Pillars Awards recognize diversity leaders; MBJ fetes Children's CEO
Published on Monday, February 3, 2020
Pillars Awards honor UMMC staff, community's diversity efforts
Several faculty, staff and community members were recognized last Thursday at The Pillars Awards, a tribute to those who further diversity and a “climate of inclusion” at UMMC and within the surrounding community.
The Pillars’ Recognition of Service and Inclusive Excellence observance at the student union acknowledged the work of honorees who are “visionaries and leaders” and who exemplify “continued service to others and a capacity for solving complex problems,” said Dr. Juanyce Taylor, UMMC’s chief diversity and inclusion officer.
The honors and winners are:
Excellence Award (for student, medical resident or fellow): Marjada Tucker, School of Medicine Class of 2022. Honorable mentions: Dr. Edgar Torres Fernandez, postdoctoral fellow, cell and molecular biology; and Dr. Catherine Lowe, cardiology fellow
Inclusion Award (for non-faculty employee): Heather Vaughn, research nurse manager. Honorable mention: Ludivina “Lucy” Varela-Quintero, project manager, Office of Medical Education
Beacon Award (faculty member): Dr. Mohadetheh Moulana, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior. Honorable mentions: Dr. Myrna Alexander Nickens, associate professor of medicine, cardiology, and vice chair for diversity and inclusion in the Department of Medicine; Dr. LaDonna Northington, professor and interim associate dean of academic affairs, School of Nursing
Lifetime Achievement Award (alumnus): Dr. Richard Summers, associate vice chancellor for research and Billy S. Guyton Professor of Emergency Medicine
Esprit De Corps Award (team, department or office): the Jackson Heart Study (Dr. Adolfo Correa, director and principal investigator). Honorable mentions: EversCare (clinical director, Victoria Gholar); Population Health Science (led by Dr. Leandro Mena, professor and chair of population health science); and the UMMC Addictions Program (supported by the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and the Neuro Institute)
Eight other UMMC faculty and staff were recognized as members of the inaugural 2020 Masters Class of learners from the Diversity and Inclusion Champion and Professional Development Certificate Program: Daniel Bamrick, researcher, physiology and biophysics; Dr. Edgar Torres Fernandez; Dr. Elizabeth Franklin, associate professor, School of Health Related Professions; Dr. Debbie Konkle-Parker, professor of medicine, infectious diseases; Dr. Norma Ojeda, professor of pediatrics-neonatology; Leslye Bastos Ortega, project manager, family medicine-minority health; Dr. Chameka Robinson, associate professor, academic information services; Dr. Felicia Tardy, associate professor, School of Health Related Professions.
Among the Pillars Award winners and honorable mentions are, front row from left, Marjada Tucker, Heather Vaughn, Donna Barksdale, Jim Barksdale, Dr. Richard Summers and Dr. Mohadetheh Moulana; back row from left, bracketed by Dr. LouAnn Woodward and Dr. Juanyce Taylor, Dr. Mario Sims, Debra Wilson, Leslye Bastos Ortega, Latonia Richardson, Dr. Nancy Min, Jeanna Wilkes, Dr. LaDonna Northington, Dr. Myrna Alexander Nickens, Victoria Gholar, Dr. Adolfo Correa, Dr. Karen Winters, Dr. Saurabh Bhardwaj, Dr. Jefferson Parker, and Crystal Butler Williams.
State business journal taps Children's leader for CEO honor
Dr. Guy Giesecke is all smiles after being named among the top CEOs of the Year by the Mississippi Business Journal.Dr. Guy Giesecke, Children’s of Mississippi CEO, was among business leaders in the state honored as "CEOs of the Year" by the Mississippi Business Journal.
Giesecke is an alumnus of the University of Mississippi’s School of Health Related Professions, earning his Doctorate of Health Administration in 2016.
A business administration graduate of Abilene Christian University, Giesecke has master’s degrees in health care administration and business from the University of Houston. He joined UMMC in 2010 to lead Children’s of Mississippi.
Before coming to UMMC, Giesecke served as chief operating officer of Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas from 2006-10 and as vice president of East Texas Medical Center in Tyler from 2003-06. He is a graduate of Leadership Mississippi and a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He was SHRP Alumnus of the Year in 2019.