Our Commitment
The DRIVE Council in the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center works alongside Baylor College of Medicine’s Office of Community Engagement & Health Equity to promote an environment that fosters Diversity in hiring and promotion, Reach into the community, Inclusion within the department members, Vision for the future of translational research, and Equity across all aspects of advancement. We endeavor to develop systematic recruitment and retention frameworks meant to attract and retain diverse students, trainees, faculty, and staff.
Inclusion and Equity Ambassadors
If you have questions or would like to get involved with the our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives and activities, contact our ambassadors below.
Gloria Echeverria, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center
Inclusion and Equity Ambassador
David Edwards, BS
Assistant Lab Director, Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center
Inclusion and Equity Ambassador
Candyce Cummings, BS, CSM
Senior Coordinator, Executive Support, Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center
Inclusion and Equity Ambassador
Sanah Haque, MHA, MBA, LSSGB
Administrator, Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center
Inclusion and Equity Ambassador
DRIVE Council
The Breast Center’s DRIVE Council will consist of Champion Members who represent the many labs, faculty, administrative staff, students, trainees, and clinicians.
We seek to create structured frameworks for recruitment and retention that will draw in and keep a diverse pool of department contributors.
DEI Activities and Events
The Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center faculty, staff, trainees, and patients participate in the following diversity, equity and inclusion related events:
- Race for the Cure – The Breast Center department shows support for Susan G. Komen Foundation.
- Thanksgiving around the World – Celebrating all cultures with traditional dishes from our diverse department members.
- Lunar New Year Celebration – Observing Lunar New Year through the Asian experiences, tradition, food, and cultures.
- Black History Month Speaker Spotlight – Promote and recognize African American scientists and doctors who exemplify the science experience.
- Pride Month – Support LBGTQ+ visibility on campus by participating in our “Allied with Pride” photo-op with the flag. We also encourage participation and representation in Houston’s Pride Parade.
- Champions Youth Outreach – Sending students and trainees into classrooms to engage children in their experiences with science.
Our DEI Priorities
The following are the Breast Center's priorities which fall in line with Baylor College of Medicine's four missions:
Healthcare Initiatives: To foster genuine empathy for our patients by bringing together people from different origins, cultures, and voices to provide a better overall experience in the clinic leading to improved patient outcomes.
Education Initiatives: Attract and recruit highly diverse crop of graduate student candidates to better reflect the population at large.
Research Initiatives: Recruit and hire a highly diverse group of trainees and faculty to more accurately represent the general population.
Community Initiatives: Taking a diverse group of students and trainees into classroom settings to promote engaging conversations through science and clinical advancements. Our focus is to spark young minds and show that representation is paramount to our mission.
