Dear Members of the Brown Community

As we prepare for the October departure of Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity Sylvia Carey-Butler, I am writing with an update on interim leadership for the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED). I’m pleased to share that Dr. Patricia Poitevien, senior associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion for the Division of Biology and Medicine, will serve as interim vice president while we conduct a search for our next permanent leader.

An associate professor of pediatrics, Pat joined the Warren Alpert Medical School faculty in 2018. Since 2022, she has provided integral leadership as senior associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, a role in which she has served as a valuable liaison between the medical school community, OIED and Brown’s affiliated clinical partners. She has helped to advance the University’s commitment to strengthening diversity and inclusion, enabling new collaborations and supporting effective policies and initiatives that advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

As an expert in disparities in medical education and health care, Pat has lectured widely and led numerous workshops to support diverse and inclusive environments in higher education and medicine. Her research focuses on inclusion and mentorship for underrepresented learners, as well as bias in medical education. Prior to joining Brown, Pat was an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at New York University’s school of medicine. She is the immediate past president of the Association of Pediatric Program Directors and was a founding member of the association’s Learning Community on Underrepresented Minorities in Medicine.

As a graduate of the Program in Liberal Medical Education, Pat earned both a bachelor’s degree in French literature and an M.D. from Brown. Until 2022, she led the Brown Pediatrics Residency Program at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, which is an affiliated hospital of the medical school.

Through her extensive experience and close work with campus leaders, colleagues, students and community partners, Pat has wide-ranging knowledge of the Brown community and a deep appreciation for the University’s focus on the importance of diversity and inclusion in achieving the highest standards of academic excellence. Under her interim leadership, OIED will continue to serve as an essential partner to units across campus to ensure that Brown is a vibrant academic community that enables all members to thrive. I appreciate her commitment to taking on this important role, which will take effect on Nov. 1.

Sincerely,

Christina H. Paxson
President