SR871: SR871 Rice, Dr. Valerie Montgomery; recognize

26 LC 112 3745 Senate Resolution 871 By: Senators Halpern of the 39th, Mangham of the 55th, Anderson of the 43rd, Orrock of the 36th and Davenport of the 17th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, President and Chief Executive1 Officer of the Morehouse School of Medicine, for her historic l eadership, distinguished2 career in medicine and research, and extraordinary contributions to advancing health equity;3 and for other purposes.4 WHEREAS, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, MD, FACOG, a Georgia native, serves as the5 sixth President and Chief Executive Officer of the Morehouse School of Medicine and is the6 first woman in history to lead the freestanding medical institu tion, bringing to her role a7 unique combination of excellence in patient care, medical resea rch, organizational8 management, and public health policy; and9 WHEREAS, she earned her bachelor's degree in chemistry from the Georgia Institute of10 Technology and her medical degree from Harvard Medical School a nd completed her11 residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Emory University Scho ol of Medicine and her12 fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Hutzel Hospital, later receiving13 honorary degrees from the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Rush University;14 and15 S. R. 871 - 1 - 26 LC 112 3745 WHEREAS, a renowned infertility specialist and researcher, Dr. Montgomery Rice16 previously served as Dean and Executive Vice President of the M orehouse School of17 Medicine beginning in 2011, and she has demonstrated transforma tional leadership by18 redesigning complex institutional infrastructures to meet evolving strategic environments and19 position organizations for sustainable success; and20 WHEREAS, prior to her tenure at the Morehouse School of Medicine, she held faculty and21 senior leadership positions at leading academic health centers, most notably serving as the22 founding director of the Center for Women's Health Research at Meharry Medical College,23 one of the nation's first research centers devoted to studying diseases that disproportionately24 impact women of color; and25 WHEREAS, she is a passionate advocate for health equity, expanding pipeline opportunities26 for academically diverse learners, diversifying the physician and scientific workforce, and27 advancing equitable access to quality health care and improved health outcomes; and28 WHEREAS, Dr. Montgomery Rice has extended her leadership through service on numerous29 national and corporate boards and advisory bodies, including he r appointment to The30 President's Committee on the National Medal of Science, service on the Georgia Commission31 on Women, and membership in the National Academy of Medicine; and32 WHEREAS, her leadership and impact have been recognized through numerous prestigious33 honors, including the National Medical Association Scroll of Merit Award, recognition on34 STAT's STATUS List of influential leaders in health and science, the Horatio Alger Award,35 repeated recognition as one of Georgia Trend Magazine's "100 Most Influential Georgians,"36 the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal, and many other national and statewide distinctions; and37 S. R. 871 - 2 - 26 LC 112 3745 WHEREAS, she remains committed to faith, family, and community, sharing her life with38 her husband, Melvin Rice Jr., and their two children.39 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body40 recognize and commend Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice for her groun dbreaking leadership41 at the Morehouse School of Medicine and her enduring contributions to medicine, medical42 education, research, and the advancement of health equity in Georgia and across the nation.43 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed44 to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for di stribution to Dr. Valerie45 Montgomery Rice.46 S. R. 871 - 3 -