Plan to Enhance Diversity
Advancing a culture of inclusion to reduce the burden of cancer.
In October 2023 Diego Adrianzen Herrera, MD, was appointed Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
As associate director, Dr. Adrianzen Herrera will oversee the Cancer Center’s plan to enhance diversity, including programs that advance a culture of inclusion across the four pillars of the cancer center: research, education, community outreach, and clinical care.
Building a Foundation
Emerging External Advisory Board (EAB) Experience Program
The UVM Cancer Center launched the “E3” program (Emerging EAB Experience program) to intentionally create an opportunity for early career faculty to participate in leadership-related activities within a cancer center. This opportunity is designed for future leaders from groups underrepresented in biomedical science and in cancer center leadership positions across the country.
In its inaugural year, the UVM Cancer Center selected two inaugural participants for the “E3” program, Emily Hallgren, PhD, and Tianxiang “Sean” Hu, PhD, Drs. Hallgren and Hu will join the UVM Cancer Center’s external advisory board on-site visit and participate as program reviewers with assignments based on their individual qualifications.
Emily Hallgren, PhD
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES (UAMS) - NORTHWEST
ASSOCIATE MEMBER, WINTHROP P. ROCKEFELLER CANCER INSTITUTE
Dr. Hallgren’s research focuses on unmet social needs among cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers, with an emphasis on rural cancer disparities and financial toxicity.
Tianxiang “Sean” Hu, PhD
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY FACULTY, GEORGIA CANCER CENTER
Dr. Hu’s research focuses on molecular mechanisms driving leukemia initiation and progression, especially the role of leukemia cell-intrinsic signaling in modulating antitumor immunity.
UVM Cancer Center trainees
Percent of trainees who identify as non-White.
UVMCC Trainees
Trainees are defined as:
- Funded by UVMCC
- In a UVMCC Member Lab
- or self-identified
These data show select the relative distribution (as percent of the total population) of the indicated demographic groups and highlight the fact that the level of racial diversity among UVMCC trainees is higher than that in UVM as a whole and significantly higher than in the state of Vermont.
Partering with the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation
Vermont has the nation’s second-highest per-capita rate of new melanoma cases in the nation. The community outreach team partnered with community advisory board member, Chief Donald Stevens, tribal leader for the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation, to bring skin checks to communities in central Vermont and the state's remote 'northeast kingdom' region.
Indigenous Peoples Day
This annual event in Stowe, Vt brings hundreds of people to the community to celebrate indigenous peoples day. This year, dermotology clinicians, residents, and medical students screened over 30 people.
Northeast Kingdom - Holland, Vt
The old Holland community school serves as the Abenaki cultural center, food shelf, and early childhood center. In November Mary Maloney, MD joined Miss Lucy Neal, the health equity coordinator for the Abenaki tribe to provide skin checks for over 20 Vermonters.