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Cultural North Star TM

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Cultural North Star TM

Cultural North Star leadership

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Cultural North Star leadership

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KM_DGSOM.jpgUnder the leadership of Dean Kelsey Martin, MD, PhD, the Cultural North Star Program advances evidence-based strategies and practices that are designed to build a more inclusive, mission-driven culture at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. The Cultural North Star’s multi-phased implementation plan will take several years to successfully embed across all core areas and populations at the DGSOM. To advance these integration efforts across our research and academic enterprise, Dr. Martin serves as the executive sponsor of the Cultural North Star Steering Committee, a dedicated team of leaders who meet monthly to advise on strategies and programs that bring the Cultural North Star to life and align school-wide efforts around culture change. The Committee is led by Emily Rose, PhD, Senior Advisor to the Dean, Emilie Marcus, PhD, Executive Strategy Officer, and Shawn Kang, Senior Director of Human Resources. In partnership with the Steering Committee, our Cultural North Star Program Manager, Shadee Ashtari, oversees the planning and execution of Cultural North Star programs, communications and events.

Cultural North Star Steering Committee

The Cultural North Star Steering Committee currently comprises 17 leaders from across our research and academic enterprise. Committee members provide feedback and input on Cultural North Star strategies and programs; focus Cultural North Star efforts on highest priority, highest impact areas; and act as ambassadors for Cultural North Star values.

Since its formation in April 2019, the Cultural North Star Steering Committee has been working to identify and develop key integration opportunities across a range of DGSOM programs and processes, including in medical education curricula, professional development, rewards and recognitions, marketing and communications, orientation, recruitment, HR and Academic Affairs assessments, and more. 

Committee members

Executive sponsor: Kelsey Martin, MD, PhD, Dean, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA   

Committee chairs:
Shawn Kang, Senior Director of Human Resources, UCLA Health

Emilie Marcus, PhD, Executive Strategy Officer, DGSOM

Emily Rose, PhD, Senior Advisor to the Dean, DGSOM

Committee members:

Shadee Ashtari, MSPH, Program Manager, Cultural North Star, DGSOM

Kathleen Brown, MD, Assistant Dean, Equity and Diversity Inclusion, DGSOM

Alejandra Casillas, MD, MSHS, Assistant Professor of Medicine in Residence, DGSOM

Tess Elconin, JD, Senior Council, DGSOM

Neveen El-Farra, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and Associate Program Director of Internal Medicine Residency Program, DGSOM

Stephanie Fisher, MA, Chief Administrative Officer, Anesthesiology

Charles Hajek, Executive Director and Associate Chief Financial Officer, Finance, DGSOM

Jonathan Hiatt, MD, Vice Dean for Faculty, DGSOM

Deborah Krakow, MD, Chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology, DGSOM

Siavash Kurdistani, MD, Chair, Biological Chemistry, DGSOM

Shannon McClenton, Chief Administrative Officer, MIMG

Lee Miller, MD, Associate Dean, Student Affairs, DGSOM

Sherly Mosessian, PhD, Acting Chief Information Officer, DGSOM

Maie St. John, MD, PhD, Chair, Head & Neck Surgery, DGSOM

Mike Steinberg, MD, Chair, Radiation Oncology, DGSOM

Lynn Talton, PhD, Director, Postdoctoral Affairs, DGSOM  

Cultural North Star Ambassadors

Asset 1pin.pngCultural North Star Ambassadors are dedicated to leading meaningful and sustainable culture change at DGSOM by:

  • Actively promoting and modeling the Cultural North Star in their daily decisions, actions and interactions,
  • Serving as mentors to peers and colleagues in search of guidance,
  • Implementing Cultural North Star practices in their units/departments, and
  • Remaining optimistic and mission-oriented in the face of setbacks.

Our Ambassadors are a great resource for DGSOM staff, faculty, students and trainees who are looking for a leader in their area who can help them use the Cultural North Star to solve problems, build collaborations and inform their decisions, actions and interactions. 

2019-2020 Ambassadors

Shadee Ashtari, MSPH, Program Manager, Cultural North Star, DGSOM

Laura Baybridge, Executive Chief Administrative Officer, Urology and OB/GYN

Steve Cannon, MD, PhD, Interim Chair of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology and Chair of Physiology

Steve Cohen, MHA, Senior Clinical Director, Psychiatry

Alejandra Casillas, MD, Assistant Professor-in-Residence, Internal Medicine

Rhonda Curry, Chief of Communications

*Sherin U. Devaskar, MD, Chair, Pediatrics

*Sarah Dry, MD, Interim Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

*Tess Elconin, JD, Senior Counsel, DGSOM

Neveen El-Farra, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Internal Medicine 

Eric Esrailian, MD, MPH, Chief, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases

*Stephanie Fisher, MA, Chief Administrative Officer, Anesthesiology

Charles Hajek, Executive Director and Associate Chief Financial Officer, Finance, DGSOM

Lindsay Herman, Chief Administrative Officer, Pediatrics

*Deborah Krakow, MD, Chair, OB/GYN

Clara Lajonchere, PhD, Deputy Director, Institute for Precision Health

Mark S Litwin, MD, Chair, Urology

*Emilie Marcus, PhD, Executive Strategy Officer, DGSOM

Lee Miller, MD, Associate Dean, Student Affairs, DGSOM

Suzanne Morrel, Chief Administrative Officer, Radiology

*Sherly Mosessian, PhD, Acting Chief Information Officer, DGIT

Vishad Nabili, MD, Head & Neck Surgery

Anja Paardekooper, Sr. Associate Dean, Finance/Administration & CFO, DGSOM

Kate Perkins, MD, PhD, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education

*Audra Potz, HR Manager, Family Medicine

Emily Rose, PhD, Senior Advisor to the Dean

*Stephen Smale, PhD, Vice Dean for Research, DGSOM

Mike Steinberg, MD, Chair, Radiation Oncology

*Maie St. John, MD, PhD, Chair, Head & Neck Surgery

Brandon Susselman, Director of Student Affairs

Yanina Venegas, Executive Director, Department of Medicine

Lynn Talton Yamamoto, PhD, Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

*Several of our Ambassadors (those marked with an asterisk) have volunteered to serve in a conflict-resolution capacity, meaning they’re available to meet and discuss how you may be able to use the Cultural North Star to address challenges in your work/learning environment. If you need more formal or specialized support, Ambassadors may refer you to the appropriate resolution services (e.g., Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Title IX, Counseling, Legal, Compliance, Staff Diversity & AA/EEO Compliance Office, etc.)

To connect with one of our Ambassadors, contact them directly or email culturalnorthstar@mednet.ucla.edu.

Interested in serving as a Cultural North Star Ambassador? Applications will open to all DGSOM staff, faculty, students and trainees in May 2020. Check back for details!

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