IDEAS Committee Diversity in Neurology Academy (DNA) Empowering Women — in Health Sciences — Across the Borders (EWAB) IDEAS Committee UC Irvine Department of Neurology Home Education Department Programs Neurology: IDEAS Committee About Us The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racism and Social Justice (IDEAS) Committee was established in February 2021, as part of a departmental effort toward diversity and inclusive excellence in concert with the mission of the UC Irvine School of Medicine. The Department of Neurology, under the leadership of its chair, Claire Henchcliffe, MD, decided to take an active role in furthering UCI School of Medicine’s commitment to inclusive excellence. Mission Statement The IDEAS Committee members dedicate their time and effort to the following goals: Promote ideas and events to further the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and social justice in our department and fair treatment for all in our department. Expand our efforts to incorporate diversity in our community engagement and outreach efforts. Engage everyone in conversations and training and create equal opportunities for advancement. Develop recruitment, support, promotion and retention of physicians, residents, and staff with diverse experiences and attributes. Our Plan Our research and data team will gather information on the current state of diversity, inclusion and equity in our department via surveys. Our recruitment team will participate in new recruitment interviews to ensure fairness of the process and to bring in talents from diverse backgrounds. Our community outreach team will be planning events to excite youth of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds about joining UCI for a career in medicine or neurology. Our website and communications team will ensure that our message and our program and our progress will reach the community. Initiatives Diversity in Neurology Academy (DNA) Our vision at DNA is to stand as a beacon of inspiration and empowerment, celebrating diversity and ensuring every aspiring neurologist has equal opportunities to thrive. We envision a future where the DNA community serves as a model for inclusivity and mentorship, fostering enduring connections that transcend traditional academic boundaries. Explore the program Empowering Women — In Health Sciences — Across the Borders (EWAB) Through structured mentorship and ongoing support, the program helps participants overcome barriers, achieve their professional and educational goals and advance their careers in healthcare. Explore EWAB Get Involved Our work starts in the community. We want to help families, educators, and the community at large get excited about a career in medicine and specifically neurology. We will hold community outreach events at schools and other public organizations to educate the youth in underserved areas about educational possibilities and a bright future in medicine and neurology at UCI. We will spread the word about our commitment to inclusiveness and diversity. We hope that our future programs will empower young people from diverse backgrounds to start early in building their academic careers and consider joining UCI. We will announce these programs throughout the year on this website and continuously welcome input from the community. Questions? Contact us at ideascommittee@hs.uci.edu. Meet Our Team Our team is comprised of faculty and researchers dedicated to advancing diversity in the Department of Neurology, the School of Medicine and beyond. Committee Chair Mona Sazgar, MD Professor, Neurology Comprehensive Epilepsy Program Research & Data Team Maria Corrada-Bravo, ScD, MS Professor, Epidemiology Professor, Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), Research Centers and Institutes Lisa Flanagan, PhD Professor, Neurology Recruitment Team Albert La Spada, MD, PhD Associate Dean, Research Development Distinguished Professor, Pathology Website & Marketing Team Mona Sazgar, MD Professor, Neurology Comprehensive Epilepsy Program Community Outreach Team Chair Hayley Kristinsson, PsyD Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Neurology Community Outreach Team Sanaz Attaripour, MD Assistant Professor, Neurology Yoon Jae Choi, MD Assistant Professor, Neurology Brian Hitt, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Neurology Michael Lopez, PhD Assistant Professor, Neurology Masaki Nagamine, MD Assistant Professor, Neurology Director, Neurohospitalist Program Sara Stern-Nezer, MD, MPH Assistant Clinical Professor, Neurology Director, Neurocritical Care Fellowship Mona Sazgar, MD Professor, Neurology Comprehensive Epilepsy Program