Faculty and Staff

Dr. Julia Iyasere helps shape NYP’s commitment to health justice in all aspects of patient care. She also works in close collaboration with NYP’s chief academic officer on advancing health justice at every step in the design and implementation of NYP’s care model.

Iyasere provides leadership, strategic vision and day-to-day management of the NYP Dalio Center’s multifaceted efforts to address longstanding health disparities in their communities. Established in 2020, the Dalio Center works collaboratively with representatives from NYP, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons to lead the understanding and improvement of health equity, and to drive action that results in measurable improvements in health outcomes for all.

Iyasere brings more than a decade of experience in medicine to her role. She was previously the associate chief medical officer for Service Lines, co-director of the Care Team Office, director of the Leadership Education and Development Academy for physicians, associate designated institutional official for graduate medical education at NYPH, associate program director of the Columbia Internal Medicine Residency Training Program and an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Iyasere continues to see patients as an internist in the section for hospital medicine.

Dr. Barbara Warren leads implementation of LGBT competent healthcare across the Mount Sinai Health System. As an assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Warren is teaching and developing curricula to address best practices in serving LGBTQ+ and other diverse patient populations. She previously served as distinguished lecturer and director for the Center for LGBT Social Science and Public Policy at Hunter College, City University of New York. For 21 years, she was senior management at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of New York City, led the Center’s behavioral health programs, co-founded the Center’s groundbreaking Gender Identity Project and led the Center’s health policy and government relations initiatives. Warren has served as an advisor to local, state and national government and policy organizations and was recently appointed by HHS Secretary Azar to the National Advisory Council for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. She is a longtime member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, holds a doctorate in counseling psychology and is a Certified Patient Experience Professional.

Pamela Abner has over 14 years of experience working with industry leaders to establish best practices and strategic and innovative programs for diversity, inclusion and equity across business lines. As a certified patient experience professional, a certified unconscious bias educator and an inclusion trainer, Abner strives to establish inclusive and culturally aware environments based on instilling anti-racist behaviors. Utilizing research methodologies, creating education curriculum and applying best practices, she continuously seeks to help organizations identify discriminatory practices and disparities. She specifically focuses on eliminating barriers to care, employment and education for underserved and underrepresented groups as well as fostering relationships with community partners. In addition, Abner serves as a guest presenter and panelist at national forums and heads her own consulting practice where she provides expert advice to organizations.

Among her many distinctions, in 2019, Savoy Magazine named Abner as one of the “Most Influential Women in Corporate America.” In 2020, Crain’s New York Business honored her as a “Notable Women in Talent Resources.”

Abner received her Bachelor’s degree from Brown University and her Master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. She is currently an adjunct professor at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, a member of the Board of Trustees at Phillips School of Nursing Mount Sinai Beth Israel and a member of the Press Ganey National DEI Client Advisory Council. Abner also mentors those seeking career and professional advice with an emphasis on guiding and supporting individuals from underrepresented backgrounds.

Shana Dacon-Pereira is a detail-oriented professional with over 10 years of progressive experience in the healthcare and DEI fields. As assistant vice president for corporate health system affairs in Mount Sinai Health System’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion, she provides guidance to system leadership on establishing DEI priorities and initiatives. She also oversees the system’s Administrative Fellowship Program, among other talent pathway initiatives; drives staff engagement and participation in system-wide diversity councils and employee resource groups; and consults and advises on organizational interventions aimed at establishing an anti-racist culture throughout the health system. As a certified educator in unconscious bias and radical inclusion concepts, Dacon-Pereira also develops and facilitates DEI educational content for faculty and clinical and administrative staff.

Dacon-Pereira is a member of numerous local and national councils, including HANYS’ DE&I Officers Committee and the National Center for Healthcare Leadership’s Leadership Excellence Networks DEI Council. She is the secretary of the 2021-2023 Executive Board for the National Association of Health Services Executives – New York Regional Chapter and has been a featured speaker, panelist and moderator at local and national conferences and forums, including for the Institute for Diversity and Health Equity and the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Dacon-Pereira received a Bachelor of Science in management from the State University of New York at Binghamton. She subsequently received a Master of Public Health in health policy and management from Columbia University and a Master of Business Administration from New York University.

Dr. Theresa Green’s research interests focus on the intersection of healthcare delivery and non-medical determinants of health, particularly through community engagement and effective policies and systems change. Focusing on community-engaged learning, Green examines and supports experiential practicums and service-learning with the community for medical, nursing and graduate students.

Green co-led the successful application for the Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement Classification awarded for the first time to the University of Rochester in January 2020. She also created an open online course, Community Engagement in Research and Population Health, and is currently leading health equity education initiatives for residents and fellows in the medical center as an American Medical Association Systems Science Scholar.

Green also leads the Community Health Needs Assessment and Improvement Planning process and implementation for Monroe County. In addition, she chairs HANYS’ Community Health Task Force for community benefits. She currently serves as the president of the board of health for Monroe County.

Green was previously the director of community health planning for a local health department in southwest Michigan, and has a clinical background as a certified anesthesiologist assistant with more than 20 years of clinical experience.