Meet Diversity Ambassadors

Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion

Dr. Omonele Nwokolo was named as the inaugural Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion in the Department of Anesthesiology. She is a graduate of UTHealth McGovern Medical School and did her anesthesia training here at the UTHealth McGovern Medical School department of Anesthesiology as well. She remains here on faculty and has been actively involved in the Residency Training Program. Her vision for Diversity and Inclusion in the department of Anesthesiology begins with providing resources and training for faculty, particularly those in leadership positions to recognize their own implicit biases, minimize its role; create transparency and accountability in hiring practices, compensation, and promotion in the department. She aims to create a platform with resources, guidelines, and support for department members who experience implicit/explicit biases, overt racism, or sexism. She also aims to celebrate the diverse nature of the department and has formed a team (Diversity Ambassadors) to achieve the mission and vision of the Diversity and Inclusion team.

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Rhashedah Ekeoduru, MD, is a graduate of Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and did her residency training at the University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas. She currently practices pediatric anesthesiology. She is an ambassador for ethical practice in medicine and plays an active role on the Memorial Hermann hospital ethics committee. She also plays an active role in educating future physicians on the importance of ethics in medicine by serving as a faculty instructor for the Ethics and Professionalism course at McGovern Medical School. Dr. Ekeoduru’s other interests include resident and fellow education and research on pediatric neurotoxicity and difficulty pediatric airway management.

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Clarence “Chuck” Gilmore, MD, attended The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and completed his residency there as well. Additionally, he served as a physician and officer in the U.S. Army for six years. Areas of special interest include trauma anesthesia, disaster preparedness, and patient safety.

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Navneet Grewal, M.D., did her Anesthesiology residency training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry at New Jersey, followed by Fellowship in Critical care Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. She currently practices General Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine. She is an plays an active role in the in educating future critical care physicians in the Critical Care Anesthesiology Fellowship at UT where she is Assistant Division Chief for Fellow Education. Dr Grewal’s other interests include resident education, mentoring and research on perioperative and critical care topics.

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Dr. Guzman-Reyes attended the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo and completed her residency at the University Of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Dr. Guzman-Reyes is an Associate Professor and Assistant Residency Director at the University Of Texas McGovern Medical School Department Of Anesthesiology. Dr. Guzman-Reyes has been actively involved and has been serving in the McGovern Medical School Diversity and Inclusion committee for the past 4 years. Her areas of interest and practice include liver transplantation, Trauma, and Regional anesthesia. Dr. Guzman’s mentorship includes traditional educational initiatives but she has been on the forefront of implementing a more holistic approach to the residency and medical education. She was chosen by the McGovern School of Medicine to be the head of the Becky and Ralph S. O’Connor McGovern Medical School Society. She has also been an exceptional driver of change in clinical areas of patient safety within Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) and MHH. Patient Safety and optimizing patient outcomes through improved communication and teamwork is one of her main goals.

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Orlanda Smith is a CRNA at Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital. Orlanda completed her undergraduate degree in nursing at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She then obtained a Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia from the University of Texas HSC-Houston. Orlanda has worked as an Assistant Professor for the UTHealth School of Nursing where she developed the initial nurse anesthesia simulation lab. She currently enjoys mentoring nurse anesthesia students in the clinical setting. In 2019 she completed the Family Nurse Practitioner program at UTHealth and obtained dual advanced practice licensure. She is currently completing graduate studies at the School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth. Orlanda is inspired by tools and methods that enhance the healthcare experience and promote patient engagement, especially in underserved communities.

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Precious Tabansi, MD, obtained her undergraduate degree at Rutgers University in New Jersey. During her time in undergrad, she was a part of the staff for the Office for Diversity and Academic Success in the Sciences (ODASIS) program. Through this program she was able to help other minority students apply to healthcare summer programs and assist them with applying for medical school. She was selected to serve as the AVID (Advance Via Individual Determination) Student Coordinator, where she played a role in selecting, scheduling, and managing high school supplemental instructors for math and sciences in minority high schools in the New Brunswick, NJ area. Through these programs her interest in the medical profession increased and she went on to pursue a medical degree at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She is a currently a resident anesthesiologist at McGovern Medical School. Precious has volunteered her time throughout her undergrad, medical, and residency training to support diversity programs and assist minorities in attaining medical degrees and increasing their interest in the health profession. Outside of work, she enjoys event planning, travelling, and cooking.

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