Purpose and Safety in Harmony: Cultivating Meaningful and Secure Workplaces

The University of California (UCSF) Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care has established a groundbreaking new leadership director level position and has named Leah Pimentel as their inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Culture. She is creating a culture that reflects what this department and the university stands for, by empowering staff, faculty, fellows, and residents that they have blank canvas, and each person has a paint brush to create the culture they envision. Leah has created a new onboarding process from new hires that includes welcome gifts. When a new employee joins a company, it’s a big occasion for them. They’re starting a new chapter of their life. And there’s no better way to mark the occasion than with a gift. It’s a demonstration of department culture, and signal that we want them to be a part of it. It also gives new hires a taste of our brand and how people engage with one another at work. She manages and leads rebranding of the department DEI committee with six members to guild and hold the department accountable in integrating DEI. Her strategic plan to take the department on a new journey of learning, allyship and accountability. Mrs. Pimentel is a phenomenal leader in today’s innovative, information-rich workplace that gets the right information and making the most of it. She knows it isn’t about systems and theories – it’s about people. Leah understands when to be flexible and when to hold the line. As a smart visionary, Mrs. Pimentel know when to inspire – and when to empower. Her combination of transformational, charismatic, and coaching leadership style has brought innovate ideas to solutions by thinking outside the box, achieving challenging goals, overcoming obstacles, and getting things done. Leah is often referred to as a breath of fresh air. She has been named the co-director for Differences Matter: Build Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Expertise by UCSF’s Office of the Executive Vice Dean. Differences Matter is a multi-year, multi-faceted School of Medicine initiative to make UCSF the most diverse, equitable, and inclusive academic medical system in the country. Over the next two years, Leah will play a pivotal role in identifying the competencies and training that UCSF’s faculty, staff, leaders, and learners need to build a more equitable and inclusive institution. Leah Pimentel was appointed in 2016 by Mayor Lee to serve on the Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure to oversee land use, development, and design approval authority for the Major Approved Development Projects (Mission Bay, Hunters Point Shipyard/Candlestick Point and Transbay) and manage the former Redevelopment Agency assets in YBC in place of the former San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Commission. In 2022, she was appointed by Mayor Breed to serve on the Human Rights Commission, to advocates for human and civil rights, and works in service of the City’s antidiscrimination laws to further racial solidarity, equity, and healing. In 2023, Leah received the UCSF Chancellor’s Award for Diversity. Leah Pimentel, MBA, is a 2022 recipient of the Healthcare DEI Champions Award as part of the Health Equity and Leadership Conference for her advancements in DEI and Culture. Additionally, Leah was named one of San Francisco’s Most Influential Women in Business by the San Francisco Business Times. Pimentel serves as the first African American woman to serve in a leadership role as the 1sT Vice Presidents of the Cow Palace Board of Directors, promoting and showcasing a variety of entertainment and events to serve the needs and reflect the cultural diversity of the community. Conducting annually a unique event, The Grand National Livestock Expo, Horse Show, & Rodeo, and continuing to encourage youth participation in the agricultural industry.