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    AAMC Group on Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) Exemplary Leadership Award

    Mission

    The Group on Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) serves as a national forum and recognized resource to support the efforts of AAMC member institutions and academic medicine at the local, regional, and national levels to realize the benefits of diversity and inclusion in medicine and biomedical sciences.

    Purpose

    The purpose of the GDI is to unite expertise, experience, and innovation to inform and guide the advancement of diversity and inclusion throughout academic medicine.

    Exemplary Leadership Award

    To increase recognition of diversity and inclusion leaders and teams, the GDI Steering Committee established the GDI Exemplary Leadership Award. This award recognizes innovative leadership and impact from an individual or team responsible for developing and implementing an outstanding and highly effective program that demonstrates evidenced-based best practices for enhancing diversity and inclusion in academic medicine and biomedical sciences.

    Eligibility

    All GDI Representatives and other AAMC affinity group representatives at medical schools, teaching hospitals, or academic societies are eligible and can nominate colleagues for this award. Nominations for the award can be submitted by any representative from an AAMC member community, which includes councils, groups, and organizations. Self-nominations will not be accepted.

    Nomination and Submission

    Completed nomination materials must be uploaded to the AAMC online application Cadmium and include, from the nominator, a separate file for each of the following:

    • Nomination letter must be submitted on institution letterhead stating the rationale and justification for the individual or team (double-spaced with 1” margins using 12-point Times New Roman font, and not exceeding two pages)
    • Short statement of up to three key program goals and outcomes of each of the key goals (double-spaced with 1” margins using 12-point Times New Roman font, and not exceeding two pages):
    • Appendix summarizing evidence for the program’s key outcomes related to those goals (double-spaced with 1” margins using 12-point Times New Roman font, and not exceeding six pages):
      • Innovation
        • Highlight evidence that distinguishes this program from other similar programs (for example, using the SMART goals methodology or a logic module)
        • Identify key program innovations
      • Impact
        • Metrics used to evaluate program
        • Describe important outcomes and impacts of the program using quantitative and/or qualitative data
    • Short bio for an individual or each team member in one file (250 word limit per nominee; 500 word limit per team).
    • A color headshot for an individual nomination. For a team nomination, a color photo of the team along with a headshot of the team leader.

    Award Selection

    The GDI Steering Committee will review, discuss, and select an individual or team recipient. This award will be given at the discretion of the GDI Steering Committee and may not be bestowed every year. The committee will not review additional materials. Late nominations will not be accepted.

    Award Recognition

    Award recipient(s) will be recognized at the 2024 AAMC Learn Serve Lead Meeting to be held November 8-12, 2024. Recipient(s) will be expected to give brief remarks during the award recognition ceremony. An award and $2,500 will be presented. The GDI Steering Committee will also invite recipient(s) to present at the 2025 Group on Diversity and Inclusion Professional Development Conference.

    Questions

    Contact Ana E. Núñez, MD, FACP, and Michelle Oliva, AAMC Director of Constituent Engagement, at gdi@aamc.org.

    2024 Honoree

    Regina D. Richards, PhD, MSW
    Vice Chancelor, Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement  
    Anshutz Medical Campus
    Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine  
    University of Colorado School of Medicine

    2023 Honoree

    John Paul Sánchez, MD, MPH
    Executive Associate Vice Chancellor for DEI
    University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center 
    Professor and Vice Chair for DEI, Emergency Medicine 
    University of New Mexico School of Mexico School of Medicine 

    2022 Honoree(s)

    Jada Bussey-Jones, MD, FACP
    Professor of Medicine and Vice Chair Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    Emory University School of Medicine Department of Medicine
    Assistant Dean, Professional Development Emory at Grady

    Kimberly D. Manning, MD, FACP, FAAP
    Professor of Medicine and Associate Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    Emory University School of Medicine Department of Medicine

    2021 Honoree

    Mary J. Owen, MD (Tlingit)
    President, Association of American Indian Physicians
    Director, Center of American Indian and Minority Health
    Endowed Professor, Native American Health
    Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health
    University of Minnesota Medical School

    2020 Honoree

    Quinn Capers IV, MD, FACC, FSCAI
    Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs, College of Medicine
    Associate Professor of Medicine
    Director, Transradial Coronary Interventions
    Director, Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program
    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center