Main ContentAwards and Recognition
The UMMC GWIMS chapter presents seven awards each year to outstanding female UMMC faculty members, students or trainees and members of the UMMC community. The Trailblazer Award is presented to a male faculty member.
Awards
Below is a list of GWIMS awards. Click here for a PDF list of each award's criteria and eligibility requirements.
- LouAnn Woodward, MD Authentic Leadership Award
- Helen Barnes, MD Diversity and Inclusion Award
- UMMC GWIMS Innovation Award
- UMMC GWIMS Resilient Spirit Award
- UMMC GWIMS Emerging Star Award (Student/Residents/Fellows)
- UMMC GWIMS Rising Star Award (Early-Career Faculty)
- UMMC GWIMS Shining Star Award (Mid-Career Faculty)
- UMMC GWIMS Trailblazer Award (Male Faculty)
- UMMC GWIMS Mentor Award
- UMMC GWIMS Trainee Recognition Award
2021 honorees
Click here to view the video announcement of the 2021 GWIMS Awards awardees.
Award | Honoree |
LouAnn Woodward, MD Authentic Leadership Award | Nita Maihle, PhD Assoc. Director of Basic Science Research Cancer Center & Research Institute Professor Dept. Cell and Molecular Biology School of Medicine |
Helen Barnes, MD Diversity and Inclusion Award | Michelle Owens, MD Medical Director Maternal-Fetal Medicine Professor Dept. Obstectrics and Gynecology School of Medicine |
Innovation Award | Mohadetheh Moulana, PhD Director Curriculum Development Assistant Professor Dept. Pshychiatry and Human Behavior School of Medicine |
Resilient Spirit Award | Bhagyashri Navalkele, MD Medical Director Division of Infectious Diseases Dept. Medicine Assistant Professor School of Medicine |
Emerging Star Award (Student/Residents/Fellows) | Megha Satpathy Graduate Research Assistant PhD Candidate Dept. Biomedical Materials Science School of Dentistry |
Rising Star Award (Early-Career Faculty) | Caroline Compretta, PhD Co-Director Community Engaged Research Core Assistant Professor Dept. Preventive Medicine School of Population Health |
Shining Star Award (Mid-Career Faculty) | Crystal Lim, PhD Director Psychology Internship Program Associate Professor Dept. Psychiatry and Human Behavior School of Medicine |
Trailblazer Award (Male Faculty) | Vikas Majithia, MD Chief Division of Rheumatology Dept. Medicine Professor School of Medicine |
Trainee Recognition Award | Mary Nittala, PhD Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dept. Radiation Oncology School of Medicine |
2020 honorees

2019 honorees
LouAnn Woodward, MD Authentic Leadership Award - Loretta Jackson-Williams, MD
Helen B. Barnes, MD Diversity and Inclusion Award - Felicia Tardy, MD
Innovation Award - Barbara Alexander, PhD
Resilient Spirit Award - Julie Schumacher, PhD
Emerging Star Award - Erin Taylor, PhD
Rising Star Award - Felicitas Koler, MD
Shining Star Award - Jennifer Sasser, PhD
Trailblazer Award - Alan Jones, MD

Back row (L-R): Jennifer Sasser, Felicia Tardy, Alan Jones, Loretta Jackson-Williams
Front row (L-R): Barbara Alexander, Erin Taylor, Julie Schumacher
2018 honorees
LouAnn Woodward, MD Authentic Leadership Award - Jane Reckelhoff, PhD
Helen B. Barnes, MD Diversity and Inclusion Award - Juanyce Taylor, PhD
Innovation Award - Alexandra Castillo, PhD
Resilient Spirit Award - Penni Lowery, NP
Emerging Star Award - Ashley Albert, MD
Rising Star Award - Anju Sukumaran, MD
Shining Star Award - Mobolaji Famuyide, MD
Trailblazer Award - Abhay Bhatt, MD

(L-R): Ashley Albert, Anju Sukumaran, Abhay Bhatt, Juanyce Taylor
2017 honorees
LouAnn Woodward, MD Authentic Leadership Award - LouAnn Woodward, MD
Helen B. Barnes, MD Diversity and Inclusion Award - Helen B. Barnes, MD
Innovation Award - Merry Lindsey, PhD
Resilient Spirit Award - Bettina Beech, MD
Emerging Star Award - Kristine DeLeon-Pennell, PhD
Rising Star Award - Sarah Sterling, PhD
Shining Star Award - Pia Chatterjee Kirk, DM
Trailblazer Award - Robert Prodell, MD