UM School of Medicine Forms New Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to Proactively Foster Equity and Inclusivity for SOM Community

Newly Formed Office Builds on Earlier Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts to Support Students, Faculty, and Staff

As part of the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s ongoing commitment to elevating issues of diversity, equity and inclusion for students, faculty and staff, UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced the formation of a new Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI). In making the announcement, Dean Gladwin also named the Office’s first director, JP Pierre, MSc, SPHR, PMP, a seasoned EDI strategist and innovator with 23 years of experience steering organizations toward greater inclusivity and organizational success.  

The mission of the OEDI is to foster equity and inclusivity for all members of the UMSOM community and to guide EDI initiatives across departments by integrating resources and expertise, while identifying collaborative strategies to achieve equity in biomedical research, education, patient care, and community engagement. The Office will function as a central, forward-thinking hub for collaboration between partners to achieve shared goals that support equity, diversity, and inclusion.

“This is one of our highest priorities, and one that we value in each of our key mission areas:  research, clinical care, education and community,” said Dean Gladwin.  “Our goal is to become a magnet university for diversity and social justice. We must do everything we can to recruit diverse faculty, students, and staff, eliminate health inequities in research and clinical care, and build strong partnerships in our local community. With Ms. Pierre’s leadership, this Office will play a pivotal role in moving this agenda forward.”

The OEDI will contribute meaningfully to the following areas across the School of Medicine to:

• Foster Inclusion and Diversity: By promoting the representation of diverse cultures, orientations, abilities, and backgrounds within the SOM Community that is reflected by faculty, staff, residents, and fellows
• Prioritize Equity in Clinical Practice & Research: By supporting health equity in clinical practice and research on health equity, as well as advocating for evidence-based policies and practices
• Contribute Toward Strategic Talent Acquisition and Retention: By enhancing institutional sourcing, recruiting, and retaining talented faculty, staff, residents, and fellows
• Facilitate Education and Awareness: By providing high quality and accessible EDI-related education and training content across departments and units, such that we raise awareness of diversity and inclusion issues, enhance cultural competence, and reduce biases
• Support Community Partnerships: By seeking strategic partnerships through community consultation that addresses healthcare disparities, improves healthcare access, and aligns with local needs

Launched in 2018 by Former Dean and University Executive Vice President, E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, the School’s Culture Transformation Initiative (CTI) prioritized a safe, respectful, and inclusive academic and work environment for all members of the medical school’s campus community.  The CTI yielded development of EDI programming and activity which evolved into the establishment of the SOM Diversity Leadership Council, composed of Dean’s Office leadership and SOM departmental EDI champions. The council fosters opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration and strategy within the School of Medicine to advance and align efforts that support equity, diversity and inclusivity.

Dean Gladwin has worked closely with the group and promoted the establishment of the Office for EDI to continue the transformative ongoing efforts begun by the CTI, and to provide enhanced structure, accountability, and success in this important work.

JP Pierre, MSc, SPHR, PMP, has been named the School’s first Director of the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. A seasoned EDI strategist and innovator, Ms. Pierre yields 23 years of experience steering organizations and teams toward greater inclusivity and organizational success. She specializes in the management and leadership of EDI programming, while bringing a deep understanding of public health, diversified funding pipelines, public/private partnerships, and inclusivity and equity dynamics in healthcare workforces. Within the discipline of EDI and health equity, Ms. Pierre has been recognized for innovative visioning and strategic planning, inclusive of workforce and talent management approaches, learning & professional development strategies, and organizational commitment to EDI metrics.  

Prior to joining UMSOM, Ms. Pierre excelled as former Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the Center for Reproductive Rights as well as Interim Chief of Party and Director of Learning for United States Agency for International Development programs, and lastly, Executive Director and Vice President for ILC Africa. Ms. Pierre’s educational background includes a MSc Degree from Harvard University School of Public Health and a BA Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, alongside professional certifications as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Senior Professional in Human Resources - International (SPHR-i).

“The establishment of the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine reflects the community’s intention to transition from EDI strategic planning and design into action,” said Ms. Pierre. “As Director, my priority will be to focus on the following:

• Connectedness and collaboration through existing EDI governance structures
• Strategic contributions to recruitment and retention
• Heightened awareness and continuous learning in EDI
• Communicating progress of EDI initiatives

In the coming months, I look forward to synergizing our efforts across the School of Medicine community, and campus to ensure that equity, diversity, and inclusion remain at the forefront of our mission.”

Along with the preexisting Offices of the Dean, the physical space for the OEDI will be located in the Bressler Research Building, 14^th floor. The OEDI will mainly focus on strategic initiatives and operate proactively and in consultation with three of the following UMSOM existing offices that address ongoing EDI-related concerns:

• Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development
• Office of Student Affairs
• The Office of Human Resources

“While the University of Maryland School of Medicine has had a longstanding commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, the establishment of this Office of EDI marks a new era and opportunity for our institution to more strategically advance our collective goals in equity and inclusivity,” said Sandra M. Quezada, MD, MS, Professor of Medicine, Associate Dean for Medical School Admissions, and Associate Dean for Faculty Diversity & Inclusion. “I am excited to work with JP Pierre who brings a wealth of expertise in this area, and together with our Diversity Leadership Council, I believe we are well positioned to create meaningful, positive impact for our SOM community.”

In recognition of the School of Medicine’s deep commitment to fostering diversity, the Diversity Dinner and Celebration: Shaping Inclusive Excellence in Medicine (formerly the Celebrating Diversity Celebration) will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at M&T Bank Exchange at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center. Rooted in the spirit of unity, this celebration aims to showcase the exceptional achievements that arise from diversity, all while furthering the cause of equal access to medical education and practice. Proceeds will benefit the Dean Emeritus Donald E. Wilson’s Endowed Scholarship Fund. See here for event sponsorship opportunities.

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 46 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs, and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1.2 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic, and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has more than $500 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 students, trainees, residents, and fellows. The School of Medicine, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity (according to the Association of American Medical Colleges profile) is an innovator in translational medicine, with 606 active patents and 52 start-up companies. In the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking of the Best Medical Schools, published in 2023, the UM School of Medicine is ranked #10 among the 92 public medical schools in the U.S., and in the top 16 percent (#32) of all 192 public and private U.S. medical schools. The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu