DEI Leadership and Advisors

Two advisory boards guide the direction of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work at Georgetown Lombardi.

These are the:

Georgetown Lombardi DEI Advisory Council

The Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council’s strategic objectives are to guide the Georgetown Lombardi DEI Office to execute the cancer center’s DEI Plan.

More specifically, to:

  • Provide overall feedback, input and direction on the Georgetown Lombardi DEI Office aims
  • Provide feedback on the development of diversity metrics
  • Provide feedback and identifying strategies and outlets for broad outreach to recruit trainees, postdoctoral fellows and faculty from groups underrepresented in cancer research
  • Provide input on activities to enhance trainee participation in cancer research
  • Review strategies to foster retention, promote inclusion, and advance leadership among women and groups underrepresented in cancer research
  • Help communicate DEI activities and progress to relevant constituencies across the cancer center

Georgetown Lombardi DEI Advisory Council Members

Susan Cheng

Susan Cheng, EdLD, MPP

Senior Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Georgetown University School of Medicine

Rev. Dr. John J. Cox

Rev. Dr. John J. Cox

Senior Pastor of the Historic Vermont Avenue Baptist Church

Dr. Dash

Chiranjeev Dash, MBBS, PhD, MPH

Director, Georgetown Lombardi Community Outreach and Engagement (COE)

Jigar Desai

Jigar Desai, PhD

DEI Liaison, Lombardi Cancer Host Interactions Program

Kristi Graves

Kristi Graves, PhD (Co-Chair / Ex-Officio )

Associate Director, Lombardi Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

David Kountz

David Kountz, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Chief Academic Officer, Hackensack Meridian Health

Gina McKinney

Rev. Gina McKinney

Community Outreach and Education Community Advisory Board, DEI Liaison, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, NJ

Avonia Richardson-Miller

Avonia Richardson-Miller, EdD, MA, CDE® (Chair)

Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, Hackensack Meridian Health

Olga Rodriguez

Olga Rodriguez, MD, PhD

DEI Liaison, CCB; IDEAL Grant PI

Luz Sanchez Romero

Luz Sanchez Romero, MD, PhD

DEI Liaison, Cancer Prevention and Control;  Co-Chair, Faculty Diversity and Inclusion

Sandy Johnson Harris

Sandy Johnson Harris

VP of Equity, Inclusion & Diversity, MedStar Health

Becca Riggins

Rebecca Riggins, PhD

Associate Director, Education and Training (CRTEC) Georgetown Lombardi

Todd Young

Todd Young, PhD

T32 Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgetown Lombardi

Georgetown Lombardi DEI Early Career Leadership Council

Participating members of the DEI Early Career Leadership Council (ECLC) support the vision to increase diversity within Georgetown Lombardi membership and leadership, and create and sustain a culture of equity and inclusive excellence for individuals across all levels of experience and rank. Members of the ECLC provide input and guidance to the Georgetown Lombardi Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office for ways to support early and midcareer faculty along with sharing strategic ideas and input on leadership development opportunities.

Early Career Leadership Council Members

Traci Bethea

Traci Bethea, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Oncology, Georgetown;
Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Research;
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Georgetown Lombardi

Noa Biran

Noa Biran, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine;
Multiple Myeloma Physician, Hackensack University Medical Center, John Theurer Cancer Center, Regional Cancer Care Association;
Cancer Cell Biology Program, Georgetown Lombardi

Heather Derry-Vick

Heather Derry-Vick, PhD

Assistant Member, Center for Discovery and Innovation Hackensack Meridian Health;
Assistant Professor, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine;
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Georgetown Lombardi

Martha Gay

Martha Gay, PhD

Co-Chair and LCCC Executive Committee Representative

Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine, Georgetown;
Cancer-Host Interactions Program, Georgetown Lombardi

Gary Kwok

Gary Kwok, PhD

Assistant Member, Center for Discovery and Innovation;
Assistant Professor, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine;
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Georgetown Lombardi

Batsirai Mabvakure

Batsirai Mabvakure, PhD

Chair

Assistant Professor
Department of Oncology, Georgetown;
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Georgetown Lombardi

Sreejith Nair

Sreejith Nair, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, Georgetown;
Cancer Cell Biology Program, Georgetown Lombardi

Kevin Tong

Kevin Tong, PhD

Assistant Professor, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine;
Assistant Member, Center for Discovery and Innovation;
Cancer Cell Biology Program, Georgetown Lombardi

Kimberley Doucette

Kimberley Doucette, MD, MSC

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Georgetown;
Clinician, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
Cancer Cell Biology Program, Georgetown Lombardi

Rachel Rosenstein

Rachel Rosenstein, MD

ECLC Co-Chair and LCCC Executive Committee Representative

Assistant Professor, Dermatology Division, Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation;
Cancer-Host Interactions Program, Georgetown Lombardi

Johannes Zakrzewski

Johannes Zakrzewski, PhD

Associate Professor of Oncology, Georgetown;
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine;
Associate Member, Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation;
Attending Physician, Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant, Hackensack University Medical Center;
Cancer-Host Interactions Program, Georgetown Lombardi