2023 Edith Soderling Hagen Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards

2023 award recipients

The Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion awards recognize innovative leadership, excellence, and impact from an individual or team responsible for developing and implementing an outstanding and effective program or initiative that advances diversity, equity and/or inclusion at UNR Med.

Learner Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award

The Learner Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award is received by Sonia Figueroa for her work coordinating the Allyship Forum for the past 3 years, where she has brought together all DEI student groups on campus, and has used this platform to better educate her peers on culturally competent and humble care and addressing health equity and social determinants of health pertinent to marginalized groups.

Faculty Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award

The Faculty/Staff Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award is received by Dr. Karen Thiele for her work to provide gender affirming, culturally competent and sensitive care for the LGBTQ+ community. Her efforts around passing along her training to our medical students and residents, so that we can all provide better care for our transgender patients. Working to obtain grant funding for scholarship around gender affirming care and educate other providers through Project ECHO and through her work on the Nevada Coalition for Sexual and Gender Minority Health.

For all of this and more, UNR Med is so proud of the work that Dr. Karen Thiele and the Sonia Figueroa are doing to advance diversity, equity and inclusion at our institution! Congratulations to the Faculty and Learner 2023 Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award Recipients!


2022 award recipients

Learner Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award

The Learner Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award goes to Jake Marble for the work he is doing through the MedPride chapter and through his Speak Up Not Man Up organization, such as providing culturally sensitive care to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, working to advance the use of pronouns to better display allyship, holding a booth at the Pride Parade, partnering with community organizations like Our Center, and advancing legislation for more equitable and inclusive care.

Faculty Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award

The Faculty/Team Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award goes to the Medical Social Justice League for the work that they are doing such as community engagement with Community Health Alliance, the City of Reno, the Mexican Consulate, and LatinX churches to address vaccine hesitancy in marginalized communities here.

For all of this and more, UNR Med is so proud of the work that Jake Marble and the Medical Social Justice League are doing to advance diversity, equity and inclusion at our institution! Congratulations!

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