Department of Pediatrics Honors, March 2025
President’s Leadership Awards
Congratulations April Crawford, PhD, Professor and Meg and Dick Weekley Distinguished Chair in Childhood Reading and Learning, and Brenda Moncivaiz, MBA, Fellowship Coordinator II, who received the President’s Award for Leadership. The annual President’s Awards for Leadership recognizes exceptional leaders from across UTHealth Houston who demonstrate consistent leadership through service, compassion, and ethical standards. As each of the five honorees were nominated by peers, evaluated by a committee, and selected by Giuseppe N. Colasurdo, MD, former UTHealth Houston president and Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair. The awards were given at the STAR Awards Ceremony, where Dr. Crawford was also honored for her 25 years of service.
L-R: Brenda Moncivaiz, MBA, accepts award; L-R: Naga “Krishna” Kadiyala, April Crawford, Hongfang Liu, Joseph Harrison, and Brenda Moncivaiz received the 2024 President’s Awards for Leadership. (Photo by Jacob Powers); Kevin Morano, PhD, Senior Vice President for Acadmic and Faculty Affairs, and April Crawford at ceremony
Maria del Mar Romero López, MD, MS, PhD
Maria del Mar Romero López, MD, MS, PhD, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Assistant Professor, will chair the 2025 Postdoctoral Symposium hosted by the Office of Research Affairs.
From the Lab of Jun Wang, PhD
Graduate student Julianna Quinn received the 2024-2025 Michael E. Kupferman, MD, Fellowship for $5,000. Selected from a very competitive group of applicants, this fellowship was established in honor of Dr. Michael E. Kupferman, a renowned clinician leader and an expert in the surgical management of pediatric head and neck cancers, to support students conducting biomedical research in any area.
Julianna is a graduate student both in the lab of Jun Wang, PhD, and the Genetics and Epigenetics Program at the UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS).
Team Pedi Fit Wins at TexasMedRun
L-R: Rebecca Fessler and Melinna Lara display their TexasMedRun awards.
Assistant DMO Melinna Lara, MBA, won first in her age group/3rd place master’s female at the 22nd Annual TexasMedRun on Saturday, February 15. Melinna participated in the timed 5K as part of Team Pedi Fit.
Otorhinolaryngology Department Senior Administrative Assistant Rebecca Fessler (pictured) earned 1st place master’s female.
All event proceeds benefitted Harris Health’s Heart Health Initiative.