Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Symposium

I have directed an NIH- and AHA-funded basic science lab for the past 32 years focusing on the role of adrenergic receptors in modulating the balance between cardiotoxicity and cardioprotection. Together with Brian Kobilka and Greg Barsh, we achieved several of the first gene knockouts in the mid-1990s, and used these to characterize the role of G protein-coupled receptors in both normal and abnormal cardiac biology. Over the next 20 years, my lab focused on the role of ß-receptor subtypes in cardiac remodeling, and most recently on their regulation of mitochondrial function, dynamics and mitochondrial cell death pathways.

I am a trained immunologist turned diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging (DEIB) practitioner who is passionate about using research, education, and relationship building to create inclusive spaces. I have over 12 years of experience in research and people and project management, in addition to 9 years of teaching, mentoring, and leadership experience in higher education and community partnerships. I also have 9 years of experience in DEIB initiatives aimed at the recruitment and retention of talented students from marginalized communities that have been systematically excluded in STEM and higher education. I thrive on engaging with people directly to build trust and relationship, identifying their strengths and talents, and encouraging them to work together to advance DEIB in STEM.

Dr. Lawrence Fung an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. He is the director of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project, director of the Neurodiversity Clinic, and principal investigator at the Fung Lab. His work, which focuses on autism and neurodiversity, traverses from multi-modal neuroimaging studies to new conceptualization of neurodiversity and its application to clinical, education, and employment settings. His lab advances the understanding of neural bases of human socio-communicative and cognitive functions by using novel neuroimaging and bioanalytical technologies. Using community-based participatory research approach, his team devises and implements novel interventions to improve the lives of neurodiverse individuals by maximizing their potential and productivity. His work has been supported by various agencies including the National Institutes of Health, Autism Speaks, California Department of Developmental Services, California Department of Rehabilitation, as well as philanthropy. He received his PhD in chemical engineering from Cornell University, and MD from George Washington University. He completed his general psychiatry residency, child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship, and postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford.

Stephen Murphy-Shigematsu received a doctorate in clinical and community psychology from Harvard University and was professor at the University of Tokyo before coming to Stanford. His appointments include consulting professor in the School of Medicine, School of Humanities and Science, and visiting professor in the School of Education. He has taught in Health and Human Performance, Comparative Studies in Race & Ethnicity, Psychology, Anthropology, and Human Biology. His consulting practice with American and Japanese organizations is based in mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and narrative psychology, balancing Eastern and Western wisdom and science. He is author of 11 books in Japanese and English including, Multicultural Encounters: Case Narratives of a Counseling Practice (2002), When Half is Whole: Multiethnic Asian American Identities (2012), The Stanford University Mindfulness Classroom (2016), From Mindfulness to Heartfulness: Transforming Self and Society with Compassion (2018), and Ultimate Leadership (2018).

Dr. Stephanie Harman is a palliative care physician and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine. She graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and went on to complete a residency in Internal Medicine at Stanford and a Palliative Care fellowship at the Palo Alto VA/Stanford program. She then joined the faculty at Stanford. She co-founded the Palliative Care Program at Stanford Health Care in 2007 and served as Clinical Chief of the Section of Palliative Care in the Division of Primary Care and Population Health from 2016 - 2022. She is the inaugural Associate Chair for Women in Medicine for the Department of Medicine and the Director of the Stanford Leadership Development Program, a joint program between Stanford Health Care and the School of Medicine for emerging leaders. A 2017 Cambia Health Foundation Sojourns Scholar Leader Awardee, she has a passion for leadership development and has built a Women’s Leadership in Academic Medicine (WLAM) program in the PCPH Division, which is now in its 4th year with 28 women leaders. Her other professional interests include clinical ethics in decision-making and serious illness communication skills training.

Michele Barry, MD, FACP is the Senior Associate Dean for Global Health and Director of the Center for Innovation in Global Health. As a co-Founder and co-Director of the Yale/Stanford Johnson and Johnson Global Health Scholar Award,she has sent over 1000 physicians overseas to underserved areas to help strengthen health infrastructure in low resource settings. She also is current co-PI of two NIH initiatives: Global Health Equity Scholars Program and the NIH-MEPI to twin University of Zimbabwe Health Sciences with Stanford. As a past President of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, she led an educational initiative in tropical medicine and travelers health which culminated in diploma courses in tropical medicine both in the U.S. and overseas, as well as a U.S. certification exam. Dr. Barry is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Science. She also sits on the the Board of Directors of the Consortium of Universities involved in Global Health (CUGH), the Foundation for Advancement in International Education (FAIMER and Fogarty-NIH advisory board.

Areas of scholarly interest include ethical issues involving research overseas, clinical tropical medicine, emerging infectious diseases, problems of underserved populations and globalization's impact upon health in the developing world.

Trainees with disabilities in health-related professions are often subjected to structural ableism in medicine: the discriminatory manifestation of lowered expectations towards people with disabilities by medical professionals. In this case study, I reflect on my experiences as the first individual with significant disabilities to be offered a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical bioethics at the National Institutes of Health. I focus on the following question: What arrangements need to be in place in order for someone with my level of disability to thrive as a clinical bioethicist? By telling my story, I show how the process of accommodating trainees with disabilities often requires creative problem-solving and a considerable amount of institutional resources. I also describe the team-based method that my mentors and I developed to enable me to complete rotations on the NIH’s bioethics consultation service. If more trainees with disabilities are to succeed in clinical bioethics trainee programs, the field will have to grapple with how to develop an infrastructure for providing disability related support across training programs.

As published in PhilPapers by Kevin Mintz : Serendipity and Social Justice: How Someone with a Physical Disability Succeeds in Clinical Bioethics

Hello, I‘m Matt Griffith and I'm honored to serve as an inaugural Assistant Director for JEDI. Prior to Stanford, I have worked extensively in higher education institutions and social impact programs on a wide array of access, diversity, and equity issues. Perhaps, most notably, I served as the Manager for Strategic Diversity Initiatives at the University of California Office of the President. Moreover, as a scholar-practitioner, I have led and conducted various projects on diversity-related issues such as free speech and institutional leadership structures and policy. Born and raised in the city of Detroit, Michigan, I am a proud (and sometimes overzealous) graduate of Detroit Public Schools and the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. Furthermore, I am currently completing my Ph.D. at UCLA in Higher Education and Organizational Behavior. Lastly, in my off-time, I enjoy terrible reality television, coffee, and laughter.

Jeff Edgar has worked globally in the field of professional development for the past 25 years. He has broad experience in Executive Coaching, Leadership Development, Team Development, Training, and Change Management. 

Prior Experience includes building and managing internal OD Practices at Stanford Healthcare, Franklin Templeton and CLP associates; leading client projects, coaching faculty, facilitation of leadership programs and actively mentors practitioners in the development profession. 

People leader with a passion for identifying and developing top talent to achieve organizational goals. Forward-thinking consultant to senior leadership. Effective communicator with a strong project management skillset and data-driven approach. Core values include respect, curiosity, collaboration, continuous innovation, accountability, and initiative.

Sharon joined the Talent Acquisition Team in January of 2019 after a long tenure recruiting and sourcing in the Management Consulting Industry. At Stanford School of Medicine, she started creating programs to attract diverse talent specifically focused on research positions, which included creating a New Grad Campus Program to fill the needs of entry-level research positions across the school. She transitioned to managing the Recruiting Services team for the School of Medicine, which focuses on attracting and assessing top talent in Research, Finance, Human Resources, and Administration. Currently, Sharon is managing the Executive Search & Services offering for the School of Medicine and expanding her reach to the University.  She collaborates with Deans, Chairs, and Department Leaders to fill executive-level positions.

Lynette joined the Talent Acquisition Team in August of 2021. Prior to joining Stanford School of Medicine, she was the CEO and Managing Principal of a boutique recruiting firm focusing on executive-level recruiting in Management Consulting, BioTech, Pharmaceutical, and Healthcare industries for notable clients such as Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton, Amgen, and Novo Nordisk. Lynette is passionate about the candidate experience, and diversity and stands by her motto “look beyond the resume” to find great candidates. Lynette holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and is a Certified Recruiting Specialist (CRS).