As they near the end of their term on Weill Cornell Medicine’s Staff Equity and Inclusion Council (SEIC), Vanessa Dudley and Princess Osma, both research staff members in the Weill Department of Medicine’s division of General Internal Medicine, are being remembered for making a lasting impact on the division’s commitment to promoting equity and inclusion in the Weill Cornell Medicine community.
Vanessa, Research Program Manager on division chief Dr. Monika Safford’s research team, was named SEIC Champion of the Month for January 2025. Since joining Weill Cornell Medicine in 2004, Vanessa has worked to improve patient coordination and research management processes.
For the past two years, Vanessa and Princess, Assistant Research Coordinator on Dr. Parag Goyal’s team and SEIC Champion of the Month for January 2024, have organized events around World Mental Health Day, National Poverty in America Awareness Month, and International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, among others.
Both are firm believers that hands-on volunteering can significantly advance equity and inclusion in the workplace. Recently, Vanessa joined as an officer of the newly created Employee Resource Group (ERG) called Women in Search of Excellence (WISE) for women at Weill Cornell Medicine looking to network and support one another to prevent burnout. Princess has volunteered during food service at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House with other colleagues from across the division of General Internal Medicine. Their efforts have provided much-needed support and resources to their colleagues.
They believe that colleagues can actively practice inclusion in various ways, fostering a culture of active listening, withholding assumptions, and valuing diverse perspectives. Their dedication and enthusiasm have made a lasting impact, educating the community about different cultures, identities, and experiences.