Dr. Estell Williams and Dr. Jason Deen were honored with mentoring faculty awards for their commitment to providing support to junior faculty and equipping those that follow behind them to succeed. 
Dr. Michelle Terry facilitated a panel of junior faculty on various barriers to navigating careers in S.T.E.M. for minority faculty. 
Dr. Estell Williams and Dr. Jason Deen pose with CMFA Chair, Dr. Mariya Sweetwyne.
Faculty at UW Medicine are focused on giving back and contributing to the communities that helped build their careers in Seattle and beyond. At the recent Fall Welcome held by the Committee for Minority Faculty Advancement (CMFA) in collaboration with the Office of Healthcare Equity (OHCE) and School of Medicine, two outstanding mentorship awards were shared for early-to-mid-career faculty and the cumulative impact of senior-faculty. Those awards recipients honored were Dr. Estell Williams– Executive Director for the Center for Workforce Inclusion and Healthcare System Equity (WIHSE) and Vice Chair of Equity Diversity and Inclusion for Department of Surgery and Dr. Jason Deen– Director & Founder of the UW’s Center for Indigenous Health and a Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Washington, in the Divisions of Cardiology for their excellence in mentoring.
The event highlighted the importance of representation in medicine, emphasizing that with the guidance of those that have been down a similar path, those that have been historically underrepresented in S.T.E.M. can forge a path of success with a unique and valuable lens. The purpose of CMFA is to address the professional development needs of UW Medicine faculty from underrepresented groups in medicine and sciences (URMS) by facilitating the dissemination of knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to achieve successful careers in academic medicine. In addition, this committee assists the University in highlighting the unique needs of URMS faculty to aid in the recruitment and retention of URMS faculty to increase the diversity of the medical school faculty.
CMFA Chair, Mariya Sweetwyne, PHD and Assistant Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology hosted the event and contributed on a panel alongside fellow junior faculty in providing insight into building sustainable careers that honor experiences of diverse individuals. Dr. Michelle Terry– Clinical Professor, Assistant Dean for URMS Career Development, UW School of Medicine facilitated the vibrant discussion illuminating the critical need for mentors in equipping future medical professionals to succeed in their careers.
Thank you to Pizza by Ruffin for catering.
