Eight Faculty Assume New Leadership Roles
Eight faculty members – Glenn Chertow, Tara Chang, Upi Singh, Joy Wu, Wendy Caceres, Tamara Dunn, Stephanie Harman, and Hannah Valantine – will take on new leadership roles in the Department of Medicine. Chair Bob Harrington, MD, made the official announcement on October 5, writing that he “looks forward to working closely with these outstanding leaders.”
The creation of these positions is one of several measures designed to build a more inclusive and supportive community. Harrington described these new roles as “critical to our tripartite mission and the future of our department.”
Glenn Chertow, Associate Chair - Fellowship Programs
Glenn Chertow, MD, chief of nephrology, has agreed to serve as associate chair – fellowship programs, effective October 1. Chertow will bring his passion and expertise to this newly created position, in which he will work with all of our divisions to create best practices for recruiting diverse fellows. He will also mentor and identify excellent fellowship candidates for future faculty roles and connect current fellows to research experiences and mentors.
Tara Chang, Division Chief – Nephrology
In order to fulfill his new role of associate chair – fellowship programs, Glenn Chertow, MD, will step down as nephrology chief on February 1, 2021. He will be ably replaced by Tara Chang, MD, MS, an associate professor of medicine (nephrology) who has been a long-time member of the department and who has developed her own nationally-respected clinical research program which focuses on studying cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease patients.
Upi Singh, Associate Chair - Faculty Development
Upi Singh, MD, chief of infectious diseases, will be taking on an additional role as associate chair – faculty development. In this role, which begins October 1, Singh will develop formal mentorship, sponsorship, and development opportunities for our more junior clinician-scientists. “Upi has done an exceptional job recruiting and building a talented faculty across all three missions in her division,” Harrington said, “and we hope to implement her successful strategies.”
Joy Wu, Vice Chair - Basic Science
Joy Wu, MD, PhD associate professor of medicine (endocrinology), will assume the role of vice chair – basic science, on October 1. Wu directs a broad basic and translational research program. Harrington reflected on her contributions: “Joy has been an invaluable leader during these last several months, working to ensure that the department’s basic science labs have been able to close down, and then restart, in a safe and effective manner. We look forward to Joy’s ongoing contributions to our basic science mission.”
Wendy Caceres and Tamara Dunn, Associate Chairs – Diversity and Inclusion
Wendy Caceres, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine (primary care and population health, and Tamara Dunn, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine (hematology) have been appointed to associate chairs – diversity and inclusion.
“Wendy and Tamara are uniquely suited to these roles,” Harrington explained. “They co-chair the Diversity and Inclusion Committee alongside Vinicio de Jesus Perez, MD, associate professor of medicine (pulmonary, allergy, and critical care), and have been instrumental in reshaping the the department’s priorities and culture.”
As associate chairs, they will develop strategies and metrics that move the department closer to its diversity and inclusion goals. They will also continue to contribute to our educational mission: Wendy will retain her role as associate program director of our residency program, and Tamara will continue as program director of hematology fellowship.
Stephanie Harman, Associate Chair – Women in Medicine
Harrington named Stephanie Harman, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine (primary care and population health) as the new associate chair for women in medicine. Harman is the clinical section chief for palliative care, and co-chairs the Stanford Health Care Ethics Committee. Her research and educational interests include communication training, bioethics in end-of-life care, and the application of machine learning to improve access to palliative care. She will work alongside Wendy Caceres and Tamara Dunn to strengthen diversity and inclusion efforts throughout the department.
Hannah Valantine, Director of Team Science Initiatives
Harrington also announced that Hannah Valantine, MD, will be returning to Stanford on October 1 as the director of team science initiatives for the division of cardiovascular medicine.Valantine has spent the last several years serving as the chief officer for scientific diversity at the NIH. Here at Stanford, she will join a community of colleagues, including Connie Weyand, MD, professor of medicine (immunology and rheumatology), and Dean Felsher, MD, PhD, professor of medicine (oncology), who are working to build a strong team science portfolio.