The voting membership of the HSC Inclusive Excellence Council is comprised of its leadership; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Executive Officers (EOs); and At-Large Representatives.
At-Large Representatives are selected by application by the HSC Office for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. They are appointed for 2-year terms to represent various stakeholder groups within the HSC including Learners, Staff, Faculty, and Alumni.
DEI Executive Officers (EOs) are appointed by the Dean/CEO/Highest-Level Executive of each of the ten entities that comprise the UNM Health Sciences Center. EOs are directly responsible for leadership on matters of DEI within their entity and act as a liaison between their entity’s executive and the IEC. Complete DEI EO Roles and Responsibilities can be found here.
Valerie Romero-Leggott, MD
She, Her, Ella
Chair, Inclusive Excellence Council
HSC-VicePresidentDEI@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Romero-Leggott is a first-generation college student, native New Mexican Hispana with strong roots in her cultural heritage. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University and her medical degree from the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Medicine. Dr. Romero-Leggott serves as Vice President and Executive Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer for the UNM Health Sciences Center (HSC), as Professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine, and as the UNM HSC Endowed Professorship in Equity for Health. She also serves as Executive Director of the Combined BA/MD Degree Program, a unique program that promotes the recruitment and retention of a diverse group of New Mexico high school seniors interested in practicing medicine in New Mexico’s areas of greatest need. She has been a primary care provider on the forefront of treating populations burdened by socio-economic, racial and ethnic disparities; and has extensive experience teaching cultural competence, developing educational pathway programs for underrepresented youth, building a diverse health workforce, and providing mentorship and career development opportunities and guidance for diverse faculty, residents, students and staff locally and across the nation. Dr. Romero-Leggott is a role model for young, female learners and professional women in the health sciences and has had a profoundly influential career advocating for people of color. She values time with her family and enjoys the peace and beauty of New Mexico’s mountains.
Lindsay Smart, PhD
She, Her
Vice Chair, Inclusive Excellence Council
LSmart@salud.unm.edu
Lindsay Smart, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist in the UNM Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She is also the Training Director for the American Psychological Association (APA) Accredited Clinical Psychology Internship Training Program. Dr. Smart received her B.A. degree in Psychology at the University of Portland and her M.A and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Denver. During her time as a graduate student at the University of Denver, Dr. Smart was an American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program Fellow and participated in a Leadership Academy to Address Disparities in Mental Health Care. Dr. Smart completed her Pre-Doctoral Clinical Psychology internship here in New Mexico at the Children’s Psychiatric Center and her post-doctoral training was completed with the UNM Division of Community Behavioral Health. She is also a graduate of the UNM School of Medicine Medical Education Scholars Program.
Anastasia De Wanenmacher Romero
She / They
College of Population Health Student Representative
agdewromero@salud.unm.edu
Anastacia De Wanenmacher Romero is a Master of Public Health student at the College of Population Health (COPH), and a University of New Mexico (UNM) alum with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and concentration in Addictions Counseling. She was born in Los Cerrillos, New Mexico and attended middle school and high school in Santa Fe. She is a wife and mother of two young children. She enjoys baking, hiking, and reading science fiction and fantasy.
Anastacia is invested in the health and wellbeing of the New Mexico population, and has collaborated on a number of projects ranging from youth criminal legal system diversion, older adult falls, and issues of health for those who are unhoused. She is interested in developing, evaluating, and improving health promotion and intervention programs for people who historically have had little access to primary, specialty, and behavioral health care. It is her dream to see equitable access to health for all, and through her appointment to this council she will represent the innovative visions of COPH students in the growth of the UNM Health Sciences Center.
Amanda Collar, BS
She / Her
School of Medicine, Medical Student Representative
collaral@salud.unm.edu
Amanda is a first-generation college graduate and current MD-PhD candidate. She grew up in a multigenerational household in Alamogordo, NM. Her experiences in a low socioeconomic family and as a member of the Cherokee Nation, drove her dedication to address inequity and advocate for justice. During her MD-PhD career, she has focused her research, leadership experiences, and medical interests on addressing inequity. Her dissertation work in the Frietze lab focused on engineering a vaccine for chlamydia, which she sees an act of gender and racial equity since much of the STI burden falls on people with vaginas and people of color. She now leads a scholarly project to assess the need and advocate for free menstrual products at UNM HSC.
With a belief that all policy is health policy, Amanda serves as the Health and Public Policy Committee Chair for the NM American College of Physicians (ACP). In this position, she has co-led state and national legislative days to lobby for social justice and health equity issues. She also led an effort at UNMH to encourage voter registration of patients. On a national level, Amanda is a representative of the Council of Student Members (ACP), where she served as Vice Chair and on the DEI Committee. During this work, Mandy authored resolutions advocating for the repeal of the tampon tax, minimizing involuntary childlessness, and ending political gerrymandering. For these efforts, she was awarded the Learner SHEro Award, George Kennedy HATS Off Award, and AAMC Herbert W. Nickens Medical Student Scholarship.
Samantha Varela, MD
She / Her / Ella
Resident/ Fellow Representative
savarela@salud.unm.edu
Samantha Varela, MD (expected May 2023) is an incoming Neurological Surgery resident at the University of New Mexico. She is a first-generation Mexican American who grew up in Radium Springs, New Mexico, and is the first Hispanic female from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine to match into Neurosurgery. Samantha received her BS in Biology and a second BS in Genetics & Biotechnology from New Mexico State University. Samantha is the daughter of a roofer and stay-at-home mother who immigrated to the United States from Chihuahua, Mexico. Samantha is eager to serve the people of New Mexico by becoming a neurosurgeon who understands their culture and speaks the native language of many New Mexicans. Samantha hopes to provide the same mentorship to young New Mexicans and other first-generation and Hispanic students as they pursue careers in the medical field.
Allyson Hoag, BS
She / Her
Post-doc/ Graduate Student Representative
ahoag@salud.unm.edu
Allyson Hoag is a current PhD student in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (BSGP). She originally hails from Michigan and completed her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at the University of Michigan – Dearborn. Moving to New Mexico for graduate school, has allowed her to not only continue her education, but has also given her the opportunity to get involved in various leadership and community outreach positions. Her research focuses on the mechanisms of DNA repair in the context of genetic disorders and chemotherapeutic resistance in different cancer types. Through collaborations with many labs and departments, there is a variety of work to be involved in. She serves as an executive member of the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Student Society (BSGSS), a mentor in the BSGP Peer Mentoring Network (PMN) and Project Short, a Graduate Teaching Assistant, a trainee ambassador for the Cancer Biology Training Consortium (CABTRAC), and as a participant in various panels, the program interviews, and recruitment events. She plans on continuing to contribute to her community and program in the upcoming years and being an advocate and ally to the best of her ability.
Carlos Abeyta, MBA
He / His / Him
Staff Representative
iabeyta@salud.unm.edu
Carlos Abeyta was born and raised in Alcalde, New Mexico. He is a first-generation college graduate where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Northern New Mexico College in Espanola, NM. He later went on to obtain his Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Mr. Abeyta is currently the Department Administrator and Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the Department of Neurosurgery. He was previously the City of Albuquerque Liaison for the LGBTQIA+ under Mayor Timothy M. Keller. Additionally, he spent over twelve years as a cheerleading coach and New Mexico Athletic Association (NMAA) performance and technical judge throughout the State of New Mexico. His commitment for DEI work has led him to have one of the diverse departments within UNM SOM and specialty specific across the United States. He has a passion to build relationships with all individuals he interacts with and bring unity regardless of race, gender identity, religion, etc.
Mr. Abeyta is married to his husband Joshua Garcia and is looking forward to celebrating their 10-year anniversary, August 2023! They have 5 amazing dogs; our senior chihuahuas Cupcake and Beautiful, our teenager yorkie Tobii, and our two toddler golden retrievers Goldiee and Sleepie. In their free time, they enjoy camping, scenic drives, and traveling.
Michael Nuttall, MS
He / His / Him
Staff Representative
minuttall@salud.unm.edu
Michael Nuttall MS, BA (he, his, him) is a Director at the University of New Mexico Hospitals. He helps support the Children’s Psychiatric Center, University Psychiatric Center, UNM HSC, UNMH making this a place where people want to work, learn, and receive care.
He was born and raised in upstate New York, having worked on dairy farms. He spent most of his twenties in Atlanta working in the hospitality industry. He then met the love of his life in New Mexico and has resided here with her for 23 years.
Michael owes a great deal to mentor’s past. He gained great experience working on two Zia Award applications and one Baldrige Award application. The focus of that work is to build reliable healthcare processes, which exposed him to the concept of never events, like falls. He has a proven track record of identifying key stakeholders to collaborate on program, project, and process improvements.
Amy Bachyrycz, PharmD
She / Her
Faculty Representative
abachyrycz@salud.unm.edu
Associate Professor of Community Pharmacy and Director of Community Outreach at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy. She has partnered on many co-curricular activities that impact the students, patients, and New Mexican communities. She is an Interprofessional Education Champion and co-founded the Vax Scholars group, an interprofessional group within the Health Sciences Center to facilitate learning and application of CDC preventable vaccinations and patient care. She has extensive involvement in gaining legislative advancement in the profession of pharmacy and creating regulation change that would allow for pharmacist opportunity to improve gaps in care. The patient population she serves are uninsured, underinsured, and those that need have a need specific to patient advocacy. She trains pharmacists and pharmacy students in pharmacist prescribing, especially in areas of public health need throughout the state.
Kathleen Lopez Reyes, MD, MSCR
She / Her
Faculty Representative
kreyes@salud.unm.edu
Kathleen (Katie) Lopez Reyes, MD, MSCR, is an associate professor in the Obstetric Anesthesiology Division and was the inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine. She currently serves as Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the School of Medicine. She was the recipient of a LoboWings Patient Safety Guardian Award and was part of the multidisciplinary team that received the Dynamic Dyad Award for the Obstetric Anesthesiology Division and the Center of Excellence Designation for UNMH Obstetric Anesthesia. She has served on numerous SOM and HSC committees, including the UNM Interdepartmental Women’s Health DEI Committee and the Human Research Review Committee, and co-chaired the UNM Anesthesiology Faculty Recruitment Committee.
Within her department, Dr. Reyes started the first DEI Work Group and Committee, worked to create the DEI website, and co-created the Anesthesiology & CCM DEI Speaker Series. She was invited to moderate a Special Workshop on the AMA-AAMC Guide to Advancing Health Equity: A Guide to Language, Narrative and Concepts. Dr. Reyes has a strong and enduring interest in teaching and supporting her community and is passionate about supporting other faculty members and learners and promoting DEI initiatives. A true lobo she completed medical school, the Anesthesiology Residency Program, and her master’s degree in Clinical and Translational Research at UNM. Dr. Reyes was born and raised in Albuquerque. She received her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College where she majored in Studio Art, received Honors in Native American Literature and Painting, and also played Division I tennis. She studied at separate universities in Curitiba, Brazil, and Salvador, Brazil. She is a single mother to four amazing children.
Angela Gallegos-Macias, MD
She, Her, Ella
Alumni Representative
agallegos2@phs.org
Dr. Gallegos-Macias is a board-certified family medicine physician who serves as a Medical Director for Presbyterian Medical Group. Dr. Gallegos-Macias received her bachelor's degree in psychobiology from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California. Sher earned her medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.
Dr. Gallegos-Macias has provided primary care in Albuquerque's South Valley since 2007 and focuses on chronic disease states such as diabetes and hypertension. She has a passion for population health and preventive care. In her passion for her community, she serves as the physician champion for the South Valley Mobile Market, the Fresh RX Program and the PMG Las Estancias Food Farmacy.
Dr. Gallegos-Macias thrives on innovation and the development of new models of care that enhance value-based care initiatives and transect the cost, quality and patient/provider satisfaction within primary care.
In addition to serving on the Presbyterian Healthcare Services Board of Directors she serves on the Presbyterian Medical Group Executive Council, the UNM SOM Alumni Board and is a GAMA Board Trustee. She was the first recipient of the Presbyterian's Rising Star Award in 2017.
Marcus Garcia, PharmD, MA
He / Him
Alumni Representative
marcgarcia@salud.unm.edu
Marcus Garcia is a native New Mexican born and raised in Las Vegas, a town rich in heritage and traditions. Marcus graduated from the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy in 2020. Before this, he completed a Master of Arts in Human Performance and Sports-Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology/Chemistry from New Mexico Highlands University. While at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, he developed a solid background in toxicological research, publication, presentations at multiple national/international scientific conferences, a balance of pharmacy and clinical practice, and dedication to service and leadership both on campus and within the community. He completed a Clinical Research Fellowship with TriCore Reference Laboratories/Rhodes Group, where he provided support in unique research and patient care initiatives involving pharmacy and the clinical laboratory.
Having spent his formative years in Las Vegas, Marcus cultivated a deep sense of empathy towards people from all walks of life. His experiences in this diverse community instilled a strong desire to promote understanding, respect, and inclusivity among individuals. These early lessons fueled his commitment to advocating for diversity and inclusion as he pursued his academic and professional journey at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNM HSC). Marcus also serves as a proud member of the Hispano Philanthropic Society and the Young Leaders Society in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he is committed to positively impacting our community and beyond.
Mentorship and family have played a significant role in his life. He feels that with his accomplishments comes a responsibility that he wholeheartedly embraces – to inspire and guide the next generation, particularly his nieces and nephews. He wants to show them that, irrespective of their background or circumstances, they, too, can dream big and reach new heights by demonstrating the value of education, hard work, and dedication.
As a proud individual of Hispanic heritage, Marcus finds profound meaning in the cultural tapestry that weaves together his identity. He proudly carries his Hispanic heritage, ready to share its richness with others and contribute to a more interconnected, compassionate, and harmonious world.
In a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected and diverse, he believes it is essential to understand and appreciate each individual's unique perspectives and backgrounds. By fostering an environment of empathy and understanding, we can collectively create a society that is inclusive and enriched by its diversity.
As an Inclusive Excellence Council (IEC) member at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, he is committed to fostering a campus environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion thrive. By advocating for initiatives that celebrate our unique backgrounds and experiences, he aims to empower every individual to reach their fullest potential. Together with the council, He aspires to create a more inclusive academic community that uplifts and supports every member, leaving a lasting legacy of positive change.
Fabián Armijo
He, Him, Él
UNM Hospital
fjarmijo@salud.unm.edu
Fabián J. Armijo serves as the Executive Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the University of New Mexico Hospital. This role includes responsibility over the hospital’s Interpreter Language Services department, Native American Health Services, as well as the brand new office of Community Engagement. Fabián, a native of New Mexico, worked as a trilingual (Portuguese-Spanish-English) professional medical interpreter & translator as well as a licensed interpreter trainer for UNMH. Before beginning his career in health care, Fabián worked for the Spanish Ministry of Education as a primary school teacher in Galicia, Spain where he taught Science. He has also studied at the University of Palermo, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the University of São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil. Although Fabián has traveled, studied and worked abroad, his passion lies in addressing the needs of his community and home state of New Mexico. He has served the Albuquerque community in his volunteer roles as a reading tutor to unsheltered women and children at the Barrett House and as a Medical Apprentice at Casa de Salud in the South Valley where he worked in harm reduction efforts. Continuing his studies locally, Fabián is currently enrolled in the Masters of Health Administration (MHA) at the University of New Mexico’s School of Public Administration.
Gurdeep Singh, DO
He, Him, Él
Sandoval Regional Medical Center
gusingh@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Gurdeep Singh completed his undergraduate studies at the University of New Mexico. He received his Doctorate of Osteopathy from Andrew Taylor Still University in Arizona and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Good Samaritan Regional Center in Oregon. Dr. Singh is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician whose clinical efforts are focused as a Hospitalist at Sandoval Regional Medical Center (SRMC). Since 2017 Dr. Singh serves as SRMC's Clinical Services Chair of Medicine.
After serving as the Interim Chief Medical Officer (SRMC) in 2021, Dr. Singh was appointed as the first Chief Diversity and Wellness Officer for SRMC. Dr. Singh participates in Big Brother and Big Sisters of Central New Mexico and is President for the Society of Hospital Medicine's state chapter among other engagements with community and professional organizations.
Eliseo Castillo, PhD
UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center
Eliseo Castillo is the Associate Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. As associate director of DEI, he plans to help create and foster programs to increase diversity and inclusion awareness within the cancer research community as well as at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is an associate professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, within the Department of Internal Medicine. He also serves as the Director of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research for the division and runs an active research lab that is at the forefront of understanding the effects of microplastics on gut health (NIH R01 ES032037) and also studies the toxic effects of mixed metals and uranium exposure on tribal communities in the Southwest (UNM METALS: NIH P42 ES025589).
He received his bachelor of science in biology and a master’s of science in chemistry from Eastern New Mexico University. He then completed his doctorate in immunology from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. As a faculty member at UNM HSC, he is heavily involved in mentoring and outreach programs such as the UNM Cancer Center’s CURE for Cancer, Cancer-PREP, UNM Undergraduate Pipeline Network, and UNM PREP that serve underrepresented populations. He has sought to identify, prepare and mentor all trainees, including underserved, underrepresented, and vulnerable trainees, in academia and in a professional manner that leads to positive STEM educational outcomes.
Pilar Sanjuan, PhD
She, Her, Hers
UNM Clinical and Translational Science Center
psanjuan@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Sanjuan is a clinical psychologist and a scientist-practitioner focused on improving health equity and clarifying the underlying processes of substance use disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the intersection between stress/PTSD and alcohol/other substance use disorders (AUD/SUD) and on improving SUD and PTSD treatments, especially for pregnant and parenting people.
Dr. Sanjuan’s leadership roles include serving as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Executive Officer for the UNM HSC Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC). Her current research program branches in two related directions. The first branch harnesses neuroimaging to examine neural contributions to the PTSD and emotion regulation/stress/AUD relationship. Better understanding how PTSD and substance use problems are interrelated can help guide interventions and help patients understand their feelings and behaviors. The second branch of her research focuses on perinatal PTSD and substance use and maternal outcomes. This research utilizes ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to examine temporal associations between PTSD, parenting emotions, and SUD. It is critical to identify and understand established and novel interventions that help pregnant and parenting people to manage mental health challenges (e.g. doula support, prenatal yoga/mindfulness, mobile health technology).
Dr. Sanjuan is the psychology expert for the Improving Perinatal Health (IPH) UNM teleECHO Program, and a member of the National NIH, Healthy Brain and Child Development Consortium: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
Ingrid Hendrix, MILS
She, Her, Hers
UNM Health Sciences Library & Informatics Center
ihendrix@salud.unm.edu
Ingrid C. Hendrix, MILS, is the Division Head for Research, Education and Clinical Information Services at UNM HSC's Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center. In addition to her primary appointment in HSLIC, Ms. Hendrix has secondary appointments in the College of Nursing and the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program. As a medical librarian for over 30 years, she has extensive teaching, literature searching and knowledge management experience. Her areas of research interest in library science include information needs of bedside nurses, information literacy competencies, and information seeking skills of health professional students. As an individual with a disability, she has given numerous presentations on caring for patients with disabilities at primary care conferences, women's health conferences and to medical and nursing students and residents. She is a member of the Medical Library Association, UNM's Facilities Access Committee, The New Mexico Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Action Coalition for People with Disabilities and a past board member of the Assistance Dogs of the West in Santa Fe.
Helen Nielsen
She, Her, Hers
UNM Medical Group
hvnielsen@unmmg.org
Helen Nielsen joined the UNM Medical Group in June 2020 as the Executive Director for Human Resources. She has nearly 30 years of Human Resources Experience in a variety of industries such as telecommunications, construction and healthcare. She has over 10 years in Healthcare Human Resources. She is a strategic business partner who values collaboration to achieve goals. Helen has improved metrics such as employee engagement, recruitment and turnover. She has built successful HR teams over the course of her career. She is a trusted advisor and enjoys mentoring others.
Helen is a native New Mexican and has roots in the community. She is invested in the community and ensuring it's focus on diversity and inclusion. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UNM. She has also studied law and Public Administration. She has served on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross and was a surveyor for the Quality New Mexico organization. Helen was a finalist in 2019 for the SHRM-NM Human Resources Professional of the year. Helen is married with 4 children and 4 grandchildren.
Carolyn Montoya, PhD, RN, PNP-BC
She, Her
College of Nursing
cjmontoya@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Montoya, Professor and Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at the University of New Mexico (UNM), Health Sciences Center (HSC), College of Nursing (CON), has had a progressive career of teaching, clinical practice, and leadership during her academic career. She has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels and has served as Chair of the Practice Team and Coordinator of the Family and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner concentrations. Prior to her administrative appointments, Dr. Montoya maintained a clinical practice as a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She is a graduate of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Collaborative at the UNM-HSC CON. Dr. Montoya is a past president of New Mexico (NM) Nurse Practitioner Council, the American College of Nurse Practitioners (now a part of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners) and a past president of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Dr. Montoya remains active in regards to influencing policy issues concerning scope of practice as well as children's health. She recently completed a four-year appointment on the U.S. Health and Human Services Rural Health Committee and currently serves on the NM Medicaid Advisory Board. The NM Center for Nursing Excellence selected her as the 2020 Distinguished Nurse of Year for NM.
Krista Dominguez-Salazar, PharmD
She, Her, Ella
College of Pharmacy
krsalazar@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Dominguez-Salazar is an Associate Professor at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy. She has co-pioneered many learner-centered academic programs that promote critical thinking through active learning strategies within the doctor of pharmacy program and the interprofessional program. She has extensive training in motivational interviewing, relationship centered communication framework, de-escalation training and developing active learning curricula in both academic and the practice settings. The patient population she serves are experiencing homelessness and she works with them to manage their diabetes diagnosis through medication management and life style modifications. Many of the patients Dr. Dominguez-Salazar works with have co-morbidities of mental health diagnosis, substance use disorder or have been recently released from incarceration. She is a licensed advanced practice pharmacist with prescriptive authority and has provided team-based care with nurse practitioners, physicians, paramedics, licensed counselors, and registered nurses.
Dr. Dominguez-Salazar is a pharmacist serving a vulnerable population. She has developed an appreciation for the vital role empathy has in patient care, its translation to behavior change and the desired outcomes as determined by patient. As faculty, she has extensive skills development to build strategies to intentionally imbed learning activities for facilitating student-pharmacist learning that will transfer into their clinical practice, individually and working in teams.
Lauri Andress, PhD, JD, MPH
She, Her, Hers
UNM College of Population Health
landress@salud.unm.edu
During her studies, Dr. Andress secured a Master of Public Health and Ph.D. in Community Health Science (University of Texas Health Sciences Center, major in health policy; concentration in Management and Policy Sciences), and a law degree from South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas. Connected to broader interests in the achievement of equity through structural and policy change, predicated on the social determinants of health (SDOH) and community engagement, Dr. Andress’ career has provided equity-oriented leadership, scholarship, and instruction in public health settings, community-driven initiatives, schools of medicine, and government and political settings. An important guiding vision for Dr. Andress is to shift the way that society thinks about and conceptualizes notions of good and poor health, making room for the prioritization of equity, mutual respect, and social justice.
Dr. Andress' early career was spent working in public health governance and political settings. She led teams that launched the Centers for Health Equity in Wisconsin and Louisville, Kentucky. Through her experiences, she developed skills in strategic communication serving as Public Information Officer and Chief of Public Affairs in Houston’s Department of Health and Human Services. Later she assumed the position of Policy aide and Communications Officer in Washington D. C. for the 18th Congressional District of Texas. While completing her doctorate Dr. Andress worked for one of the leading U.S. experts on population health, Dr. Alvin Tarlov, at the Texas Program for Society and Health at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University. As the Director of Operations & Strategic Political Action, her work focused on research, policy advocacy, and message framing around the social determinants of health with an emphasis on health equity from an international perspective- largely the United Kingdom and Canada.
Dr. Andress’ academic career was shaped by experiences in West Virginia within the School of Public Health at West Virginia University (WVU) where she served as the Assistant Dean for Public Health Practice and Workforce Development and a tenure track Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy, Management and Leadership. A major outcome of her time at WVU was research that grappled with how we measure the population health of underrepresented (UR), marginalized, and oppressed groups. Today her scholarship illustrates a qualitative public health assessment on the connection between place and health, portraying the lived experiences of UR groups as told by and through their stories, photos, narratives, and video recordings. This has resulted in a website on the intersection of place and health examining infant mortality disparities and inequities in food security, transportation, and the built environment at https://placeandhealthwv.com
More recently, before joining COPH at University of New Mexico Dr. Andress served as Associate Dean for Inclusion, Diversity, and Community Engagement and Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Education at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM), She also took a sabbatical during which she studied community-engaged research and harm reduction advocates and assisted groups in Alabama in linking legal services to structural and institutional issues that contravene better population health.
Anita Fernander, PhD
She, Her
School of Medicine
afernander@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Fernander serves as the Executive Diversity Officer in the School of Medicine within the College of Health Sciences at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Fernander received her Master’s and Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology from the University of Miami, and Bachelor’s degrees (Physical Education and Psychology) from Oakwood University (an HBCU in Huntsville, Alabama). She completed her internship at the Salt Lake City Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a post-doctoral fellowship in Medical Psychology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Prior to joining UNM’s School of Medicine she served as the inaugural Chief Officer for Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and Interim Department Chair & Professor in the Department of Population Health at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Notable achievements while at FAU were the establishment of the JEDI Advisory Council composed of representatives from across various COM departments and units and the development of a 56-point checklist inclusive faculty hiring plan to increase the representation of URM faculty talent. Dr. Fernander served on the faculty in the University of Kentucky’s College of Medicine for 19 years. There she engaged in leadership, teaching, research, and community engagement to address health inequities, enhance patient advocacy through cultural humility as a de-biasing strategy, and exploring transformational interventions to address historical and contemporary racism embedded in the political and social determinants of health through two self-developed courses: "Race, Racism & Health Disparities Among Blacks in the U.S." and "The History of Medicine Among Blacks in the U.S.: Implications for Health Disparities". Her primary area of research has focused on the impact of race-related stress on health inequities among African Americans. She has served as Founder & Chair of Black Boys and Men in Medicine (a mentorship pipeline program for Black males from Kindergarten through Residency) and Founder & Chair of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Disparities Coalition.