Under 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 Shadee Ashtari, Interim Advisor to the Dean, Shawn Kang, Senior Director of Human Resources, and Emilie Marcus, PhD, Executive Strategy Officer.
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.
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
Shadee Ashtari, MSPH, Interim Advisor to the Dean, DGSOM
Committee members:
Shadee Ashtari, MSPH, Interim Advisor to the Dean, DGSOM
Kathleen Brown, MD, Assistant Dean, Equity and Diversity Inclusion, 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 are dedicated to leading meaningful and sustainable culture change at DGSOM by:
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.
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 2021. Check back for details!
