Ninez Ponce, PhD, MPP, Donna Washington, MD, MPH, and Lourdes Baiezconde-Garabanti, PhD, MPH received the Lester Breslow Lifetime Achievement Award and were inducted into the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health (FSPH) Alumni Hall of Fame at the Jonathan Club, on Thursday, October 5.
The Breslow Award recognizes outstanding individuals who have devoted their careers to advancing public health. The Hall of Fame recognizes Fielding alumni notable for their outstanding achievements in the field of public health.
Dr. Ponce is professor in the FSPH Department of health policy and management. She is also principal investigator for the California Health Interview Survey and serves as director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, where her collaboration with CTSI CERP's Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities lead to the creation of the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) Data Policy Lab. In addition, through her work with the UCLA-UCI Center for Eliminating Cardiometabolic Disparities in Multi-Ethnic Populations (UC END DISPARITIES) Center, part of the Health Equity Action Network, Dr. Ponce currently serves as primary research mentor for the UC END Pilot Project Awards.
Joining her is Dr. Washington, a general internist and health services researcher at the Department of Veterans Affairs. She also serves as director of the VHA Health Equity-Quality Enhancement Research Initiative National Partnered Evaluation Center, director of health services research for the VA Greater Los Angeles Department of Medicine, Women’s Health Focused Research Area Lead for the VA Health Services Research & Development (HSR&D) Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation, and Policy (CSHIIP) and is a professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine. In her work with UC END DISPARITIES, Washington helps lead the Investigator Development Core and has previously provided mentorship to pilot awardees. Dr. Washington is also a current member of the CTSI Internal Advisory Board (IAB).
UCLA CTSI is also happy to highlight ongoing partner and collaborator Dr. Baeizconde-Garbanati. Dr. Baeizconde-Garbanati is a professor in preventative medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of California (USC), where she also serves as associate dean for community initiatives and associate director for community outreach and engagement at the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Baeizconde-Garbanate is also co-investigator and associate director the Southern California Center for Latino Health, part of the Health Equity Action Network.
View the complete list of Hall of Fame inductees and learn more about this year's Lester Breslow awardees here.
Image caption (left to right): Ninez Ponce, PhD, MPP, Donna Washington, MD, MPH, and Lourdes Baiezconde-Garabanti, PhD, MPH
Image source: UCLA Health
