Damaris Javier’s (she, her, ella) professional experience, over 19 years, has focused on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA), and health disparities and equity efforts, including supporting individuals, organizations, and entities within Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine (STEMM), aligned health professions, and biomedical/ behavioral fields, especially those who have been historically marginalized in these career fields. Her work and research interest surrounds effective methods and interventions, including those that tackle systemic barriers, to influence persistence, equity and inclusivity within STEMM, aligned health professions, and biomedical/ behavioral fields. Her professional focus has been in Higher Education with expertise in culturally responsive and effective mentorship, health equity, local and national program development and strategic management, workforce development, student/ faculty career development and progression, course and training development, partnership development, higher education organization, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA) efforts, as well as recruitment, retention, and engagement efforts in STEMM education, aligned health professions, P-12 and Higher Education.

Damaris serves as the Associate Director for Training Program at the Institute of Health Disparities (IHD) at UNT Health Science Center. She is also an MPI for an R25 to develop and disseminate nationwide a nationwide Addressing Structural Racism and Discrimination course to enhance training and ultimately foster recruitment and persistence of individuals within the biomedical research workforce. She also serve as a Co-Investigator for the National Research Mentoring Network-Resource Center (NRMN), an NIH initiative to provide mentorship, networking, and professional development to diversify the biomedical/behavioral workforce. She is also a trained as Entering Mentoring Facilitator and Entering Research Facilitator and have facilitated workshops nationwide, utilizing evidenced-based curriculum, to create a community of learners to become more effective in mentoring relationships as well as develop students’ research skills in navigating the research training environment. Previously, Damaris Javier served as the Director of the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at Columbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. In this role, she directed the diversity programs for historically marginalized middle school, high school, undergraduate, and graduate populations interested in STEM and health professions. She also directed recruitment/retention initiatives for historically marginalized medical, health professions and STEMM individuals at Columbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.