Dear colleagues,
It is bittersweet for me to announce that Scott Markowitz, MD, has decided to leave the Department of Anesthesiology and return to Colorado to be closer to family starting July 2024.
Dr. Markowitz joined the department three years ago and has played a key leadership role in creating the department’s Office of Professional Development, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Well-being (PDDEI/W), serving as the inaugural vice chair. Since his arrival, Dr. Markowitz instituted three department-wide searches and identified leaders to bring vision and energy to these important focus areas for the betterment of our climate and culture. In 2021, Enyo Ablordeppey, MD, MPH, joined the office as the Associate Vice-Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Erin Herrera, CRNA, as the Associate Vice-Chair of Well-being, respectively. As of April 2024, Rachel Moquin, EdD, will be appointed as the department’s inaugural Associate Vice-Chair for Faculty and Educator Development. Additionally, in 2023 Deven Stepney was recruited as the Program Manager for the office of PDDEI/W. Dr. Markowitz has truly formed an incredible group of leaders who bring so much value to our department.
In focusing on the entire department, the office of PDDEI/W has been innovative in improving our internal assessment of culture, well-being, and belonging, and in providing programming and consultation for faculty, clinical staff, learners, and administrative staff within the department. The ongoing work of the office of PDDEI/W includes leadership development, diversity and inclusion programming, professional development in all areas, skills workshops, well-being programming, support for our training programs, and behind-the-scenes work ensuring our policies and procedures match our values.
In our department and across our campus, Dr. Markowitz has focused his attention on developing others. In addition to recruiting the department’s Associate Vice-Chairs, he has provided advising, coaching, and mentoring support to individuals more broadly. His notable contributions extend to the School of Medicine’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, where he has served as both Chair of the Senior Leadership Committee on DEI and as a DEI Liaison. Additionally, he has been a member of the Faculty Development Advisory Committee within the Office of Faculty Promotions and Career Development. Dr. Markowitz’s commitment to fostering a positive culture is further evidenced by his role on the SAFE Committee, through which he has worked to improve the culture in our department and on our campus.
We thank Dr. Markowitz for his valuable contributions as a leader and appreciate that he is leaving the PDDEI/W office in such great hands with a successful handoff to three outstanding and experienced leaders. We have enjoyed and benefitted immensely from his time in the department and wish him all the best in his next adventure.
With very warm wishes,
Michael
Michael S. Avidan, MBBCh, FCASA
Dr. Seymour and Rose T. Brown Professor of Anesthesiology
Head of the Department of Anesthesiology
Professor of Anesthesiology, Psychiatry, and Surgery
Anesthesiologist-in-Chief, Barnes-Jewish Hospital