Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar is presented with Annie E. Casey Foundation mentorship award

Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar (right) is pictured with her mentee, Noe Chavez, assistant professor at the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles, immediately after being presented with the award.

OT professor and department head Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar received the Change Matrix Best Mentor Award from the Annie E. Casey Foundation Leaders in Equity Evaluation and Diversity program (LEEAD) for “seeing potential others overlook and providing seemingly small support that makes big results possible.”

The LEEAD program selects, by invitation only, mentors from around the country to be matched with junior professionals/faculty  to engage them in diversity and evaluation research. Typically there are about 25-30 mentors from around the country. Only one award is presented.