Takesha Cooper, MD, MS and Michelle Burroughs, MPH have been named as the recipients of the 2022 Faculty Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award and the Staff Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion award, respectively. The awards were announced at the School of Medicine Town Hall held on February 7, 2023.

The awards, newly introduced at the UCR School of Medicine, seek to recognize faculty and staff who show “excellence in promoting and advancing goals and initiatives and/or outreach/service efforts related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).”

Deborah Deas, MD, MPH, the vice chancellor for Health Sciences and the Mark and Pam Rubin Dean of the School of Medicine, congratulated both awardees. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical in healthcare, education, and our community, and I’m so proud of the recipients’ outstanding efforts to support and promote these initiatives at the School of Medicine," she said.

Cooper, who received the faculty award, serves as the program director of the Psychiatry Residency Training Program and vice chair of education in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences. 

“Dr. Cooper is a champion for equity and diversity in all areas, not just racial/ethnic but also religious, gender and sexual orientation,” read one comment from the DEI Committee. “Her role on the admissions team as well as her role as the Equity Advisor for the School of Medicine and chair of the DEI committee are perfectly suited to her passions.”

"The commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is shared by many in the School of Medicine, and I am glad to have been chosen for this inaugural Faculty DEI award,” Cooper said.

Burroughs, the director of Community Engagement and Outreach for the UCR SOM Center for Healthy Communities, received the staff award. Her extensive experience in public health, combined with her leadership and collaborative spirit, has allowed her to leverage the expertise and talent within the SOM to form meaningful partnerships with community organizations to reduce health disparities and improve health equity.

“In my 30+ years of experience in the field of public health, I have found that it is exceedingly rare for a single individual to possess a transformative vision and have the commitment, discipline, and ability to methodically move a team forward to achieve that vision,” said one nominator. “Michelle is one of those rare individuals.”

Burroughs thanked the School of Medicine for the award and for recognizing staff contributions to the university. “As a public health professional, DEI is at the forefront of everything I do to serve the community,” she said. “Living and working in the Inland Empire grants me the opportunity to collaborate with diverse communities while engaging with community partners regarding the health inequities that impact daily living. As the recipient of this award, I am encouraged to continue the work of building and strengthening community partnerships as we work together to close racial gaps in health outcomes.”

Marcus Kaul, professor of biomedical sciences, and Stephanie Ochoa, the academic achievement coordinator for SOM Student Affairs, were also recognized with honorable mentions.