Panelists
DEIJ+ in Healthcare Research
Embedded Files
Ms. Lesley Davis
Indiana University
Assistant Dean for
International Programs
Dr. Jeanette Ducut-Sigala
University of Utah
Senior Vice President for
Health Sciences Research Unit
Dr. Evan Papa
Tufts University
Associate Professor,
Program Director
Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
Dr. Mercedes Ward
University of Utah
Grant Development Specialist for EDI, Office of the Vice President for Research
Lesley Davis, MA graduated cum laude from Beloit College with a bachelor's degree in English and French. She received a master's degree in central Eurasian studies with a focus on Hungary and national identity. She has held numerous positions including International programs coordinator, Wabash College; Director of international education, DePauw University; Founder and director, Central European teaching program; Student advisor, Russian and East European Institute, Indiana University. Since joining Indiana Law in 2003, Davis has been responsible for the non-academic aspects of the graduate legal studies program, including student visa and immigration advising and student services. She is also responsible for the international visiting scholars program, the Law School's international co-operative agreements, and study abroad opportunities for JD students. Davis has worked in the field of international education for more than 15 years, and she has studied and traveled extensively abroad. As dean for international programs, she routinely travels worldwide to recruit students, make cooperative agreements, and visit alumni. Her scholarly interests include cross-cultural development and communication, Eastern European cinema, nationalism and national identity, and post-communist societies. She is also involved in disability rights, accessibility advocacy, and Universal Design. She speaks French and Hungarian.
Lesley is a certified Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator and a member of Bloomington, Indiana’s Council for Community Accessibility, which conducts accessibility audits to ensure full inclusion of all community members in the life of the city.
Jeanette Ducut-Sigala, PhD grew up in culturally and socioeconomic diverse Southern California, having immigrated to this country at a very young age. She graduated with her Bachelor’s in Science degree in Molecular Biology from California State University, Northridge where she was an NIH-MARC Fellow and set her sights on pursuing a career in biomedical research. After working in biotech and assisting with Genetics research at Caltech University in Pasadena, California, she advanced her research trajectory and earned her Doctorate in Biological Sciences at the University of California, San Diego. Jeanette’s PhD work done at The Salk Institute for Biological Sciences led to the discovery and characterization of an essential gene involved in fundamental cellular signaling processes critical for inflammation, development, cancer, and programmed cell-death.
In 2017, Jeanette repivoted and relaunched her science career in research education, currently serving as the Science Diversity & Inclusion Program Manager for the Health Science PhD Training Programs, and as the SACNAS Chapter’s Administrator/Advisor at the University of Utah (SACNAS – Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science). In this position, Jeanette leverages her extensive experimental science background and her strengths and passion to amplify diversity, inclusion and equity in STEM.
In her work, Jeanette is able to draw upon her rich and multicultural background, strong interpersonal skills and extensive biomedical research experience from a variety of laboratory settings. This unique combination has allowed her to experience first-hand both the extraordinary synergy that occurs when a confluence of diverse groups come together and support each other, as well as the pitfalls and gaps that can adversely affect productivity when trainees operate in isolation.
It is Jeanette’s passion to foster and support the potential and success of the next generation of innovative scientists and scientific leaders in an environment and culture where diversity and universal inclusion is the default and not the exception!
Evan Papa, PT, DPT, PhD is the founding director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Tufts University –Seattle, WA. Throughout his academic career in physical therapist education, he has been a strong advocate on the local and national level for healthcare equity and increased racial/ethnic diversity within the physical therapist profession. Dr. Papa is the chair of the APTA Idaho DEI special interest group, as well as chair of the DEI committee for the American Physical Therapy Association’s Academy of Physical Therapy Research.
Mercedes Ward, PhD is a grant development specialist in the Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR) at the University of Utah. In this role, Dr. Ward supports research and grant development for advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. She works with faculty teams pursuing large, institutional extramural funding opportunities, such as the NIH Common Fund’s Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program. Dr. Ward has extensive experience with designing programs and supporting institutional change processes in higher education, including internationally. She has a bachelor's degree in biology, and a master’s degree and PhD in anthropology, and currently serves on the board of directors for Girls Education International. Collectively these experiences inform her perspective on how to cultivate inclusive research cultures.
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