Dr. Joel Frontera named vice chair for Diversity and Inclusion at McGovern Medical School
Leadership from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and The Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery have named vice chairs for Diversity and Inclusion.
The two newest vice chairs areJoel E. Frontera, MD, vice chair of education and associate professor in theDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitationand Balveen Kaur, PhD, John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Endowed Chair and professor in the Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery.
“Having vice chairs for Diversity and Inclusion in some of our larger departments is another important milestone for McGovern Medical School,” said LaTanya Love, MD, executive vice president of Student Affairs and Diversity and dean of Education,ad interim. “It further strengthens our commitment to diversity and inclusion at a departmental level. We look forward to collaborating with each vice chair, and I am excited to see the important work they will accomplish.”
Vice chairs demonstrate cultural awareness and knowledge, and provide vision and leadership for diversity and inclusion initiatives across the department’s various clinical, research, and teaching sites.
As an education outlet, the vice chairs provide training and development opportunities for faculty and administrative staff on issues pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion while working to expand existing training opportunities to improve the campus climate for faculty, staff, and students.
The vice chairs play a role in the recruitment of future faculty and staff by providing effective strategies for identifying diverse candidates while working with faculty and staff search committees as well as residency and fellowship program leaders — working with each to address biases in screening and selection processes.
Among leadership, the vice chairs help to serve as a catalyst for change throughout their departments by inspiring colleagues to achieve new levels of expertise, confidence, and productivity, while developing diversity-related goals and programs. Each vice chair uses these programs to help build, support, and sustain strategic partnerships with diverse populations, communities, and organizations.
For more details, please visit:https://med.uth.edu/blog/2021/09/01/two-departments-name-vice-chairs-for-diversity-and-inclusion/