We’re proud to promote gender equality in recruitment, retention, and career development at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, as we strive to eliminate bias across all aspects of the work environment. Among our many efforts, we aim to identify barriers to advancement faced by women researchers and clinicians in the cancer field—and to offer solutions.
Women represent about 50% of the population globally. We see a day when Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers and clinicians will reflect this balance at every faculty rank as well as in institutional leadership positions.
There should be equal participation in decision-making, education, training, research and/or patient care across our cancer enterprise.
Steps to achieving this vision include:
- Identifying barriers to advancement for women in their departments and working with institutional leadership to promote effective changes.
- Increasing participation of women faculty in leadership positions and recruitment
committees. - Eliminating gender disparity in salaries.
- Promoting the prominence of work done by Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center women faculty.
- Identifying and encouraging participation in women’s career enrichment opportunities.
- Pursuing philanthropic funding for awards to recognize the achievements of Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center women faculty.
Mission & Vision
Our Mission
To promote gender equality in recruitment, retention, and career development of the women faculty at the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center and to eliminate bias across all aspects of the working environment.
Our Vision
To increase women representation at every faculty rank and in positions within institutional leadership ensuring their equal participation in decision-making, education, training, research and/or patient care.
Leaders & Members
Sofia de Oliveira, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Developmental & Molecular Biology, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Hepatology)
Maja H. Oktay, MD, PhD, MS
Co-Chair, Clinical Research Cancer Dormancy and Tumor Microenvironment Institute, Leader, Breast Team Integrated Imaging Program for Cancer Research, Co-Leader, Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Co-Chair, Women's Task Force, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Professor, Department of Pathology, Professor, Department of Surgery
Initiatives & Advocacy Work
The Women's Initiative Network has been pursuing multiple goals and initiatives since being formed at the direction of Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center Director Edward Chu, MD, MMS, in 2021.
Advocacy Work
Along with building awareness, we are implementing policies to ensure a gradual increase in women’s representation in chief, chair, and other high-level department positions. As part of this effort, we’ve started to collect data about women’s career trajectories at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Contact Us
The Women's Initiative Network meets on the 3rd Wednesday of every month, from 4:30pm to 5:30pm.
All Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center females are invited to join; email sofia.deoliveira@einsteinmed.edu for membership and Zoom link information.