National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, has appointed Hannah Valantine, MD, to Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity. Dr. Valantine will lead NIH’s effort to diversify the biomedical research workforce by developing a vision and comprehensive strategy to expand recruitment and retention, and promote inclusiveness and equity throughout the biomedical research enterprise. Dr. Valantine is expected to begin her new role this spring.
Position Dedicated to Diversity
“Recruiting and retaining the brightest minds regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and socioeconomic status, is critically important not only to NIH, but to the entire U.S. scientific enterprise,” said Dr. Collins. “Hannah possesses the experience, dedication, and tenacity needed to move NIH forward on this critically important issue.”
The appointment stems from a recommendation by the Biomedical Research Workforce Diversity Working Group of the Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) that called for a newly created position entirely dedicated to diversity. Dr. Valantine will work closely with the NIH institutes and centers, NIH grantee community, and community stakeholders to ensure engagement on the issue at all levels.
Dr. Valantine comes to the NIH from Stanford University where she served as Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Leadership at Stanford School of Medicine, and Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford University Medical Center. Dr. Valantine studied biochemistry at London University and attended St. George’s Hospital Medical School. She completed her postgraduate work in the field of cardiology at two London hospitals, Brompton and Hammersmith. She moved to the United States to train as a fellow with leading cardiologists. Dr. Valantine is a past recipient of the NIH Director’s Pathfinder Award for Diversity in the Scientific Workforce and has a proven record on implementing diversity initiatives in academic
medicine.
“I’d like to extend my gratitude to Roderic Pettigrew, MD, who served as the Acting Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity while a search was underway,” said Dr. Collins. “Roderic did an incredible job of keeping the initiative moving while continuing to serve as Director of the National Institute on Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. His tireless efforts and knowledge on this important topic will make him an essential resource to Hannah.”
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