The inaugural CFDD Pillar Award recipients pose with their awards after the ceremony.

On July 19, the Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (CFDD) staff, friends and guests gathered for the annual New Faculty Welcome Lunch and Awards Ceremony, co-hosted with the Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization (BWPO). New to the ceremony this year was the celebration of CFDD’s inaugural Pillar Awards, created to honor leaders in the four pillars of academic life—clinical care, research, education and community service—whose admirable work and contributions often go unrecognized.

Earlier this year, CFDD sought nominations across BWH for outstanding service in a number of categories. The center received an overwhelming response of nominations and letters of support from across the hospital. The nominations were filled with acknowledgments including “amazing mentor, clinician and humanist,” “compassionate, selfless, patient and genuine,” “gentle and humble manner,” and other heartfelt expressions of praise and gratitude.

During the formal program, 16 BWHers were recognized and presented with a personalized glass award at the Inn at Longwood. BWH Chief Medical Officer Stan Ashley, MD; BWPO President Allen Smith, MD, MS; BWPO Chief Medical Officer Jessica Dudley, MD; and other leaders welcomed new faculty to BWH and CFDD, BWPO and Harvard Medical School. Anne-Marie Chang, PhD, of the Division of Sleep Medicine, spoke about her experience as a new faculty member.

These BWHers were recognized in the following Pillar Award categories:

• Senior Faculty Mentor: Elizabeth Karlson, MD, associate physician, Medicine
• Junior Faculty Mentor: Sherry Chou, MD, attending physician, Neurology; Jeremiah Schuur, MD, MHS, chief of the Division of Health Policy Translation, Emergency Medicine; Ali Tavakkoli, MD, attending physician, Surgery; and Ruth Ann Vleugels, MD, MPH, associate director of Education, Dermatology
• Clinical Teacher: Steven Feske, MD, director of the Stroke Division, Neurology
• Educational Program Leadership: Michaela Farber, MD, program director of the Obstetric Anesthesia Fellowship, Anesthesia
• Educational Research: Graham McMahon, MD, MMSc, associate physician, Medicine
• Contribution to Faculty Development and Diversity: Lissa Olbeter, administrative director of Academic & Research Program Development, Pathology; and Ellen Seely, MD, vice-chair of Faculty Development, Medicine
• Community Service: Jennifer Tan, MD, director of Community Service and Wellness, Dermatology
• Diversity and Inclusion Service: Chinweike Ukomadu, MD, director of BWH STARS, Medicine
• Research Collaboration: Paola Dal Cin, PhD, associate cytogeneticist, Pathology; and Raul San Jose Estepar, PhD, research associate, Radiology
• Research Innovation: Ferenc Jolesz, MD, director of Division MRI & National Center for Image Guided Therapy, Radiology
• Research Leadership: Clare Tempany, MD, vice chair of Research, Radiology

A plaque showcasing the awardees will be displayed near the Shop on the Pike.

“Our faculty members serve in multiple capacities—such as mentors, innovators, collaborators and community leaders—that often go unrecognized,” said Barbara Bierer, MD, CFDD director and senior vice president of Research. “The CFDD created the Pillar Awards expressly to recognize these accomplishments. I was incredibly impressed by the number of nominations we received in the first year, and the sincerity of the recommendation letters that accompanied them. I am very proud of our faculty and staff, and we look forward to continuing this program in the future.”