Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiatives

While diagnostics and therapeutics have improved for many people living with rheumatic disease in the U.S., racial, ethnic and socioeconomic status disparities continue to negatively impact patient outcomes. In 2021, the Foundation launched a grant program focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) to address disparities in patient care and outcomes of rheumatic diseases and to attract historically underrepresented medical students and residents to rheumatology. Our ultimate goal is to improve health outcomes for adult and pediatric patients living with arthritis.

DEI Expert Working Group

• Andrew Chan, MD, PhD (Chair) - Genentech, Inc
• Irene Blanco, MD, MS - Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine 
• Ashira Blazer, MD, MSCI - Hospital for Special Surgery
• Sharon Dowell, MD - NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital 
• Candace Feldman, MD, MPH, ScD - Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Mileka Gilbert, MD, PhD - Medical University of South Carolina
• Grant Hughes, MD - University of Washington School of Medicine
• Elaine Husni, MD, MPH - Cleveland Clinic
• Jinoos Yazdany, MD, MPH - University of California, San Francisco

2024 DEI Awardee

American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society® (AOFAS), 3-year workforce development

Read the press release.

2023 DEI Awardees

• University of Washington, WA, James Jarvis, 2-year planning grant
• Brigham & Women’s Hospital, MA, Candace Feldman, 2-year planning grant

Read the press release.

2022 DEI Awardees

• Atrium Health Foundation, NC, Sheetal Vora, Research initiative, pediatric (two-year)
• Baylor College of Medicine, TX, Angela Chun, Curriculum Development, pediatrics (one-year)
• Boston University, MA, Maureen Dubreuil, Research Initiative, adult (two-year)
• Boston University, MA, Eugene Kissin, Curriculum Development, adult (one-year)
• Brigham & Women’s Hospital, MA, Candace Feldman, Siobhan Case, Curriculum Development, adult (one-year)
• Washington University in St. Louis, MO, Daphne Lew, Alfred Kim, Research initiative, adult (one-year)

2021 DEI Awardees

• Duke University, NC, Lisa Criscione-Schreiber, Curriculum Development, combined adult-pediatric (one-year)
• Indiana University, IN, Olivia Kwan, Research Initiative, pediatrics (two-year)
• Indiana University, IN, Martha Rodriguez, Curriculum Development, pediatrics (one-year)
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, Alfredo Rivadeneira, Research Initiative, adult (two-year)
• University of California Los Angeles, CA, John FitzGerald, Research Initiative, adult (two-year)
• University of California San Francisco, CA, William Soulsby, Research Initiative, pediatrics (two-year)