Diversity and Inclusion | Diversity Team (UTRGV School of Medicine)

Diversity Team

Leadership

Sofia Hernandez, MPA: Chief Diversity Officer; (956) 296-1951; Sofia.Hernandez@utrgv.edu

Sofia Hernandez, MPA

Sofia Hernandez, MPA
Chief Diversity Officer
Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity
Email: Sofia.Hernandez@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 296-1951

Sofia Hernandez is the Chief of Staff for the UTRGV Office of Health Affairs and School of Medicine. She also serves as the Chief Diversity Officer for Health Affairs. Before joining UTRGV, she was the Vice President for Government Affairs and Graduate Medical Education at DHR Health. Hernandez has more than 25 years’ experience working in health care and public policy having worked for United Healthcare, Hidalgo County, and State Senators Juan Hinojosa, Eddie Lucio, Judith Zaffirini and the late Carlos Truan.

Sofia earned her undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin. She also earned her MPA from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Faculty

Adela Valdez, MD, MBA: Associate Dean Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity; (956) 296-1471; Adela.Valdez@utrgv.edu

Adela Valdez, MD, MBA

Adela Valdez, MD, MBA
Associate Dean Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity
Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity
Email: Adela.Valdez@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 296-1471

Dr. Adela Valdez serves as the Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion and Associate Dean of Continuing Medical Education. In her role, she is responsible for creating the infrastructure for continuing medical education and diversity pipeline programs. She has a deep knowledge of these issues and has extensive national relationships that she brings to this position. Dr. Valdez previously served as Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and she currently serves as a clinical professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine.

She earned a B.S. in biology from the University of Houston, an M.D. from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and did her residency at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio’s (UTHSCSA) family practice program in McAllen. She received her MBA from the Ken Blanchard MBA program at Grand Canyon University and a Health Care Policy fellowship from NYU/NHMA.

Benxu Cheng, PhD: Assistant Professor of Research; (956) 665-6424; Benxu.Cheng@utrgv.edu

Benxu Cheng, PhD

Benxu Cheng, PhD
Assistant Professor of Research
Molecular Science
Email: Benxu.Cheng@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 665-6424

Shivani Maffi, PhD: Associate Professor of Research; (956) 665-6412; Shivani.Maffi@utrgv.edu

Shivani Maffi, PhD

Shivani Maffi, PhD
Associate Professor of Research
Molecular Science
EMEBL 3.129 (Edinburg)
Email: Shivani.Maffi@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 665-6412

Staff

Esmeralda Lozano: Program Manager, Diversity Programs; (956) 296-1454; Esmeralda.Lozano@utrgv.edu

Esmeralda Lozano

Esmeralda Lozano
Program Manager, Diversity Programs
Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity
HCEBL 3.112
Email: Esmeralda.Lozano@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 296-1454

Students

Fabiola Valenzuela: Medical Student (Class of 2021); Fabiola.Valenzuela01@utrgv.edu

Fabiola Valenzuela

Fabiola Valenzuela
Medical Student (Class of 2021)
Email: Fabiola.Valenzuela01@utrgv.edu

Residents

Diego Moreno, MD: Resident PGY 3; Diego.Moreno@utrgv.edu

Diego Moreno, MD

Diego Moreno, MD
Resident PGY 3
Family Medicine
Email: Diego.Moreno@utrgv.edu

Diversity Resources

Rachael Berget, M.Ed: Director of Accreditation (SOM); (956) 296-1704; Rachael.Berget@utrgv.edu

Rachael Berget, M.Ed

Rachael Berget, M.Ed
Director of Accreditation (SOM)
Email: Rachael.Berget@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 296-1704

Betty Monfort, MPH: Senior Associate Dean, Admissions and Enrollment Management; Betty.Monfort@utrgv.edu

Betty Monfort, MPH

Betty Monfort, MPH
Senior Associate Dean, Admissions and Enrollment Management
Email: Betty.Monfort@utrgv.edu

Florence Nocar, JD: Chief Institutional Equity and Diversity Officer, UTRGV; Florence.Nocar@utrgv.edu

Florence Nocar, JD

Florence Nocar, JD
Chief Institutional Equity and Diversity Officer, UTRGV
Email: Florence.Nocar@utrgv.edu

Kate Rader, FASPR: Director, School of Medicine Faculty Recruitment; Kate.Rader@utrgv.edu

Kate Rader, FASPR

Kate Rader, FASPR
Director, School of Medicine Faculty Recruitment
Email: Kate.Rader@utrgv.edu

Beatriz Tapia, MD, EdD, MPH: Assistant Dean, Faculty Development; Beatriz.Tapia@utrgv.edu

Beatriz Tapia, MD, EdD, MPH

Beatriz Tapia, MD, EdD, MPH
Assistant Dean, Faculty Development
Office of Faculty Affairs
Email: Beatriz.Tapia@utrgv.edu

Beatriz Tapia, M.D., Ed.D., M.P.H, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and the Assistant Dean of Faculty Development at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Harlingen, Texas. Dr. Tapia is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She attended the Autonomous University of Puebla in Mexico, where she received her M.D., and the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University (JHSPH), in Baltimore, Maryland, where she received her Master’s in Public Health. In addition to her M.P.H., Dr. Tapia trained in occupational health and environmental medicine, health disparities and health inequality at the JHSPH. Dr. Tapia is also a recent graduate of a Doctor of Education in Professional Leadership with an Emphasis in Health Science Education from the University of Houston.

Since her appointment as assistant dean in 2015, Dr. Tapia has led the planning of over 120 faculty development series and workshops for UME and GME. Dr. Tapia is also a founding member for the Texas Consortium for Faculty Success (TCFS) established in 2016. The TCFS is a professional community of faculty and administrative leaders responsible for faculty affairs and faculty development in Texas' academic health institutions.

Dr. Tapia is a strong advocate for the medically underserved; she continuously provides environmental and public health education to promotoras (lay healthcare workers), public health professionals and community centers. Her research interests are border health, environmental medicine, public health, minority health, faculty development and medical education research.

Diversity and Inclusion (UTRGV School of Medicine)

Diversity Team
Reports and Data
Diversity Categories
Diversity Programs
Spotlight
Faculty Development Diversity Leadership Series

Contact

Sofia Hernandez
Chief Diversity Officer
Email: Sofia.Hernandez@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 296-1951

Resources

For Students
For Faculty
SOM Newsletter

Helpful Links

Diversity Strategic Plan
Faculty Development Diversity Leadership Series
Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity
Student Mistreatment
UTRGV Center for Diversity and Inclusion