Mica Estrada, Associate Dean of the Office of Opportunity and Engagement
Mica Estrada, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the Institute for Health & Aging at the UCSF School of Nursing. Her research program focuses on social influence, including the study of identity, values, kindness, well-being and integrative education. She leads, as principal investigator, several longitudinal studies, which implement and assess interventions aimed to increase student persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) careers (funded by NIH, NSF and HHMI). Estrada’s research focuses on ethnic populations that are historically disadvantaged in higher education, most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and are providing creative solutions to the pressing challenges of our day.
She received the Leadership Institute Graduate Award from the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) in 2013, the Adolphus Toliver Award for Outstanding Research in 2016, and was selected as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Facilitator-Scholar in 2022. She has previously served as a member of the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) study on Strengthening Research Experiences for Undergraduate STEM Students and the Advancing Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in STEM organizations census study, and currently serves as a NASEM Roundtable on Systemic Change in Undergraduate STEM Education member. Estrada earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and her PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard University.
She is mother to three grown children and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her sweetheart of many years. She enjoys gardening, walking in nature and sharing meals with her extended family.
Key publications related to diversity and inclusion: Toward a Model of Social Influence That Explains Minority Student Integration Into the Scientific Community; Improving Underrepresented Minority Student Persistence in STEM; The Influence of Affirming Kindness and Community on Broadening Participation in STEM Career Pathways; Achieving STEM Diversity: Fix the Classrooms; and Culture and Quality Matter in Building Effective Mentorship Relationships With Native STEM Scholars.
Coretta Jenerette, Senior Health Equity Scholar
Coretta Jenerette, PhD, RN, FAAN, is the senior health equity scholar at the UCSF School of Nursing and the Thelma Shobe Endowed Chair. Jenerette was the inaugural associate dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity at the University of South Carolina's College of Nursing. A trailblazer of “firsts,” she is a first-generation college graduate, the inaugural chair of the Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research Nursing Symposium and a founding member of the Midlands of South Carolina Black Nurses Association. She has been honored for her leadership and contributions through numerous awards including the USC College of Nursing Best Research Mentor, the Healthcare Hero Award from the Sickle Cell Community Consortium, the Voice of Public Health Award from the South Carolina Public Health Association and the 2023 Medical Research Award from the Sickle Cell Consortium.
Emebet Aklilu, Director of Engagement and Operations
Emebet Aklilu, MPH, MSBH, is the director of engagement and operations for the Office of Opportunity and Engagement at the UCSF School of Nursing. She is a well-organized and diligent individual with a successful background in developing culturally competent programming and employee engagement strategies within health care and higher education.
Her research is based in developing trauma-informed, culturally competent programs for niche groups. For example, she developed a trauma informed implementation and program guide founded in restorative justice to address harms and harm reduction amongst African Americans in Oakland. The work was then expanded to explore how reevaluating trauma-informed practices amongst clinicians who serve minority communities could result in improved health outcomes and greater partnership between clinicians, their peers and their patients. Now with the partnership of the Restorative Justice Practice office at UCSF, Aklilu and the team are hopeful that they can expand the research to create programming opportunities for the School of Nursing community and beyond.
As an alumna and faculty member of the University of San Francisco, Aklilu has worked closely with a number of campus groups to explore the use of restorative justice in the reimagining of policing on campus and with the expansion of the escalation model, Just Culture. As the primary contributor to two grant-funded projects, Aklilu developed curriculum for campus safety trainings with public safety officers and looked to expand the Just Culture model to incorporate restorative justice practices in conflict resolution. As an advocate for restorative justice and trauma-informed care, Aklilu is a welcomed addition to the School of Nursing.
Perla Sandoval, Director of People Research & Data Analysis
Perla Sandoval, MS, conducts research with a focus that includes social influence, diversity in STEM, mentorship, energy conservation and health disparities. With her strong communication skills and attention to detail, she effectively translates complex research findings into actionable recommendations, empowering decision-makers to drive evidence-based change. As a collaborative leader, she fosters an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives, leveraging her expertise to guide cutting-edge research methodologies and uphold the highest ethical standards in her field. Sandoval has extensive experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research with diverse audiences. Her non-profit work experience and fluency in Spanish have provided her with many opportunities to work with diverse communities. From engineers, social science researchers or community members, Sandoval has honed her ability to engage across all types of audiences. Sandoval's extensive work with diverse communities via her non-profit and research endeavors will serve as an asset for the DIO office. With a keen eye for organization and a meticulous approach, she excels in managing vast and complex data sets, ensuring accuracy, integrity and accessibility throughout the research and evaluation process.
Sandoval holds a MS degree in Applied Social and Health Psychology from Colorado State University Fort Collins and earned her B.A. in Psychology from California State University San Marcos. During her spare time, Sandoval likes to bake, go to the beach and spend time with family. When the weather permits, she keeps the Colorado spirit alive and heads for the mountains.
Janice Vong, Policy Analyst
Janice Vong, BS, is a project policy analyst in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the Institute for Health & Aging at the UCSF School of Nursing. At UCSF, she currently works on an NIH-funded project dedicated toward understanding the impact of a course-based undergraduate research experience on student integration into the scientific community. Additionally, at UC Berkeley, she works on a HHMI-funded project focused on evaluating the scientific attitudes, creativity and impact of interdisciplinary exchange of students enrolled in an Integrative Biology course. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California. In her spare time, she enjoys walks in nature and reading books.
Mariel Nguyen, Project Coordinator
Mariel Nguyen, BS, is a project coordinator for the Office of Opportunity and Engagement at the UCSF School of Nursing. She earned her B.S. in Human Resources Management from San Jose State University. Her background is high volume coordination for recruiting and project teams at Apple, Google and Meta. In her free time, she loves reading books, traveling and eating great food.
Natalie L. Wilson, Faculty Mentor Program Lead
Natalie L. Wilson, PhD, DNP, MPH, APRN-BC, is Associate Professor of Nursing in the Department of Community Health Systems at the UCSF School of Nursing. Her research is informed by almost 30 years of clinical expertise in primary care, HIV, and sexual health. As part of the Ending the HIV Epidemic National Strategy, she will focus on developing innovative solutions to address the constraints marginalized populations and those from disadvantaged socioeconomic environments have in accessing the HIV Status Neutral Care Continuum. She uses community engagement and mixed-methods implementation science methods to transform healthcare by building in health equity at the individual, system, and community levels. Dr. Wilson also conducts research in HIV Symptom Clusters and how phytocannabinoids may be used to mitigate symptoms and inflammation. Dr. Wilson received her doctoral degrees from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, master’s degrees of Nursing and Public Health from Vanderbilt University and UNC-Chapel respectively, and her bachelor’s degree from Spelman College.