Congratulations to Wendy Greene, MD (Surgery) and Jason Schneider, MD (Medicine), the winners of the 2020 Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion Award! Read more about the incredible contributions they're making below.
The below information was pulled from the nominations letters.
Wendy Greene, MD
Department of Surgery
"Her bravery was not to be stifled by the COVID pandemic and its attack on her family members. Dr. Greene helped organize a day-long testing for a predominantly African-American community held in a large church parking lot that led to hundreds of patients tested in that community."
"Dr. Greene often sees first hand how healthcare disparity plays out when a patient comes from an underprivileged background and Emory is on hand to take care of them. She led research projects with SOM Discovery students on frailty assessments to determine predictors of patient disposition after they are treated, which culminated in publications in The American Surgeon and The American Journal of Surgery."
"As a mentor, Dr. Greene is beloved by the students for her professionalism and passion for developing young minds. First, she is a compass to all her work colleagues in the areas of racial equality and representation. Pre-COVID, Dr. Greene regularly had students register to follow her during the day and these students will someday erase the gap of underrepresented professionals in health care."
"As a senior surgeon within Emory’s walls, Dr. Greene “rolls up her sleeves” and lives out her passions in very tangible ways; from working the parking lots so some of the African-American community can quickly receive COVID testing, to providing a forum where young people who would otherwise never have set foot in an academic medical center—as research investigators, not patients—can see a glimpse of a noble future."
Jason Schneider, MD
Department of Medicine
"It is readily evident that his passion for advocacy for the LGBT community is intimately tied with his career in academic medicine at Emory. In the previous decade he distinguished himself at a national level through service on the board of GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality, serving for two years as the national president. After ending his term on the board he turned his focus to the needs of the local community and our institution."
"He has twice been recognized by the Office of LGBT Life at Emory and once by the Division of Campus Life for “humble service…to the cause of LGBT equality” and “positively transforming Emory University through courageous leadership.”"
"Jason’s most notable recent accomplishments relate to improving the lives and health outcomes for the transgender community at Emory, Grady, and in metro Atlanta. At Grady, he co-led the creation of the Gender Center, which nearly three years old, is unique in the Southeast in providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary care in one space to transgender & gender non-conforming adults, mostly from communities of color. To date the Gender Center has served about 250 unique patients. Jason has paired this clinical effort with research efforts. The LITE Study, for which he serves a site principal investigator, is a first-of-its kind 5-year cohort study with a primary aim of determining HIV incidence among transgender women."
"He fights hard to advocate for those who have historically suffered from discrimination and disenfranchisement and diligently promotes an inclusive and friendly work environment--not just for LGBTQ+ but for all marginalized persons. His courageous efforts are a step forward to eliminating health disparities and improving health outcomes for our patients and even the nation at large."
