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.
John Paul Sánchez MD, MPH
He, Him, Él
Vice Chair, Inclusive Excellence Council
jopsanchez@salud.unm.edu
John Paul Sánchez is the Executive Associate Vice Chancellor in the HSC Office for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Interim Executive Diversity Officer at the UNM School of Medicine (SOM). He is a Full Professor with tenure and Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and serves as Fellowship Director of the Learning Environment Office at UNM SOM. He is also a Board Member of the Journal of Academic Medicine, an Associate Editor for MedEdPORTAL, Executive Director of the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) National Inc., and is the President and Founder of Building the Next Generation of Academic Physicians Inc.
Dr. Sánchez was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. His parents were born in Puerto Rico and both served the educational system as teachers. He identifies as Puerto Rican and is gay-identified. Over the past 20+ years he has focused on increasing Latina/Latino/Latinx, Hispanic or of Spanish Origin + (LHS+); Black/African-American; Native American; Asian; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Women; and other underrepresented groups' inclusion in the medical and academic medicine workforces. He is a proud product of pipeline and pathways and is grateful for the on-going mentorship, test preparation, and networking opportunities he has received. He hopes to “give back” by supporting the development, implementation and evaluation of similar programs for diverse trainees interested in the health professions. During graduate school he witnessed first-hand a lack of diverse faculty, in particular among his teachers and senior administrators, and the lack of teaching on the health needs of marginalized and disenfranchised groups. He has developed numerous national initiatives to help diverse learners and health professionals learn how to be successful as faculty and senior administrators. He has published 55 peer reviewed publications, 9 book chapters, and served as Editor for a book entitled Succeeding in Academic Medicine: A Roadmap for Diverse Medical Students and Residents and Co-Editor for a book entitled Health Professions and Academia: How to Begin Your Career (release Spring 2022). He received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, completed his residency training at Jacobi/Montefiore, and is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine. He completed a Masters of Public Health, with a concentration in the epidemiology of infectious diseases, from the Yale School of Public Health. He is grateful and excited to work with colleagues across the health sciences center, the university, and New Mexico to inspire the next generation of health professionals!
Angelina Rodriguez, RN, MSN
She, Her, Ella
College of Nursing Student Representative
anrrodriguez@salud.unm.edu
Angelina Rodriguez, RN recently received her MSN degree from UNM. She is currently pursuing a DNP degree in Nurse Executive Organizational Leadership . She is employed at UNMH as a nurse and has worked in a variety of specialty areas to include: OR, Urgent Care, and Skilled Rehab. She has several years of experience in Human Resources and healthcare administration. Her background has provided an opportunity to work with a variety of diverse population groups.
She has served as the College of Nursing Representative for both the Health Sciences Student Council and HSC Inclusive Excellence Council. Her goal is to work in collaboration with IEC members towards initiatives that further advance diversity, equity and inclusion within our UNM HSC community.
Stephanie Igharoro, BA
She, Her
College of Pharmacy Student Representative
soigharoro@salud.unm.edu
Stephanie Igharoro is a UNM College of Pharmacy student, 2023 PharmD candidate. Born in Port-Harcourt Nigeria to a family of five, her innate passion for the care of the disadvantaged has led her towards a career in pharmacy and to use her voice to advocate for the diversity and inclusion of minority individuals in areas they otherwise would not see themselves.
Lucia Vulcan
They, Them, Theirs
College of Population Health Student Representative
luvulcan@salud.unm.edu
Lucia grew up in Las Cruces, NM. They are a current third-year medical student and will be finishing their Master of Public Health classes next year at UNM. They are interested in community health, LGBTQI+ health care, racial equity & social justice, and medical education. They see themselves providing primary care and hormone therapy to transgender and LGBTQI+ patients in New Mexico in the future.
Tk King, BA
They, Them
School of Medicine, Medical Student Representative
tvking@salud.unm.edu
Tk King is a graduate of UNM in Psychology and Evolutionary Anthropology and a current Medical Student at UNM’s School of Medicine. They will receive their MD in May of 2023. Tk is from Radium Springs, NM and has lived in Albuquerque since 2015.
As a co-president of LSAH, they are involved in curricular development, implementation, and improvement in the school of medicine addressing healthcare for sexual and gender minorities. For this work, they received a HATS Off nomination and received recognition for excellence in teaching from the Learning Environment Office. They advocate for underrepresented minorities in medicine through their position on the BA/MD admissions committee. Their research interests include quality of life improvement through lifestyle intervention in cancer survivors and care outcomes for gender-diverse patients. They also founded and maintain a partnership with New Day Youth and Family Services to provide health empowerment classes to youth attending the Life Skills Academy.
Daniel Hayek
He, Him
Health Professions Programs Student Representative
dhayek@salud.unm.edu
A second year Physician Assistant student at the University of New Mexico, Daniel is returning to the classroom after a decade as a USAF Pararescueman. Much of his educational and outreach goals are built on an appreciation for diversity, mentorship, and teamwork. Daniel graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2009 with degrees in Economics and Political Science. After a year of career trial and error, Daniel decided that his calling was a life of service and enlisted in the military. After multiple combat deployments, Daniel decided that the greatest impact that he could make on his community was as a medical provider; he made the decision to leave the military take on a new challenge in PA school.
Alison McGough-Maduena, MD
She, Her
Resident/ Fellow Representative
amcgough-maduena@salud.unm.edu
Alison McGough-Maduena, MD, MPH, is currently a 4th year Resident in the UNM School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Born and raised in Placitas, New Mexico, she received her BS from the University of Tulsa and returned to New Mexico where she obtained her MPH (’12) and MD (’18) from the University of New Mexico. Following the completion of OB/GYN residency in June, 2022 she will complete a 3-year fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology. Dr. McGough-Maduena has spent ten years building a skillset to serve beyond her clinical duties in the areas of social justice, advocacy and antiracism. She is passionate about making meaningful contributions to building inclusivity in medical training through evaluating and evolving trainee recruitment, and fostering equity through clinical teaching and mentorship. She is the proud parent of two children and enjoys cooking, spending time with family and laughing with friends.
As the Resident and Fellow At-Large Representative on the HSC Inclusive Excellence Council, Dr. McGough-Maduena aims to serve as a resource for connecting colleagues interested in engaging in work to improve learning and training around inclusivity, and to promote the work of trainees who demonstrate excellence in inclusivity through actively working to further inclusivity and equity in the GME training environment.
LisaMarie Turk, PhD, MSN, RN, CSSGB
She, Her, Ella
Post-doc/ Graduate Student Representative
liturk@salud.unm.edu
LisaMarie Turk is a Registered Nurse with over 15 years of progressive experience in nursing, quality management, and health services research. Committed to the advancement of health, wellness, and health equity – she currently serves as Chair of the Institute for Nursing Diversity, Empowerment, and Health Equity of the New Mexico Nurses Association. She has completed policy internships at the US Health Resources and Services Administration and the New Mexico State Legislature, where she promoted policy for workforce diversity and substance abuse and mental health, respectively. She serves on the Board of Governors of both the New Mexico Nurses Association and Western Institute of Nursing and has served on committees for diversity, equity, and inclusion, invited to speak or generate content locally and nationally. As a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nursing and Health Policy Fellow, she upholds the Foundation’s commitment to a Culture of Health that provides everyone a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being. As a researcher, Dr. Turk is implementing state-of-the-art artificial intelligence/machine learning to inform policy and improve health services for vulnerable populations and is committed to expanding the view of diversity, equity, and inclusion to include individuals with disabilities and other underrepresented and/or vulnerable populations. Certified as a coach through the Microsystem Academy at The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice – she consults with interdisciplinary teams to enhance individual and team capabilities for health services research, practice, improvement, and innovation and is Founder and Owner of a company focused on advancing health equity.
Gabrielle Abousleman, MPH, CPH
She, Her, Ella
Staff Representative
gabousleman@salud.unm.edu
Gabrielle D. Abousleman was born and raised in Bernalillo, New Mexico. She received her BA in Women’s Studies and Anthropology from Wellesley College and her Master’s in Public Health with an emphasis on sexuality and health from Columbia University. While at Wellesley, Gabrielle was a pre-k teacher, Wellesley Centers for Women Fellow, peer sexual health educator, diversity liaison, and Paniamor Foundation intern. Prior to attending graduate school, she taught 1st and 3rd grades, volunteered as a rape crisis phone and hospital advocate, and taught adults of all ages about sexual violence and healthy relationships. During Gabrielle’s graduate studies, she worked for the International and Immigrant Family Health and AIDS Programs both administratively in the US office as well as in the field at the HIV/AIDS and family health clinic in La Romana, Dominican Republic. She also taught sexual health education to middle schoolers and their parents in New York City. After graduate school, Gabrielle oversaw sexual health education in public k-12 schools in New Mexico. She started working in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UNM in 2016 coordinating the New Mexico Intimate Partner Violence Death Review Team, researching both the health needs of transgender and gender diverse people and individuals with disabilities who experience sexual violence, and engaging faculty, staff, and learners in the Department as they explored issues related to oppression. Gabrielle currently evaluates clinical HIV education through the South Central AIDS Education and Training Center, located within the ECHO Institute. Gabrielle believes that working towards social justice is necessary to increase the health and wellbeing of all New Mexicans and she is excited to continue her work in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Javier Ríos, MA
He, Him, Él
Staff Representative
Jarios@salud.unm.edu
Javier Ríos was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico and is a bilingual New Mexican of diverse Irish, Mexican, and LGBTQ background. He loves playing basketball, exercising, traveling, delicious food, and cafecito. Javier joined the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Office for Community Health – Community Health Worker Initiatives team as the Sr. Program Manager for the Vaccine Health Equity Project in January 2022. He previously served as the Program Director for the UNM – AIDS Education and Training Center at Project ECHO. Javier brings 16+ years of non-profit and government experience concentrated in health equity, HIV/AIDS, harm reduction, immigrant health, LGBTQ+ health and cultural humility. Since 2005 Javier has worked in HIV/AIDS prevention with LGBTQ+ communities of color focusing in community organizing, outreach, and education. In 2021, 2017 and 2013 Javier participated in the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission program Líderes a través de las Fronteras/Leaders across Borders addressing binational and border health. His community recognitions include the 2019 Stonewall Achievement Award, 2017 Manzano High School Educator/Teacher of the Month, 2013 Pride and Equality Vincent R. Johnson Models of Hope Award, the 2012 NMCPAG Kahlo Benavidez Leadership Award, and the 2012 HIV/AIDS Embajador/Ambassador for the National Latino AIDS Action Network. Javier’s education includes: Diplomado Líderes en Salud Pública de la Frontera México-Estatos Unidos/Certificate of Public Health Leaders in the Mexico-United States Border Region – Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey/Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education 2013, M.A. Spanish – University of New Mexico in 2005, and B.A. – Creighton University 2001.
Anthony Fleg, MD
He, Him, His
Faculty Representative
afleg@salud.unm.edu
Anthony Fleg is a family medicine physician at UNM in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, and the College of Population Health. He also serves as the Director for Community Wellness in the HSC Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. He also serves as a Partnership Director of the Native Health Initiative (NHI) and has dedicated much of his career to improving health in Indigenous communities. He is a proud father of 4 children, an avid runner, and a blogger.
LeAnn A Chavez, MD, FACS
She, Her, Hers
Faculty Representative
leachavez@salud.unm.edu
Dr. LeAnn A. Chavez MD FACS is board certified in general surgery and vascular surgery. She is a graduate of the University New Mexico School of Medicine. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Arizona and vascular surgery fellowship at the University of California Davis. Dr. Chavez is committed to the healthcare of New Mexican’s and sought out an opportunity to return to New Mexico.
Dr. Chavez brings her experiences to the forefront to foster a vision of inclusive excellence among our faculty, residents, and staff. Her professional goals include expanding outreach services and extending subspecialty care to rural and urban underserved areas. Dr. Chavez’s education and research interests include system improvement projects, community-based education, frontline community healthcare worker education and utilization of telemedicine/tele-education platforms.
Dr. Chavez is the 2021 Chair of the Western Vascular Society DEI committee and serves on multiple committees with the Society of Vascular Surgery. Her personal and professional aspirations led her to complete leadership and mentorship training throughout her career, including an Executive MBA degree. In addition to multiple UNM quality and faculty improvement committees, Dr. Chavez is the medical director of the vascular surgery clinic.
Dr. Chavez plans to support improvement processes to support faculty retention and promotion and to increase medical staff satisfaction and wellbeing. She is committed to elevate underrepresented voices in healthcare and encourages the next generation of healthcare providers via mentorship and recruitment.
In her spare time, Dr. Chavez enjoys marathon running, SUP, snowboarding, and traveling.
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.
Elena Bissell, MD
She, Hers, Ella
Alumni Representative
ebissell@salud.unm.edu
Born and raised in rural, northern New Mexico, Elena attended UNM as an undergraduate student, and has a BS in Anthropology and Spanish. She studied and taught in Spain through the UNM Honors department. She worked as bilingual researcher for a Breast Cancer Research study as an undergraduate and was accepted to UNM SOM's Post Baccalaureate program to attend UNM SOM. She completed residency at UNM Family and Community Medicine Program and First Choice South Valley. As faculty at UNM SOM, Elena provides comprehensive care in the South Valley at UNM Atrisco Heritage Clinic. She is the Clerkship Director for Family Medicine at SOM. She is extremely passionate about education, anti-racism, health care inequity and educational equity.
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.
Angela Wandinger-Ness, PhD
She, Her, Sie
UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center
awandinger-ness@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Wandinger-Ness received her PhD in Biochemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles and completed post-doctoral training at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory. Dr. Wandinger-Ness has been on faculty in the Department of Pathology at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences since 1998. Currently, she is a Victor and Ruby Hansen Surface Endowed Professor and the Associate Director for Education, Training and Mentoring at the Comprehensive Cancer Center, reflecting a dual passion for research and education.
Dr. Wandinger-Ness is motivated by sleuthing disease mechanisms and translating discoveries into therapies. For nearly 30 years she has led a vibrant and diverse research team that includes staff, students and fellows studying kidney disease and ovarian cancer. She attributes her success to her abilities to communicate, engage with diverse people, and an entrepreneurial spirit.
The training and professional development programs under Dr. Wandinger-Ness’ stewardship support high school students to junior faculty. She engages in program development, implementation and securing funding. Wandinger-Ness directs two NIH-funded training programs. The CURE program promotes cancer research training of high school and undergraduate diversity scholars. The ASERT Institutional Research and Career Development award supports postdoctoral fellow training with an underlying goal of academic workforce diversification. Through such programs, Wandinger-Ness has facilitated careers of hundreds of diverse undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral trainees, and junior faculty.
As an executive officer of the Inclusive Excellence Council, Wandinger-Ness represents the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center’s unwavering commitment to inclusive excellence in patient care, training, and workforce development.
Nancy Pandhi, MD, MPH, PhD
She, Her, Hers
UNM Clinical and Translational Science Center
npandhi@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Nancy Pandhi is a practicing family physician, Associate Chair and Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She is Co-Associate Director and faculty lead for Hub Research Capacity and Integrating Special Populations (ISP) at the UNM Clinical Translational Sciences Center. After completing a rural track during medical school and residency, her clinical practice and community-engaged research program has been dedicated to improving the health of underserved populations.
She is a founding member of the Health Experiences Research Network, which seeks to illustrate diverse illness stories in order to improve understanding among consumers, family members, clinicians, researchers and policy makers. She has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications. She enjoys mentoring and learning from others who are interested in improving the health and wellness of individuals, communities and populations.
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.
Laura Nervi, PhD, MPH, MSSc
She, Her
College of Population Health
Lnervi@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Nervi is an international health scholar with extensive experience in teaching, research, mobilizing resources and working with multi-disciplinary teams in cross-cultural settings. Her academic background includes a bachelor’s in social anthropology, a master’s degree in social sciences, a master’s degree in public health, a PhD in medical anthropology, and a residency at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization’s International Health Training Program.
She has focused her research on national and international health policies associated with health systems and services reform; the importance of community participation as a critical factor in these reforms; the composition, trends, and engagement of the health workforce; and the technical and financial factors that strengthen health systems at home and abroad. Dr. Nervi has worked in nearly every country of the Americas with universities, governments, bilateral and multilateral international agencies, communities, and nongovernmental organizations. She has led baseline studies and implementation of evidence-based health programs and policies and has built stakeholder networks for global health initiatives to contribute to the democratization of knowledge and to address health inequities that afflict minoritized, racialized, underserved, and/or low-income populations. Currently, she is an assistant professor of health systems, services and policies at the UNM College of Population Health where she continues focusing her teaching, research and community service on the long road to equity and health justice locally and globally.
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.