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DEI Committee
hands together in a huddle
Incorporating a diversity, inclusion, and equity lens to everything we do.

DEI Committee

The WSMA is committed to building health equity and eliminating disparities to improve health care in Washington. As part of that commitment, and recognizing that we are responsible for ensuring that all member voices are heard, the WSMA is incorporating a diversity, inclusion, and equity lens to everything we do. To help guide this work, 2021-22 WSMA President Mika Sinanan, MD, PhD, implemented a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee charged with informing WSMA policy development as well as the association’s demographics to ensure that we are a truly representative organization.

WSMA DEI Workgroup recommended scope

  • Providing reports to the membership regarding demographics of members, governance committees, and leadership.
  • Providing information to the WSMA board of trustees for proposed resolutions to the House of Delegates.
  • Offering insights to all resolutions submitted to the WSMA, specifically commenting on the potential effect a resolution might have on diversity, equity, or inclusion.
  • Serving as a resource for the membership and WSMA board of trustees to help inform and interrogate policy.
  • Other duties as assigned in writing by the WSMA president with approval of the board of trustees.

The DEI Committee will provide quarterly reports on its actions to the WSMA board of trustees and will report annually to the WSMA House of Delegates.

Committee Members

The DEI Committee consists of no more than 15 members appointed by the WSMA president with the approval of the board of trustees. Each member shall be appointed to a two-year term.

Katina Rue MD

WSMA President-Elect Katina Rue, DO
DEI Committee Co-chair
Family medicine
Residency Program Director
Trios Health Family Medicine Residency, Tri-Cities


John H. Vassall, MD

John H. Vassall, MD
DEI Committee Co-chair
Internal medicine
Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Clinical Education
Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Everett campus


Olabode (Bode) Akinsanya, MD

Olabode (Bode) Akinsanya, MD
Family medicine
Overlake Medical Clinics, Issaquah


Mabel Bodell, MD

Mabel Bodell, MD
Co-Chair Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Council
Confluence Health | Wenatchee Valley Hospital & Clinics Campus


Anthony L-T Chen, MD, MPH

Anthony L-T Chen, MD, MPH
Family medicine
Director of Health
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department


Kristin Conn, MD, FAAFP

Kristin Conn, MD, FAAFP
Family medicine
Senior Associate Medical Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity
Washington Permanente Medical Group


Amish Dave, MD

Amish Dave, MD
Board-certified rheumatologist
Virginia Mason Medical Center


Colin Fields, MD

Colin Fields, MD
Family physician
Washington Permanente Medical Group


Carrie Horwitch, MD

Carrie Horwitch, MD
Internal medicine
Clinical Associate Professor, Health Systems and Population Health
Clinical Associate Professor, Medicine
University of Washington School of Public Health
Associate Program Director
Virginia Mason Medical Center


Timothy Iwuoha

Timothy Iwuoha
Fourth-year medical student
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences


Adam Knott
Student
Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Washington State University


Bindu Nayak, MD

Bindu Nayak, MD
Endocrinology
Confluence Health, Wenatchee


Okechukwu "OK" Ojogho, MD, MMM, FACS

Okechukwu "OK" Ojogho, MD, MMM, FACS
Transplant surgery
Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery
University of Washington School of Medicine
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital, Spokane


Jose Carlos Flores Rodarte

Jose Carlos Flores Rodarte, MD
Family medicine resident
UW Medicine Primary Care - Northgate, Seattle


Alan Urbina, MD

Alan Urbina, MD
Gastroenterology
Virginia Mason-Franciscan Health, Lakewood


Estell Williams, MD

Estell Williams, MD
Surgery
Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery
Executive Director, Doctor for a Day Outreach Program
University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle


Áine Kelly Yore, MD
Emergency medicine physician
North Sound Emergency Medicine


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