Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion

UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force

Our Mission

To guide departmental structures, policies, and practices to a) improve department workforce diversity relative to racial/ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic status, b) promote and improve obstetrics & gynecological health and healthcare equity, c) promote research and d) engage the community.

Areas of Focus

The Task Force identified five priority areas to create a culture of inclusion within our department and the broader community that we serve:

Culture, Climate, and Awareness
Patient Care and Affiliate Relationships
Pipeline and Community Engagement
Department Recruitment and Retention
Research

EDI Task Force Leadership

The UCLA OBGYN EDI Task Force is led by Lisa Nicholas, MD, Associate Clinical Professor and Vice Chair of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity. Dr. Nicholas has long been an advocate for racial justice and health equity both in the workplace - in our clinical practice and in education for our trainees – and in her personal life. Dr. Nicholas is exemplary of the anti-racism efforts that the department, the David Geffen School of Medicine and the larger UCLA campus are committed to promoting.

EDI Task Force Members

Zain Al-Safi, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology
Lisa Garcia, MD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center
Christina Han, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology and MFM Fellowship Director
Christine Holschneider, MD, Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center
Erica Oberman, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology and Residency Director
Sandra Orsulic, PHD, Professor, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology
Aparna Sridhar, MD, MPH, Associate Clinical Professor, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of Marketing and Innovation
Mya Zapata, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology and Labor and Delivery Director
Nyakudarika, Natsai C., MD, Gynecologic Oncology Fellow, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology
Catherine Gliwa, MD, Resident, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology
Daniel Lee, MD, Resident, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology
Maria Estrada, Project Manager, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology and UCLA Urology
Kristy Fong, Medical Education Manager, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology and UCLA Urology
Ukarjit Kaur, Project Manager, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology and UCLA Urology
Beth Miller, Director of Academic and Staff Personnel, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology and UCLA Urology
Tracy Prinz, Marketing and Communications Manager, UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology and UCLA Urology

Current Efforts

Dr. Joia Creer-Perry, founder and president of the National Birth Equity Collaborative, meets with Dr. Mya Zapata, Dr. Lisa Nicholas, and Dr. Angela Chen to discuss strategies for dismantling structural racism in maternity care at UCLA.

Patient Care: Perinatal Coalition

Dr. Mya Zapata, Medical Director of Labor and Delivery, Dr. Lisa Nicholas, Vice Chair of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Dr. Angela Chen, Family Planning Chief, are lead members of the UCLA Perinatal Coalition tasked with developing strategies for dismantling structural racism in maternity care at UCLA. They are partnering with organizations such as National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) and California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC) to roll out an EDI survey for postpartum patients, implement equity and safety rounds and develop focus groups regarding equity in the workplace.

Recruitment: Visiting Student Scholarship

UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology has established a Visiting Student Scholarship program for outstanding final year medical students from underrepresented backgrounds. The student scholar will spend a 3-week sub-internship on one of our High-Risk Obstetrics, Inpatient Benign, Complex Family Planning or Reproductive Endocrinology rotations. Two awards will be given annually.

Keren Darius from Howard University is our inaugural recipient of the OB/GYN Visiting Student Scholarship Award. She will be rotating with us 10/18/2021 - 11/12/2021.

Culture, Climate and Awareness: Exploring Reproductive Injustice

The EDI Task Force arranged for a departmental screening of Belly of the Beast, a documentary exposing a pattern of illegal sterilizations in California’s women’s prisons. The screening was followed by a Q&A with the film’s director and a department-wide discussion.

Pipeline and Community Engagement: Promoting Opportunities for Youth

UCLA OBGYN has established a partnership with Bridge Builders Foundation, a Los Angeles based nonprofit organization that supports youth through mentoring, scholarships, educational programs and the teaching of life skills. The initiative will build on the foundation’s efforts to raise health awareness and promote career opportunities for African American and other minority youth. The department will work with Bridge Builders to provide a platform for interested high school students to get to know UCLA Health trainees and professionals through a virtual series of lectures, lab experiences and dialogues.