The Executive Faculty Task Force on Climate and Culture originates at the highest levels of leadership and is fully supported by Washington University and the School of Medicine. Membership is broadly inclusive, with representatives from faculty, house staff, and students.

Co-Chairs

Benjamin A. Garcia, PhD
Raymond H. Wittcoff Distinguished Professor and head of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics

Dineo Khabele, MD
Mitchell & Elaine Yanow Professor and head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Administrative Director

Renée Shellhaas, MD, MS
Associate dean for faculty promotions and career development and David T. Blasingame Professor of Neurology

Support: Kaitlyn Hamilton
Executive assistant to associate dean for faculty promotions and career development

Members

Student representatives

  • Doctoral degree programs:
    Jennifer Lawrence, PhD candidate
  • Postdoctoral programs:
    Aishwarya Rajesh, PhD, postdoctoral research associate, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Department of Radiology
  • Medical degree program:
    Christina Su, MD candidate

House staff representative

  • Kai Jones, MD, clinical fellow, Department of Medicine (SAFE Committee) 

DEI Liaison representative

  • Rosie Jones, senior project manager, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences

Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy representative

  • Lisa Tabor Connor, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L, associate dean and director of the Program in Occupational Therapy, Elias Michael Professor of Occupational Therapy, professor of neurology 

Hospital representative

  • Shaina Eckhouse, MD, associate professor of surgery

Faculty representatives

  • Professor, clinical department (also AWN/FWIMS):
    Rakhee Bhayani, MD, professor of medicine
  • Professor, preclinical department:
    Kendall Blumer, PhD, professor of cell biology and physiology
  • Assistant professor, preclinical department:
    Kilannin Krysiak, PhD, assistant professor of pathology and immunology
  • Professor, clinical department:
    Barbara Warner, MD, professor of pediatrics; chief, Division of Newborn Medicine, F. Sessions Cole, MD, Chair in Newborn Medicine
  • Executive Committee of the Faculty Council:
    Gregory Wu, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology and of pathology and immunology

Additional contributors

Community discussion facilitators

The Task Force would like to thank the following individuals for their time, expertise and attention in planning, facilitating and summarizing the community discussion sessions. The sessions were facilitated using a restorative justice approach to acknowledge harm and support healing. Facilitators include staff of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, as well as members of the volunteer Restorative Justice in Academic Medicine team and Equity Champions program.

  • Joel Dalton
    Program Manager, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Erin Herrera, CRNA
    Associate Vice Chair for Well-Being and Assistant Director for CRNA Activities, Department of Anesthesiology
  • Sha Niece Hinton, MSW
    Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Engagement Coordinator, Department of Orthopedics
  • Rosie Jones
    Senior Project Manager, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences
  • Julian Magee, PT, DPT, ATC
    Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Assistant Professor, Program in Physical Therapy
    Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Maithilee Menezes, MD
    Associate Professor and Officer of Diversity & Inclusion, Department of Otolaryngology
  • Peter S. Myers, PhD
    Program Manager, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
  • Neha Navsaria, PhD
    Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry
  • Andrea Nelson, MBA
    Director of HR Organization Development, Office of Human Resources
  • Jeramia Ory, PhD
    DEI Education Specialist, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Joseph Pangelinan, MA, PhD
    Director of Cultural Awareness and Diversity and Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
  • Kaytlin Reedy-Rogier, MSW
    Director of Health Equity and Justice, Department of Medicine
  • Erin Stampp
    Director of Programming and Professional Development, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Lisa Stevenson, MBA
    Assistant Dean for Student Diversity and Engagement, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Nannette Vaughn
    Senior Human Resources Consultant, Office of Human Resources
  • The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team