University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Office of Social Impact and Belonging

“Serving both UW School of Medicine and Public Health and UW Health, our aim is to be:

Targeted: Focusing on specific strategies that are integrated and aligned across the organization to allow intentional, systemic change…
Impactful: Placing organizational attention in key areas including advancing social impact and belonging efforts that engage staff, and actions to advance basic science departments, institutes, centers and programs.

The office is run by Associate Dean for Social Impact and Belonging Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, whose title used to be UW Health’s Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer and she led “a comprehensive effort to embed equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism as imperatives in the school’s missions.” She also led “a cross-functional office that consists of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Office of Diversity and Equity Transformation and the UW Health Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.”

Social Impact and Belonging Director Naomi Takahashi was previously Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the School of Medicine and Public Health and UW Health.