Nominees were celebrated and acknowledged at the Women's History Month Reception (March 27, 2023) by the UNM Division for Equity & Inclusion, and the UNM Women's Resource Center. Thank you, Tammy, for all your efforts to help our UNM students and community.
Tracie Collins, MD, MHCDS, MPH
Distinguished Professor of Health Equity (DPHE)
Our very own Dr. Tracie Collins, distinguished professor and dean of the College of Population Health, will be presenting at the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIC) annual meeting along with a prestigious lineup of medical professionals from across the country. SGIM 2022 Presentation Schedule April 6-9, 2022
Lisa Cacari-Stone, PhD, MS, MA, Director and PI of the UNM Tree Center (Transdisciplinary Research, Equity and Engagement Center for Advancing Behavioral Health) is a recipient of the 2021 Excellence in Research Award from the National Latino Behavioral Health Association.
According to their website: “The Latino Behavioral Health Excellence Awards recognize individuals who, through practice, have demonstrated leadership, embraced inclusivity and diversity, and have exemplified dedication, integrity, and advocacy to create Latino behavioral health equity.”
Congratulations, Dr. Cacari-Stone! (As printed in HSC Communications, October 25, 2021)
Awarded by the HSC Office for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, the 2021 Los Primeros/Las Primeras recipients are selected for her service to the public health community.
These are trailblazers who have paved the path for our future generations, and who exemplify service to our community."
- Valerie Romero-Leggot, M. D., Vice President and Executive Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
Nina Wallerstein, Dr.P.H, was named UNM Distinguished Professor of Public Health in 2021. As Director of the Center for Participatory Research within COPH, she received this recognition for her contributions to community-based participatory research (CBPR) and empowerment/Freirian interventions for the last 40 years.Among 170 publications, her book, Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) for Health: Advancing Social and Health Equity, 3rd edition, 2018, is viewed as a field-defining work
In 2016, she was awarded the inaugural Community-Engaged Research Lecture. Since 2006, she has had NIH-funding as Principal Investigator to identify best practices for community-engaged and CBPR projects that contribute to health equity outcomes, also providing a collective reflection/action toolkit to strengthen partnerships (https://engageforequity.org). She has worked with N.M. tribal partners for over 20 years with CDC & NIH funding to co-develop an evidence-based intergenerational culture-centered family program. She also works internationally, especially in Brazil, providing CBPR workshops and supporting a participatory research network. She has won over $25 million in funding, and currently has some $2.5 million in support. She oversees the annual UNM CBPR summer institute, which draws participants globally.
“I am grateful to my colleagues at the Department of Health and to the governor for her faith in me,” Collins said. “Our partnership has been the foundation of an incredibly successful vaccination drive. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to protect New Mexicans, especially with our emphasis on equity and reaching underserved populations. Although it’s time for me to return to my academic career, I look forward to continuing to work hand in hand with the governor and her administration to enhance public health throughout our state.”
The College of Population Health is proud to announce the promotion of two faculty members. Drs. Lisa Cacari Stone and Francisco Soto Mas have achieved the title of full Professor. Each of them has made critically important contributions to our college, to the state and to their prospective fields.
"Lisa is widely seen as the single greatest theorist and contributor to the field of equity and policy focused community engaged research in the U.S. and globally." - Dean's Letter of Promotion
Dr. Cacari Stone (purepecha/mestiza) is the founding Director of the Equity in Policy Institute and Principal Investigator of many funded projects including the Transdisciplinary Research, Equity and Engagement Center and Wide Assessment for COVID-19 Vaccine Equity (NIH/NIMHD). Her research and teaching
Drs. Wallerstein and Sanchez-Youngman of the College of Population Health have been spotlighted for their work anti-racism and rural communities. Look for them in The Pulse Magazine by the UNM Health Sciences Center.
