Chief Program Officer, Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative

Here is what Usma’s nominator had to say about her: 

“Usma Khan is the Director of Staffing & Strategic Operations at the Institute for Global Health Sciences. She is recognized as one of the leaders in diversity, equity, and inclusion across the Institute. She founded the IGHS DEI committee and has served as IGHS DEI Committee co-chair (with me) for several years. Usma is an inspirational leader, exceptional colleague, and a mother to two young kids. She is also a children's book writer.” - Sun Cotter 

Usma's Bio:

I’d like to call myself a California native, even though I was born in Salt Lake City. My parents moved to the Bay Area when I was 1 month old, driving in the heat of summer with my two older sisters, in a Chevy Impala. My childhood was framed by being an Indian Muslim immigrant in an area that had few of us at the time (how the Bay Area has changed!), and by having an older sister who was autistic and had no verbal abilities. Those two identities shaped my experience in the world. My parents are both chemists and were sadly disappointed when I chose not to become a doctor or a chemist. I chose to study public health for my graduate studies and focus on environmental health. My career path has led me to government...

I am the Mount Zion Patient Care Director under the Office of the CNO. I enjoy working with many exceptional Mount Zion leadership, along with my remarkable clinical leader peers at Parnassus, Mission Bay and Oakland.

“Great things never come from comfort zones!” - Lourdes 

Can you tell us about an important struggle you have overcome in your career?  As a young, female and person of color healthcare leader, I have received a lot of “nos” in my career. This started when I first became a staff RN, an advanced practice nurse practitioner, and finally as a clinical leader. This had prepared me to silo my personal feelings and turn my negative experiences into unbiased and positive action plans. I keep reminding myself that it’s all about timing and I need to keep going.

What's an issue you think remains overlooked or under-addressed in terms of women in the professional world?  Equipping and empowering women on pay/role negotiations and asking for promotions.

Why did you decide to join Women of UCSF’s team of volunteers?  Personally, I feel that it is very important to give back, especially in my current leadership role. The most impactful way to support and uplift others is through Women of UCSF.

If you had to choose an anthem what would it be?  My personal anthems are seasonal based of how I feel. Currently, it is “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys.

If you could go anywhere for a day, where would you...

Director of Communications, Institute for Global Health Sciences and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Overview of Journey at UCSF:

I came to UCSF in 2015 after spending eight years in marketing and development at UC Berkeley. When exploring job openings at UCSF, I came across a marketing role at the UCSF Library and the rest was history. My time at the UCSF Library was such an adventure. When I joined the Library was at a crossroads trying to define their relevance and identity within UCSF. We decided that the Library would dive head first into innovation and creativity. Over the next five years we established a maker’s lab, leaned into classes and events (and experimented with online courses) and redesigned the website toward a service-based model. In 2019, I decided it was time to explore other departments at UCSF and my outgoing manager recommended that I apply to the communications role at the Institute for Global Health Sciences and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. It was a space I had absolutely no experience in, but I found that as a communicator, I thrive off of jumping into new sectors and providing a fresh pair of eyes. Who would have thought, what we all would be facing around the corner? When the pandemic hit six months into my role, my global health and public health education accelerated at an exponential rate. As I was building the airplane, I had to fly that thing too! Everything from crisis communications to social justice communications to virtual event planning was my life in the last two and...

Registered Dietitian

Overview of Journey at UCSF:

I first came to UCSF for my yearlong dietetic internship to complete my training in clinical nutrition. A few months after completing the internship and passing the accreditation exam I was hired. I currently work at Mission Bay as an in-patient pediatric dietitian. I love the diversity of the work I do with patients and families in helping them optimize their nutrition while at the hospital. Whether they are able to eat by their mouths, a feeding tube or through IV nutrition I work with the families to a regimen that works best for them.

What’s on your reading list?

I am currently reading “More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are” by Elaine Welteroth. It’s a book about navigating the workplace as a woman of color, empowerment, self-love, and refusing to conform to the world around us. 

What’s your ideal weather? 

I am my happiest when the sun is shining bright. I love the warm weather, so as long as the sun is out, I am a happy girl!  

What advice would you give yourself early on in your career? To a woman entering your field today? 

To my younger self I would say be open to new opportunities and experiences. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box to find what interests you. I also wish I had known the value of balance. Don’t overextend yourself and know that it’s okay to say no, especially if you’re at capacity. To the women entering the world of...