The UCSF School of Medicine John A. Watson Faculty Scholar Fund, established in 2015, supports the recruitment and retention of exceptional faculty whose research, clinical work, or teaching addresses health equity, reduces healthcare disparities, and advances medical knowledge in underserved populations. The faculty who are selected will be named the John A. Watson Scholars in honor of John A. Watson, PhD, a pioneer for diversity, an inspiring mentor, and a noteworthy scientist whose service to the UCSF School of Medicine spanned forty-six years.

2026 Class of John A. Watson Faculty Scholars

Ryan Assaf, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Tokunbo Ayeni, MD
Assistant Professor, Otolaryngology

Lastascia Coleman, PhD, CNM
Associate Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

Elsy Compres, MD
Assistant Professor, Dermatology

Clara Gomez-Sanchez, MD
Assistant Professor, Surgery

Rachel Logan, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine

Natasha Ludwig-Barron, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Roberto Ricardo-Gonzalez, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Dermatology

Jenny Tiskus, MD
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Mary Zuniga, MD
Assistant Professor, Neurology

2025 Class
2025 Watson Scholars

Christopher Brunson, MD
Assistant Professor, Radiology and Biomedical Imaging

D. Nyasha Chagwedera, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry

April Edwell, MD, MEd
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Rony A. François, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Dermatology and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Meghan Hewlett, MD, MPH, MS
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

Tanisha Hill-Jarrett, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurology

Carmen Kilpatrick, MD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry

Angela Suen, MD
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Josie Urbina, MD
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

Rama Yakubu, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Laboratory Medicine

2024 Class

Class of 2024 Watson Scholars

Brittany Bryant, DSW, LCSW
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry

Lennox Byer, MD
Assistant Professor, Neurology

Maria Castellanos, MD
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Herbert Castillo Valladares, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor, Dermatology

Caitlin Collins, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Surgery

Arielle Klepper, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Daisy Leon-Martinez, MD, MAS
Assistant Professor, OB/Gyn

Marilyn D. Thomas, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Adrian Tomes, MD
Assistant Professor, Family & Community Medicine

Kenshata Watkins, MD
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

2023 Class

2023 Watson Scholars

Kwame Adjepong, MD
Assistant Professor, Neurology and Palliative Medicine

Oscar Aguilar, PhD
Assistant Professor, Microbiology & Immunology

April Bell, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Family & Community Medicine

Christi Butler, MD
Assistant Professor, Urology

Waru Gichane, PhD, MSPH
Assistant Professor, OB/Gyn

Camille Jackson, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Surgery

Melanie Molina, MD, MAS
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

Lucy Ogbu-Nwobodo, MD, MS, MAS
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry

Michael Waul, MD
Assistant Professor, Dermatology

2022 Class
2021 Class

Watson Scholar Class of 2021

Paola Betancur, PhD 
Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology

David Booth, PhD 
Assistant Professor, Biochemistry

Melissa Coleman, MD 
Assistant Professor, Surgery

Carlo Condello, PhD 
Assistant Professor, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Margareth Del Cid, PhD, MS 
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry

Julius Oatts, MD 
Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Angela Rivers, MD, PhD 
Associate Professor, Pediatrics

Carolyn Sangokoya, MD, PhD
Adjunct Instructor, Pathology

Samuel Washington, MD, MAS
Assistant Professor, Urology and Epidemiology

Allison Williams, PhD 
Assistant Professor, Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology

2020 Class
2019 Class
2018 Class

Tara Collins, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry

Jose Gurrola, II, MD 
Assistant Professor, Otolaryngology

Jenna Lester, MD
Assistant Professor, Dermatology

Juan Carlos Montoy, MD
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

Anthony Muiru, MD
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Brenda Oiyemhonlan, MD, MHSA, MPH
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

Gaetan Pettigrew, MD
Clinical Instructor, OB/Gyn

Isabel Rodriguez-Barraquer, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Javier Villanueva-Meyer, MD
Assistant Professor, Radiology

2017 Class
2016 Class

Kayla Enriquez, MD
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

Roneesha (Starr) Knight, MD
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine

Kate Lupton, MD
Associate Professor, Medicine

Leticia Rolon, MD
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Manuel Tapia, MD, MPH
Clinical Instructor, Family & Community Medicine

Stanley Vance, Jr, MD
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Sofia Verstraete, MD
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Will Vincent, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Medicine

John Watson Faculty Scholars
2016 Class of John A. Watson Faculty Scholars, left to right: Will Vincent, John A. Watson, Talmadge E. King, Jr., Kayla Enriquez, Roneesha (Starr) Knight, Manuel Tapia, Leticia Rolon, Kate Lupton, Stanley Vance, Jr., Sofia Verstraete

2015 Class

Matthew Bucknor, MD
Assistant Professor, Radiology

Valy Fontil, MD, MAS
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Christina Mangurian, MD, MAS
Associate Professor, Psychiatry

Lionel Metz, MD
Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery

Meghan Morris, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Jessica Opoku-Anane, MD
Assistant Professor, OB/Gyn

Lynn Ramirez, MD
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Sarah Alba-Nguyen, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Charlene Swift, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Anesthesia

2015 Watson Scholars
2015 Class of John A. Watson Faculty Scholars, left to right: Valy Fontil, Lionel Metz, Sarah Schaeffer, Meghan Morris, John A Watson, Talmadge E. King, Jr., Charlene Swift, Christina Mangurian, and Matt Bucknor.