Drs. Sanziana Roman and Elizabeth Ozer Joint Recipients of UCOP “Advancing Faculty Diversity, Improved Climate and Retention” Award

Dr. Sanziana Roman, Professor of Surgery and Dr. Elizabeth Ozer, Professor of Pediatrics, and Director of the Faculty Equity Advisors program in the Office of Diversity and Outreach, are the recipients of the UCOP “Advancing Faculty Diversity, Improved Climate and Retention” award of $225,000 through President Napolitano’s allocation to improve campus climate and retain our faculty for 2020-2022.

Their project entitled “Leadership Equity Advances Diversity (LEAD): Increasing Women and Underrepresented Minority Faculty in Leadership Positions” builds naturally onto the Differences Matter initiative created five years ago with the clear intent to make UCSF the most diverse and inclusive academic medical system in the country.

Sanziana Roman is one of the six Dean’s Diversity Leaders focusing entirely on leadership in the School of Medicine. In collaboration of Dr. Renee Navarro, co-executive leader for Differences Matter and Vice-Chancellor for Diversity and Outreach, Dr. Roman and Dr. Ozer will build off their preliminary work and allow for the piloting of an intervention that will create a sustainable platform to increase the number of women and under-represented minorities in leadership positions across our UCSF departments. 

At a time where the clear need of increasing equity and diversity in medicine has come to the forefront, this award will help change our institutional culture toward increasing transparency in leadership searches, add accountability for the future, and allow surgeons to lead the way.