Diane Forbes Berthoud is the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) first chief equity, diversity, and inclusion officer and vice president (CEDIO/VP), assuming the role July 1, 2021.As CEDIO/VP, she reports directly to UMB’s president and leads and advances the University’s equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) strategy, implementation, and accountability. She oversees institutional change necessary for deepening and strengthening the university's commitment to EDI, and designs and operationalizes a transparent accountability framework to measure and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of UMB’s EDI initiatives at every level of the institution.

Mathew Swinburne is the associate director for the Network for Public Health Law’s Eastern Region, which is housed at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.He brings more than 14 years of legal experience and specifically more than 10 years of public health law experience. He is a recognized national expert in cannabis law and policy.His cannabis work includes advising legislators, state and local agencies, law enforcement, community-based organizations, and non-profits on critical issues related to medical and adult-use policy.In addition to his work at the Network for Public Health Law, he developed and taught the State and Federal Cannabis Law and Policy course for the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s MS in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics Program.

Leah Sera is the associate dean for recruitment and admissions at UMSOP. She is an associate professor and vice chair for academic affairs in the Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research. She is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist, and her clinical specialties are pain management and palliative care.Additionally, Dr. Sera holds an associate faculty position at the University of Maryland Graduate School.Dr. Sera was the inaugural program director for the nation’s first Graduate Studies in Medical Cannabis program at UMSOP, which includes the MS in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics (MCST) and Graduate Certificate in Medical Cannabis Science, Therapeutics, and Policy.Dr. Sera teaches several courses in the MCST program, including an introduction to medical cannabis history, culture, and policy and a course introducing students to evidence-based medicine and the clinical uses of medical cannabis; she also mentors students in their capstone projects. Dr. Sera teaches a variety of topics in required and elective courses in the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.

A signing ceremony on Jan. 10, 2025, marked the announcement of a $10 million joint gift from Edward and Jennifer St. John and the Edward St. John Foundation, which will establish the Edward & Jennifer St. John Center for Translational Engineering and Medicine (CTEM).The new center brings together researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) at UMB and the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). Occupying the fourth floor of 4MLK at the University of Maryland BioPark, CTEM will foster face-to-face collaboration among clinicians and engineers.Their proximity will ensure that real-world clinical needs inform the creation of new devices, diagnostics, and treatments, accelerating the pathway from research to patient care – resulting in next-generation medical solutions that will benefit patients across Maryland and beyond.Read More: https://www.umaryland.edu/news/archived-news/january-2025/10m-gift-to-power-innovations-for-next-gen-care.php

The $10 million gift from the Edward St. John Foundation for the Edward and Jennifer St. John Center for Translational Engineering and Medicine (CTEM) will open a world of possibilities for collaboration between the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore and the A. James Clark School of Engineering in College Park.CTEM is led by co-directors Giuliano Scarcelli, PhD, of the Fischell Department of Bioengineering in the A. James Clark School of Engineering at UMCP, and Osamah J. Saeedi, MD, of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at UMSOM.Their collaborative work using cutting-edge ophthalmologic imaging to address ocular diseases such as glaucoma illustrates how the center will cultivate new possibilities across bioengineering and medicine.Building on these breakthroughs, the center will expand into diverse areas of translational science, encouraging broader collaborations that accelerate discovery and improve patient outcomes well beyond eye care.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore's 16th Annual Craft Fair is a well-loved event that featured nearly 50 vendors who sold their homemade or handmade goods to members of the UMB community.The craft fair attracted students, faculty, staff, and UMB leaders including President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, while the Staff and Faculty senates set up tables to provide employees with information about their governance roles at the University.Shoppers could choose from a wide range of homemade and handmade items, including the always-popular bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, baked goods, T-shirts, sweaters, jewelry, wax candles, dog treats, and greeting cards, not to mention tree skirts, key chains, tabletop Christmas trees, and much more.Read More: https://elm.umaryland.edu/elm-stories/2024/UMB-Holiday-Craft-Fair-December-2024.php