The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health is committed to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion as vital to our mission of clinical care, education, research, and advocacy. We embrace the principle that a diverse and inclusive environment fosters mutual trust and respect, thereby strengthening and enriching the entire department and those we serve.
Our Mission
The mission of diversity, equity, and inclusion work within the department is to embed an anti-racist and anti-bias approach in the clinical, educational, research, and administrative activities of the Department of Pediatrics.
Our Vision
We aspire to build an anti-racist culture in the Department of Pediatrics, and in doing so, create an environment that empowers the dismantling of bias of all forms so that people and ideas can truly thrive.
UW–Madison Diversity Forum 2022
Members of the Department of Pediatrics presented "Health Equity Rounds: An Opportunity for Clinical and Anti-Racism Learning to Intersect" during the campus-wide Diversity Forum.
Deepen your understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion topics and strengthen your personal commitment to anti-bias and anti-racist actions. Find additional learning opportunities on the websites listed in the Our Partners section.
- 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge© — Plan includes suggestions for readings, podcasts, videos, observations, and ways to form and deepen community connections.
- UW School of Medicine and Public Health Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion web-based modules — Courses offered by the Office of Diversity & Equity Transformation that allow learners to explore and examine the impacts of racism and discrimination.
- Inclusion@UW — Courses offered by UW–Madison’s Learning and Talent Development specifically designed for employees to learn and practice skills that build our collective capacity to promote the university’s commitment to “value the contributions of each person … and create a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background.”
- Accessibility@UW–Madison — A centralized location for accessibility and disability training, guidance, and resources.
Selected list of presentations by UW Department of Pediatrics faculty and staff intended to offer opportunities to learn about the importance of health equity and diversity and how to move toward an anti-bias and anti-racist environment.
- 2022 UW–Madison Diversity Forum — Watch recordings from this annual conference, including the Day 2 breakout session “Health Equity Rounds: An Opportunity for Clinical and Anti-Racism Learning to Intersect,” presented by members of the Department of Pediatrics. November 14–15, 2022
- “Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors: Why Diversity in Children’s Books Matters to Us All” — Badgers Talks session presented by Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD, associate professor, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. October 11, 2022
- Health Equity Rounds: Seeking Security — The UW Department of Pediatrics first Health Equity Rounds case-based session. April 28, 2022
- 2021 UW–Madison Diversity Forum — Watch recordings of this annual conference, including the Day 1 breakout session “The Pandemics of COVID-19 and Racism: How to Transform Systems Built on Oppression to Systems Worthy of Trust,” presented by members of the Department of Pediatrics and UW Health. November 2–3, 2021
Campus-sponsored resources to help everyone feel connected.
- UW Health Employee Resource Groups (ERG) — Open to UW Health and UW School of Medicine and Public Health employees, these voluntary, employee-led groups are intended to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with organizational mission, values, goals, business practices, and objectives that focus on the experience and perspectives of people of a particular race, ethnic or cultural background, gender, gender identity, religion, age cohort, sexual orientation, history of disabilities, military services, or similar other parameters.
- UW–Madison Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement affinity group gatherings — Informational social gatherings intended to help faculty and staff with underrepresented or marginalized identities come together to build community, make connections, and share resources.
- UW Department of Pediatrics Residency Program Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism
- UW–Madison Multicultural Student Center
- Graduate and Professional Students with Disabilities Wellness Initiative
- UW–Madison Gender and Sexuality Campus Center
- UW–Madison McBurney Disability Resource Center
Help promote anti-bias and anti-racist behavior in the workplace.
- Mitigating Bias in Recruitment and Hiring — A collection of resources compiled by department members. (Link to BOX folder.)
- Equity, Inclusion & Engagement Policy Assessment Toolkit — This toolkit provides guidance and structure for the development of new, and examination of existing, policies to ensure a systemic approach for equitable outcomes
- Tips for Preventing and Responding to Microaggressions Badge Backer — Request a printed, foldable card that fits into your ID badge holder. The card includes key strategies to interrupt microaggressions, discrimination, and bigotry to make it clear that we value and stand behind our learners, staff, and faculty.
- UW Academic Calendar & Religious Observances — Planning events and meetings? Consider religious observances when setting dates. Visit the UW–Madison Academic Calendar webpage for a list of religious observances as well as instruction on how to add the Academic Calendar & Religious Observances Outlook Calendar to your own Outlook email and calendar account.
- Badger Anti-racist Coalition — This group offers a self-evaluation exercise called the Anti-racist Rubric for Campus Units that helps employees identify ways their units are are perpetuating racism and oppression and offers guidance in developing an action plan for change. The group also facilitates an anti-racist community of practice for the campus community.
- Inclusive Communications Guide — Cultivating a campus that is equitable, diverse, and inclusive is not only essential to the strength of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, but also just. Practicing inclusive communications and marketing reinforces this commitment and helps to create a more welcoming, safe, and productive campus for all students, staff, faculty, and visitors.
These resources are linked to the Department of Pediatrics intranet and require a DOP login to access.
- Health Equity Rounds: FLOURISH Hour — Presented by the UW Department of Pediatrics, this case-based session explores what health equity is, why it matters, and how we all play a role in providing equitable care to patients and families. November 17, 2022
- “Understanding and Interrupting Microaggressions” — Training session and handout from UW Health presented by Naomi Takahashi, directory of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority, and Emily Ruedinger, MD, MEd, assistant professor and associate residency program director in the UW Department of Pediatrics. October 15, 2021
- Department of Pediatrics BIPOC Affinity Group — Department faculty, staff, and trainees who identify as BIPOC are welcome to partake in the department’s BIPOC Affinity Group activities. BIPOC includes anyone who identifies as Black, Indigenous [Native American/American Indian], Hispanic/Latine/x, Asian/Pacific Islander/Desi, Middle Eastern/North African, multiracial, or other non-white permutation not mentioned above. Email Jenna Contreras to join the email list for notifications about department BIPOC Affinity Group activities.
- Department of Pediatrics Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism (IDEAA) Committee — Anyone in the department with interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion can join the IDEAA Committee by emailing Jenna Contreras. The group meets monthly and has multiple subgroups focused on a variety of anti-racism/anti-bias endeavors. We are seeking new members and would love to have faculty, staff, and trainees who are new to the department join us, and also extend a warm invitation to any folks who are interested in engaging in DEI endeavors.
- Current projects: DEI needs assessment, Health Equity Rounds, departmental DEI report card, research toolkit
- NameCoach — Record the proper pronunciation of your name using NameCoach, and post it to your online profiles and email signature. Originally integrated only with Canvas, we’ve now expanded the service so you can use it more broadly.
- Pronoun Pins — Department members can order pronoun pins for their name badge through the UW Health Service Portal. To order, you must either be on a network computer or connected through Global Protect. A U-Connect login is also required. Pins will be sent through interdepartmental mail.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion News
Inaugural Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Award for graduate medical education goes to Department of Pediatrics research team to develop microaggressions training
The Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation announced its inaugural Catalyst Awards for Transformation in Graduate Medical Education on January 10. Two faculty members of the Department of Pediatrics, co-principal investigators, received an award: Sushant Srinivasan, MD, …
January 10, 2023Dipesh Navsaria offers talk on the importance of diversity in children’s books
In partnership with the 2022 Wisconsin Science Festival, Badger Talks presented a live talk by Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD, associate professor, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, and clinical associate professor in the …
October 18, 2022UW–Madison Diversity Forum will feature experts from the Department of Pediatrics
The 2022 UW–Madison Diversity Forum, an all-campus and community opportunity to discuss, share, and learn about contemporary issues of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, is slated for November 14–15. It will feature presentations, discussions, and …
October 6, 2022Welcome dinner for department BIPOC members encourages new connections
The Department of Pediatrics sponsored a welcome dinner for residents, fellows, faculty, and staff who identify as BIPOC on September 27 at the home of Katyn Furuya, MD, professor, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. …
October 6, 2022Cristina Delgadillo embraces her role as educator and provider in the Latinx community
Cristina M. Delgadillo, MD, assistant clinical professor, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, grew up 10 minutes from the border of Tijuana, Mexico in Chula Vista, California. So when she arrived in Madison in …
September 20, 2022Sheryl Henderson: Truly Outstanding in Her Field
For the fourteenth year, the University of Wisconsin–Madison celebrated the Outstanding Women of Color Awards, an event that honors a select group of women whose scholarship, involvement in activism, and advocacy has promoted inclusion and …
March 7, 2022Meet Mary Ehlenbach, Pediatrics’ inaugural director of DEI
When the Department of Pediatrics embarked on its strategic planning process in the summer of 2018, faculty and staff agreed that creating a culture where people and ideas thrived was a top priority. This process …
October 19, 2021- More DEI News posts


