2024 Breaking Barriers Award Nominees
The ElevateMeD Breaking Barriers Award was established to recognize physician leaders whose work addressing healthcare disparities is positively and innovatively impacting diversity within medicine.
Annually, the ElevateMeD Board of Directors votes upon an outstanding individual to receive this honor. These leaders directly support the Scholars Program by providing our Scholars with a unique opportunity to engage intimately with them while learning more about their journeys in medicine. We formally recognize award recipients at our ElevateMeD events.
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More about Nominees
Dr. Carlos Gonzales
Highlights
SPECIALTY
Family & Community Medicine
EDUCATION
Medical School: University of Arizona - Tucson
Residency: University of New Mexico School of Medicine
AFFILIATIONS
University of Arizona - Tucson (Assistant Dean/Associate Professor)
Association of American Indian Physicians
Biography
Carlos R. Gonzales, M.D., FAAFP, resides in Nogales and Tucson, Arizona. He is the Assistant Dean for Medical Student Education and Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine (FCM) at the University of Arizona-Tucson, College of Medicine. As Assistant Dean, he is the director of two important UA COM- Tucson programs: the Rural Health Professions Program (RHPP) and the Commitment to Underserved Peoples (CUP) volunteer program. Also, he is in charge of the two Distinction Tacks associated with these programs: the Rural Health Distinction Track and the Community Service Distinction Track. Another program he is intimately involved with is the Societies Learning Communities, where he is 1 of 20 Mentors for medical students at the UA COM- Tucson; and he is also the mentor for the Pre- Medical Admissions Program (P-MAP), our post-baccalaureate program. Dr. Gonzales is an Adviser on Traditional Indian and Western Medicine Collaboration at the College of Medicine. He was a Family Physician and the Medical Director at the El Rio Neighborhood Health Center for 8 years; and was a rural Family Physician in Patagonia, AZ for 13 years. Dr. Gonzales was a member of the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission. In 1997, he was named Arizona Family Physician of the Year. He was on the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Board of Directors. He is a Past-President of the Arizona Academy of Family Physicians (AzAFP). In addition, he has been initiated into the Association of American Indian Physicians. Dr. Gonzales received his B.A. from Carleton College in Northfield, MN in 1977 and his M.D. from the University of Arizona, College of Medicine in Tucson, AZ in 1981. He completed a Family Medicine Residency at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, NM in 1984. He also completed Fellowships in Adolescent Medicine from the University of New Mexico's Department of FCM in 1985, and in Faculty Development from the University of Arizona's Department of FCM in 1986. Carlos is a sixth generation Tucsonan of Yaqui and Mexican descent who grew up on Tucson's southside, and is one of the first high school graduates in his family. Dr. Gonzales is married to Debbie, and has four children, Michael, Evelinda, Carlos Alejandro, and Felip. He also participates in the Traditional Easter Ceremonies at the New Pascua Yaqui Pueblo in Tucson. He also leads Yaqui-Inipi Way Sweat Lodge Ceremonies.
Dr. Erica Montes
Highlights
*Dr. Montes received the most votes for the 2023 Breaking Barriers Award but was unable to accept due to schedule conflict.
SPECIALTY
OB/GYN
EDUCATION
Medical School: UT Health San Antonio
Residency: UT Southwestern Medical Center-Parkland Hospital (elected one of three chief residents at the largest program in the nation)
Fellow of the American College of OB/GYN
AFFILIATIONS
Deborah Wilson MD & Associates / HonorHealth
Executive Board Member of LatinaStrong Foundation
(leads Awards & Scholarships)
Online Blogger: The Modern Mujer Blog was created to provide women with a place to find expert information about female health. https://www.themodernmujer.com/en/about
Biography
Dr. Erica Montes is a Board-Certified Gynecologist who joined the practice in January 2023. She received her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She completed her OB/GYN residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center-Parkland Hospital where she was elected one of three chief residents at the largest program in the nation. Born and raised in Texas she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA degree in Biology with Honors.
Dr. Montes has worked in the Valley since completing residency in 2012 and is well-known by her patients for her compassionate approach to care.
Dr. Montes is robotically trained on the DaVinci Robotic Surgical System and excels in minimally invasive surgical procedures and in-office procedures offering patients quick recovery with great outcomes. Medical interests include abnormal uterine bleeding, PCOS, uterine fibroids, and vulvar conditions, as well as preventive medicine and family planning. In addition to her excellent clinical and surgical skills, Dr. Montes is fluent in both Spanish and English.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three sons, traveling, and medical blogging. The Modern Mujer Blog was created to provide women with a place to find expert information about female health. She provides an online wealth of knowledge, encourages women to take charge of their health, and provides a platform for empowerment and patient advocacy.
Dr. Michele Halyard
Highlights
SPECIALTY
Radiation Oncology (retired)
EDUCATION
Medical School: Howard University
Residency: Howard University
AFFILIATIONS
Arizona Community Foundation Board of Directors
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine Dean (retired)
Biography
Dr. Halyard was a member of the Mayo Clinic staff from 1989 until her retirement in June 2023. She currently holds the rank of Professor of Radiation Oncology and is a recognized expert in the treatment of breast cancer. Dr. Halyard served as the Suzanne Hanson Poole Vice Dean of the national Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and dean of the Arizona campus, which she helped to launch. In her role as Vice Dean, Dr. Halyard was responsible for operational integration of the three medical school campuses in Minnesota, Arizona, and Florida. She successfully led the first-ever three-site accreditation of the medical school by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.
Dr. Halyard was a member of the Mayo Clinic Executive Committee and Board of Trustees, the Mayo Clinic Medical School Education Committee, the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Sciences Education Committee, and the Education Finance Committee with an annual budget of $200 million. In addition to her roles within the Mayo Clinic, she has served on the Flinn Foundation Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee and was the co-founder and President of the Coalition of Blacks Against Breast Cancer in 2010 and the Coalition of Blacks Against Cancer in 2021. She currently serves as the Western Area of The Links, Incorporated Health and Human Services Chair, responsible for health-related programming at 61 chapters in the western United States.
Dr. Victor Waters
Highlights
SPECIALTY
Internal & Emergency Medicine
EDUCATION
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Residency: St Luke's University Hospital & City of Faith Hospital
Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law
AFFILIATIONS
Dignity Health Chief Medical Officer
National Board Member of the American Lung Association
Creighton University current volunteer
Member of the CommonSpirit National Diversity and Inclusion Council
Biography
With over 30 years of experience as a physician attorney, I have a unique combination of skillsets and experiences that position me to be well-suited for Fortune 500 boards. As the current CMO of Dignity Health Arizona Central and West Valley Market, I oversee the clinical and operational excellence of a large academic medical center, building coalitions among multiple stakeholders and ensuring compliance with regulatory and quality standards.I am also an entrepreneur and a board member of two healthcare organizations, where I leverage my global-minded expertise in risk, compliance, and marketing to engage with investors, develop strategies, and advise on technology innovation. As a multicultural person, I am passionate about creating meaningful and powerful relationships personally, professionally, and within board rooms. As a former athlete, I value myself and strive for perfection in both physical and mental wellness. My success is based on integrity and transparency, and my mission is to serve humanity.