign.

Kathrin Plath

PhD; professor of biological chemistry and scientist at Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dr. Plath’s research team was among the first in the world to reprogram human skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells, which can give rise to every cell type found in the body. The advance could generate a potentially limitless source of immune-compatible cells for tissue engineering and transplantation medicine.

Janet Pregler

MD; Iris Cantor Chair of Women’s Health

Dr. Pregler is noted for her collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and community experts on women’s issues that impact low income and immigrant women, including financial and health literacy, environmental toxicants, human trafficking, and lesbian, bisexual, and queer women’s health. In 2017, she was named “Woman of the Year” in the health category by the Los Angeles County Commission for Women and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Nida Qadir

MD; clinical assistant professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

As an intensivist, Dr. Qadir integrates the most advanced evidence-based medical practice with an understanding of patients’ values to provide individualized and patient-centered management plans. She also played a major role in establishing critical care pathways for COVID-19.

Emiline Red

Environmental Services custodian, Emergency Department at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica

Red, who started with the UCLA Health housekeeping staff as a member of the float pool, has been in the Emergency Department for two years, and has been an essential member of the team keeping the department safe, clean and hygienic during the pandemic. She likes to say she’s cleaned the hospital “from top to bottom,” having worked on every floor.

Janet Rimicci

Senior director at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica

Rimicci oversees the financial management, strategic planning, organizational development and coordination of all clinical and administrative operations at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica. She has held a number of leadership positions in her more than 25 years at UCLA Health, including executive director of Quality and Patient Safety and director of Emergency and Trauma Services. Her commitment to UCLA runs deep: She received her undergraduate nursing degree and Masters of Science in Nursing Administration at the university.

Kelly Rodebush

BSN; Clinical Nurse II, UCLA Birthplace Santa Monica

Rodebush is a strong women's advocate and excellent obstetric nurse who empowers women and families to overcome their fears and anxieties of becoming new parents. She provides a safe and supportive environment to boost their confidence through navigating spit-ups, calming their crying baby, learning swaddling skills, as well as overcoming breastfeeding challenges and additional challenges and stressors faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lisa Romero Gronroos

Child Life Specialist

Romero Gronroos co-founded the first Spanish-speaking parent advisory council at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. The council ensures Spanish-speaking parents of patients in our care are well represented, providing feedback and offering support for others who are primarily Spanish speakers.

Linda Rosenstock

MD, MPH; dean emeritus, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health (FSPH); professor, departments of Health Policy and Management and Environmental Health Sciences, and professor in the Department of Medicine, DGSOM

Dr. Rosenstock served from 2000 to 2012 as dean of FSPH, one of the nation's top-ranked schools of public health, and is a recognized authority in healthcare, including occupational and environmental health, global public health and science policy.

Julie Sasinski

MSN, RNC-NIC, CNS; Clinical Nurse Specialist, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Sasinski leads multiple evidence-based initiatives including advocacy for human milk feeding enhancements for vulnerable neonates to improve growth and development, reduce complications and reduce hospital length of stay.

Monica Sifuentes

MD, FAAP; vice chair of education in the Department of Pediatrics and associate program director of the pediatric residency program at Harbor-UCLA; professor of pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Sifuentes is committed to treating underserved and vulnerable communities. She was the recipient of the Serge and Yvette Dadone Clinical Teaching Award at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, a distinction given to faculty for their overall contributions to the field of medical education.

Susan Smalley

PhD; founder of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center

Dr. Smalley was honored by the women’s rights organization Equality Now in 2018 for her research on the genetics of autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mindfulness.

Donna Smith

RN; Clinical Nurse, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

Smith has stepped up in the COVID-19 crisis to support all those around her. For newer nurses fearful during this intense period, she has led by example. She is the first to volunteer to suit up and care for COVID-positive patients, despite personal risks.

Michelle Santizo

BSN; Clinical Nurse II

Michelle Santizo is a clinical nurse in the hematology/stem cell transplantation unit at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. In addition to serving as a missionary nurse in Guatemala, Michelle has been instrumental in her role as a legislative liaison on Capitol Hill, advocating for the rights of terminally ill cancer patients.

Melissa Spencer

PhD; professor of Neurology and neuromuscular program director in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; member Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research.

In association with her colleagues, Dr. Spencer developed an approach that uses the stem cell gene editing platform CRISPR/Cas9 to correct the genetic mutations that cause Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Jesica Suarez

RN

Suarez participates in regular medical missions to the Dominican Republic as part of Global Health Force Organization, an international group she co-founded. She is providing COVID-19 relief support by collecting and distributing masks.

Deborah Suda

MSN, RN; senior director Women’s Services and Mattel Children’s Hospital

As a life-long champion of women’s health, Suda has worked hard to reduce women’s risk for complications in pregnancy by decreasing cesarean births, maternal deaths from obstetric hemorrhage, strokes from high blood pressure, and attaining World Health Organization’s Baby Friendly Status for achieving successful breastfeeding rates through education and increasing public awareness to these issues. Suda’s extensive work internationally, in Armenia’s Erebuni Medical Center, has helped to improve obstetric care and she started the first education program to allow fathers into the hospital to help and support women in labor and delivery. She also has worked for more than 18 years with Japan’s Chiba University School of Nursing to help develop the advance practice role for nurse practitioners and expand the Clinical Nurse Specialist role for women’s health in obstetrics and gynecology.

Nanthia Suthana

PhD; director of the UCLA Laboratory of Neuromodulation and Neuroimaging

Dr. Suthana has earned international recognition as the first scientist using virtual reality and wearable technologies in patients with existing neural implants to unravel how the brain forms and recalls memories.

Sarah Sweeney

MS, director of Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness, Office of Emergency Preparedness, UCLA Health

Sweeney has tirelessly led the organization in an effort to prepare for and manage the COVID-19 pandemic. She ensured that faculty, staff and trainees were focused not just on the personal protective equipment (PPE) that would keep them and their patients safe, but also on the behaviors impacting infection prevention and reducing transmission.

Maie St. John

MD, PhD; chair of head and neck surgery and director of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Research Career Enhancement program

Dr. St. John's efforts have supported the development of a strong interdepartmental research program in head and neck surgery and bioengineering, which has led to multiple clinical trials and patent applications.

Moira Szilagyi

MD, PhD; chief of General Pediatrics and section chief of Developmental Pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; professor of Pediatrics at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital

Dr. Szilagyi is a nationally known expert in childhood trauma and resilience and has been voted president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Susi Takeuchi

MBA; chief human resources officer for UCLA Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine

Takeuchi is a strategic HR executive who is responsible for human resource management and organizational initiatives and programs across the enterprise. She led the development of a HR strategic plan with the vision to be an employer of choice, which has resulted in UCLA Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine being recognized as a top employer by various organizations such as Forbes, Becker’s Hospital Review, BlackDoctor.org and World at Work.

Sadiat Toyin Lawal

MSN, RN

Toyin Lawal has worked with the United Nations to advance the status of women internationally and in the United States, focusing on high-risk single mothers and widows in low-income areas. She also is active in the Global Peace Movement, Women Empowerment for Peace.

Karol Watson

MD; professor of medicine/cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of the UCLA Women’s Cardiovascular Health Center, the UCLA-Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Health Program, co-Director of the UCLA Program in Preventive Cardiology, and director of the UCLA Fellowship Program in Cardiovascular Diseases

Dr. Watson is a principal investigator for several large National Institutes of Health research studies including the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study and the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Martina Wiedau

MD; professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, director of the ALS Clinic and Research Center, Medical Director of the Neurology clinics and vice chair for Clinical Affairs

Dr. Wiedau has more than 20 years of experience in academic neurological practice and research and oversees a basic and clinical research team in addition to her administrative leadership.

Gail Wyatt

PhD; professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of the Center for Culture, Trauma and Mental Health Disparities at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA

Dr. Wyatt has testified before the U.S. Congress eight times on issues related to health policy and was the first African-American woman to be licensed as a psychologist in California.

Donna Washington

MD, MPH; UCLA professor of medicine and health services researcher

Dr. Washington has devoted her career to addressing the health care needs of vulnerable and underserved populations. Recognized in 2019 with the Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust Award, she studies access to emergency and ambulatory care, female veterans and racial, ethnic and gender disparities in health care.