Weill Cornell Medicine’s eighth annual Celebration of Diversity got off to a festive start on April 20 as a troupe of Ailey School student dancers turned Griffis Faculty Club into a dazzle of color, music and movement. The piece struck an aptly upbeat note as the packed room honored six members of the institutional community with Pioneers in Diversity Awards, recognizing their commitment to diversity and inclusion through mentorship, service and advocacy.
These are people “who step up to build our community culture attentively, compassionately, respectfully and with purpose,” said Dr. Robert A. Harrington, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine. Honoring them is “one of the things I enjoy most about my job here.”
The event, part of the institution’s eighth annual Diversity Week, recognized faculty, staff and students who have worked to support the next generation of leaders in health care—those committed to building a support system for all.
“It’s an honor to be able to celebrate diversity,” said Fanesse Acquaye, executive director of the Office of Culture, Inclusion and Employee Experience at Weill Cornell, “which is about continuing to celebrate all we are as a community.”
Dr. Felice Schnoll-Sussman, a professor of clinical medicine, received the Jessica M. and Natan Bibliowicz Award for Excellence in Mentoring Women Faculty. For over 25 years, Dr. Schnoll-Sussman has fostered the careers of countless trainees who now hold leadership roles in top academic institutions. As the founder of the national Women of the Foregut initiative, she has created a transformative mentorship model supporting the advancement of women in gastroenterology. The program has now expanded internationally. Dr. Schnoll-Sussman’s guiding principle, as she describes it, is to ensure that patients “feel heard, their needs are met, and they are respected at every level.”
A troupe of Ailey School student dancers perform during the Pioneers in Diversity awards ceremony on April 20. Credit: Reece Taylor Williams
The Ida Sophia Scudder, M.D. Award for Excellence in Public Service recognized two doctoral students, Peyton Lee Carpen, a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Greenblatt Lab at Weill Cornell, and Ana C. Codo, a doctoral student in the Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Ph.D. program. They were honored for demonstrating outstanding commitment to community service and support for underserved populations, as well as supporting students through mentorship initiatives, including Weill Cornell’s Esprit de Corps Program.
Dr. Cecilia Nicol, assistant professor of medicine, was recognized with the Marie Metoyer M.D. Award for Excellence in Community Service. Dr. Nicol serves as the director and faculty advisor for the student-run Weill Cornell Community Clinic, whose patients are typically uninsured and experiencing advanced medical conditions. Dr. Nicol was honored for demonstrating exceptional community engagement and service, and bringing compassionate, high-quality care to underserved populations while shaping the next generation of physicians.
“I actually participated in the clinic as a medical student at Weill Cornell,” Dr. Nicol said. “So, it’s kind of come full circle.”
Dr. Christopher Gonzalez, assistant professor of medicine, received the Bruce Laine Ballard, M.D. Award for Excellence in Mentorship. Dr. Gonzalez was recognized for his consistent and impactful commitment to student mentorship at Weill Cornell Medicine, serving as a trusted presence at mentorship and community-building events and fostering a welcoming and supportive environment for all students.
“All my research is on health equity,” Dr. Gonzalez said. “I leverage that to teach others, including underrepresented minority students, about how we can make health care better for everybody.”
Gina Liberta, senior patient coordinator for the Perinatal Wellness Center in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was honored with the Administrative Staff Award, recognizing work that strengthens the culture of inclusion, service and belonging at Weill Cornell. As chair of the Women in Search of Excellence employee resource group, Liberta has cultivated a community of over 100 members, creating initiatives that promote well-being and professional growth. Liberta is also a strong advocate of equitable resources and policies for New York City students.
“I’m a child of immigrants, a first-generation everything, and what keeps me going is wanting to be a good example to my 7-year-old son,” she said.
The awards ceremony underscored a central theme in the annual diversity celebrations: In the end, progress is achieved not just by changing policies, but by the day-to-day actions and commitment of diversity’s champions.
“Despite all the challenges in the world, we stand strong by our principles of diversity,” said Dr. Harrington. “Diversity makes us stronger. Diversity makes us more excellent in what we do.”
Established in 2018, Diversity Week recognizes the ways that “inclusion, equity and a sense of belonging infuse our clinical work, research and medical education each and every day,” said Dr. H. Allison Bender, associate dean for faculty engagement and inclusion and a professor of neuropsychology at Weill Cornell.
“It is our goal for all faculty, staff and students to feel challenged, inspired and engaged during this weeklong celebration of ‘different journeys, shared mission,’” she said.
