Gabriela M. Maradiaga Panayotti, MD, FAAP, associate professor of pediatrics in the Division of Primary Care Pediatrics, was recently selected by the Duke University School of Medicine (SoM) Office of Diversity and Inclusion to receive the 2021 Michelle P. Winn Inclusive Excellence Team Award for her work with Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, MD, associate professor of family medicine and community health, on “Latinx Health During COVID-19”.
The annual award recognizes individuals within Duke University School of Medicine, who have made significant contributions to diversity and inclusion.
“We received truly outstanding nominations again this year,” wrote Jeanine C. Holland, MBTA, operations and outreach coordinator with Duke SoM, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, in her award notification letter. “Ultimately, Dr. Panayoti was chosen among them as one of this year’s winners due to her commitment to excellence, innovation and leadership through creating a more diverse and inclusive environment.”
Panayotti was born in Honduras and raised in Central America and the Caribbean. She received her undergraduate degree in biology from Yale University and then took a gap year to work as a public school teacher in Brooklyn, NY. She then received her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine and did her pediatric residency at the University of California San Francisco. While at Duke she has served in many different capacities including being medical director of both the Duke and Duke Regional well-baby nurseries, medical director of the Pediatric Healthy Lifestyles clinic (pediatric obesity), and physician lead for the Breastfeeding Task Force at Duke Children’s Primary Care. She sees patients in both the primary care and obesity clinics and is interested in advocacy work, breastfeeding, nutrition, and communication with the public through writing and other media (#tweetiatrician!).
The Michelle P. Winn Inclusive Excellence Award was established in 2016 in memory of Michelle Winn, MD, former associate professor of Nephrology in the Department of Medicine. Winn, who passed away in 2014, was deeply committed to diversity and inclusion. Due to COVID-19, there will be no formal in person celebration this academic year.
