Director of DEI and Culture, Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care

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

“Leah was formerly my colleague at Community and Government Relations, and we also worked together, along with Ms. Ailene Estalilla in Real Estate's Vendor Diversity Outreach Event.” 

Nominated by: Benita Benavides 

Leah's Bio: 

I am graduate of Saint Ignatius College Preparatory and Sonoma State University who went on to earn my MBA at Dominican University of California and a DEI certificate from UCSF and became the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care’s first Director of DEI and Culture in January 2022.     

I’m a third-generation native of San Francisco’s Bayview district and I grew up in a healthcare world. My mother was a lead medical assistant at Kaiser. Sometimes I would go to work with her, so doctors and nurses were always a part of my life. It’s so impactful to see what a hospital does and how much a part of my whole being those people can become. The people my mom worked with are still a part of our family. Growing up and seeing that, I knew it was something I wanted to do. 

I went to St. Ignatius and did a thousand hours of community service, most of it volunteering with oncology patients at Kaiser. It was so moving, giving someone having a tough time an ear, a shoulder to lean on. It taught me the importance of compassion, hearing, relating, understanding and being supportive. 

Before I came to UCSF, I had my own consulting firm and was a chief customer success officer in technology for a while, but I wanted something more people-focused and more in the hospital area. I started as the Assistant Director of Community Relations at UCSF, working with the community, hearing their growing pains.  

In 2022, I was appointed by Mayor Breed to the Human Rights Commission advocates for human and civil rights and works in service of the City’s anti-discrimination laws to further racial solidarity, equity, and healing. In September of 2022, I was named one of the most influential women in business in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times in 2022, appointed Co-Director of the School of Medicine’s Differences Matter: Build Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Expertise Program and the 2022 recipient of the Healthcare DEI Champions Award as part of the Health Equity and Leadership Conference. 

In 2016, I was appointed 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. 

I was named one of the “Bay Area’s People to Watch in 2014” by the San Francisco Chronicle, describing me as “a young, politically active mother and prominent voice locally and with the progressive community at large.” 

A third-generation San Franciscan from Bayview, I have worked extensively to advance policies that help women and children thrive in the city. I have received numerous awards for my work in these areas including Good Morning America’s “Hero Award” and KPIX’s “Jefferson Award for Public Service”.   

I have fought for an affordable San Francisco that supports middle-class families. I was a leader in the successful coalition to defeat an out-of-scale, luxury condominium project on the waterfront at 8 Washington Street.   

In 2013, I joined San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chiu and an extraordinary coalition of parents, advocates for working families, and community organizations to enact the Family Workplace Ordinance. This is one of the most visionary policies in the country for parents and caregivers.  It ensures that every employee has a “right to request” a flexible work arrangement when caregiving responsibility arises for a child, family member or parent.  As a working parent, I know that we need to do more to help families stay in San Francisco and believes that this groundbreaking legislation is great start. 

My past community and civic activities include Saint Ignatius College Preparatory Alumni Board Member, San Francisco Women’s Political Committee Board Member, San Francisco Young Democrats’ Board Member, California Democratic Party Voter Services Committee Member, San Francisco Housing Development Corporation Board Member, Public Education Enrichment Fund Community Advisory Committee Member, Saint Thomas the Apostle PTG Presidents, and Cow Palace 1st Vice President. 

What’s on your reading list?   

A Burst of Light by Audre Lorde, Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts, War by Margaret MacMillan, Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener, A Month in Siena by Hisham Mater, The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. 

What advice would you give yourself early on in your career?  

Always think about how to craft your story.  What advice would you give to a woman entering your field today? Learn something from everyone you meet. There is always something that can be learned from each person you speak with. Humility is more than niceties; it's a pathway to perpetually learning from any experience. 

Can you tell us about an important role model or mentor in your life?  

My mentor has strong leadership and advocacy skills. They taught me how to communicate between staff and upper management, and how to recommend changes effectively to upper management that help support staff and their work environment. I've been able to keep an open communication channel with teams built on trust and respect.  

How do you think the role of women in the workforce has changed throughout your career?  

When one thinks of the world today, we realize the world is constantly changing. Specifically, in today's world the role of women has shifted from what it once was. Women are now found in occupations, industries and roles previously regarded as the sole prerogative of men. There is evidence to indicate that companies with higher numbers of female board members perform better financially than those with fewer women. The increase of women in the paid workforce was arguably the most significant change in the economy in the past century. 

Meet other outstanding women of UCSF Health through Our Spotlight.