Danurys L. Sanchez Receives Martha A. Hooven Award for Community Service Excellence

On January 23, 2024, Senior Staff Associate Danurys L. Sanchez and five other awardees were honored by Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) with Martha A. Hooven Awards for Excellence. These awards are given annually to recognize individuals at VP&S who make significant contributions to the medical school’s workplace and community.

This year, Danurys (Didi) and her co-awardees were chosen from more than 160 nominations. This is the second time that Didi has received a Martha A. Hooven Award for Excellence, as noted by Dr. Olajide Williams, professor of neurology and vice dean of community health, who presented the award [watch the ceremony, with Didi's award beginning at 10:25.] “Didi understands cultural humanity; she understands mutual respect; she understands that the dedication to health justice is the only way to achieve strong recruitment and retention from our local community,” explains Dr. Williams.

In accepting the award, Didi was quick to credit the dedication of her team and colleagues by stating that she is “surrounded every day by people who are leaving their marks in this community…we are doing so much, and my deeds out there are a testament that I’m not by myself.”

The faculty and staff of the Department of Neurology, the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, and the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center congratulate Didi on this well-deserved honor!

Community Service Award

Danurys L. Sanchez, Senior Staff Associate II, Sergievsky Center

Danurys L. Sanchez is a senior staff associate for the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, where she collaborates with principal investigators to ensure the fulfillment of the center’s research mission. She has been a key member of the Washington Heights-Hamilton Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project team since 2007, working to recruit participants, connect community members with relevant health care providers and social services, and increase community understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. She also helps connect departments, faculty members, and researchers with community organizations, creating networks for all parties to collaborate and share resources.