ElevateMeD Announcements and Updates
In celebration of the organization's third anniversary, ElevateMeD is proud to announce its upcoming fundraising event, Ignite Atlanta. The first event of its multi-city fundraising efforts is set to take place on Thursday, May 12, 2022. Full event details and registration can be found at ignite.elevatemed.org.
Read MoreFounded in 2019, Scottsdale-based nonprofit, ElevateMeD, celebrated a weekend of events to support diversity in medicine. On the morning of October 2, 2021, they hosted the first Scholars Summit, sponsored by Mayo Clinic, Bristol Myers Squibb, and NovoCure, providing the current ElevateMeD Scholars an opportunity to participate in professional development workshops. The evening, beginning at 5 pm PDT, featured the organization’s Explosion of a Dream: Hybrid Fundraiser, held at the Scottsdale Hangar One- Red Room.
Read MoreThis Fall, the organization is hosting its third annual, “Explosion of a Dream” fundraising event on the evening of Saturday, October 2, 2021, at Hangar One- Red Room (15220 N 78th Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85260), beginning at 5PM PDT / 8PM EDT with both virtual and in-person ticket options. The weekend will also feature the first Scholars Summit, a series of live professional development and networking opportunities for the program’s recipients. Presale tickets and donations are now available through September 30th, 2021.
Read MoreThe Scholars Program, which selected its inaugural cohort of students in Spring 2020, welcomes 10 new students, and additional medical school partners. The 2021-2022 Scholars Program recipients and their respective institutions…
Read MoreHeading into its second year, the organization is proud to announce its annual philanthropy event, “Explosion of a Dream… Nothing Is Impossible”, set to take place virtually on Saturday, October 3, 2020 beginning at 4:30PM PDT / 7:30PM EDT.
Read MoreIn just one year, Scottsdale based nonprofit ElevateMeD has successfully self funded and proudly announces the inaugural cohort of the Scholars Program on May 4th, 2020. The 2020-2021 Scholars Program features a dynamic group of 10 medical students selected from distinguished partnering universities, each who are from underrepresented backgrounds in medicine.
Read MoreOver the past 12 months, we have identified individuals who are committed to the mission and vision of ElevateMeD and desire to see our programmatic and philanthropic goals manifest. We recognized that in order to build programs that will be of value to medical students, we needed to have medical student advisors.
Read MoreSet on the backdrop of beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona, more than 130 guests joined ElevateMeD at their first launch reception on Saturday night at the Hotel Valley Ho Skyline Rooftop. The goal for this fundraising event was to raise $30,000 for the 2020 ElevateMeD Scholars Program. By the end of the evening, the organization successfully raised more than $90,000, tripling their goal.
Read MoreThe ElevateMeD Board of Directors were carefully selected to provide strategic guidance in the fulfillment of ElevateMed’s mission and vision. Our Board is committed to elevating medicine by prioritizing physician workforce diversity, closing the gap of financial inequity in medical education, and supporting the next generation of physician leaders.
Read MoreChikodi Ohaya is inspired by her mother's acts of kindness and her resilience and how dermatology serves as an avenue for change in burn care across community, clinics, and classrooms.
Adam Brown discovered medicine as a transformative force, shaping every aspect of his life through the mission of serving others in need. With that force came the honor of stepping into a leadership role within his community.
Elizette Rodriguez discovered her passion for OB/GYN from the first time she stepped into the delivery room. The power of supporting a woman in her most vulnerable and meaningful moments has assured Elizette of the lasting impact she can make.
Jessica Norman reflects on the driving motivator that led her to medicine, shedding light on essential characteristics that every doctor needs—listening skills and empathy.
Ariel Walker witnessed her father suffer a stroke that ultimately ignited her "lifelong passion for the brain" in neurosurgery. Through the skillsets of precision and versatility, Ariel is challenged yet thrilled to approach every patient with the goal of their healing in real time.
Ruth Amaku has found purpose in medicine from her own journey in sports. She believed that her journey exposed the importance of general wellness, and looks forward to applying this in her future journey as a sports medicine physician.
Keleb Mehari believes that his journey through medicine is about healing and being a source of great emotional understanding for his patients, driven by his own experiences and injuries. To Keleb, being a healer is not just an approach, but a general embodiment.
Launched on May 13, 2019, ElevateMeD s proud to announce the 2025-26 Scholars Program cohort. This year's cohort of exceptional medical students represents the future of medicine and embodies the organization's commitment to fostering a healthcare landscape that assures equitable health outcomes for all. This announcement also marks the sixth anniversary of ElevateMeD and its ongoing dedication to supporting future physician leaders.
Sydni Williams plans to advocate for the patients of marginalized identity who present to the emergency department (ED) to receive care. The ED is many of these patient’s first interface with the healthcare system and she’s eager to serve as an ally for these patients.
What does The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation and #ElevateMeD have in common? A commitment to HEALTH EQUITY!
Watch remarks from Mayo Clinic CEO in Arizona, Dr. Richard Gray shared remarks this year and was introduced by 2024-25 ElevateMeD Scholar and 4th year Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine medical student, Casey Martinez.
Student organizations like Ohio University American Medical Student Association help us engage bright minds and expand our reach. These organizations are filled with future physicians who will become leaders, thinkers, and doers. We must not only look for ways to partner with these student organizations but also continue to encourage and support them along their physician journey.
Each year since 2019, Council and Associates LLC has risen to the occasion to become an event sponsor for our Explosion of a Dream and Ignite Atlanta scholarship events. We asked owner, Lashonda Council-Rogers, Esq., to share the why behind her generous giving and to give a view of what she experiences attending ElevateMeD events as a sponsor.
Founded in 2006, Walton Isaacson is one of the most respected advertising agencies in the world, having worked with clients such as Lexus, McDonalds, and Amazon to name a few.
Thank you #LoveTitos for continuing to support our mission and acknowledging the work that we are doing to elevate the field of medicine!
All Medical Personnel’s partnership with ElevateMeD continues with a generous donation of $43,000 in 2022. In 2021, $52,647 was raised totaling over $95,000 for the past two years.
As part of a two-year pledge to ElevateMeD, this special scholarship is awarded to ElevateMeD Scholars who present a desire to pursue a medical career that will impact mental health in communities of color.
In 2019, our organization was introduced to Dr. Timothy Gooding and Mrs. Alisa Gooding, two of the co-founders of Arizona based nonprofit Inspire Youth Enrichment Foundation.
The generosity of ElevateMeD Mentor Dr. Louise Yeung and her husband has truly shown us how together we can give in creative ways!
Health Care Disparities and the Latinx Population (Read Article)
Latinas in Motion Impacting the Sports Industry (Read Article)
Jeff joined ElevateMeD in February 2025 from Columbia, South Carolina bringing infectious passion, proven leadership, and decades of successful nonprofit leadership.
Please join us in welcoming our newest Advisory Board members…
Please join us in welcoming our newest Advisory Board members…
Please join us in welcoming our newest Board Member…
Please join us in welcoming our newest Advisory Board members…
Congratulations are in order for our Advisory Board Members Sophia Ederaine and Johanny Lopez Dominguez! We were honored to celebrate with them this #MatchDay2022, as they both learned about their residency upon graduation this Spring!
I decided to join the Board of Directors for ElevateMeD because it aligns with my core value of inclusion. The literature showed that to provide the best healthcare to our patients, we need to understand their culture, speak their language, among other factors.
Healthcare is my ministry. It is a calling and my inroad to impact social change. I firmly believe that any disparity within our industry serves as a microcosm for injustices that continue to plague society-at-large. I am on a mission to truly transform healthcare and looking to partner with anyone that shares the same mindset.
I chose to pursue a career in anesthesiology because I enjoy moment-to-moment decision making as well as the practical application of physiology and pharmacology. 3% of anesthesiologists are reported to identify as Black/African-American. Of those 3%, the majority are women.
Czarina Retana's journey to medicine was faced by many hardships in her community, ranging from economic challenges to lack of equal care. This developed her commitment to serve and desire to be present for patients during their most difficult moments by providing compassion and an open ear.