Heather M. Young, founding dean of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, is the 2026 recipient of the Donald P. Kent Award from the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). The award recognizes a GSA member who exemplifies the highest standards of leadership in gerontology, or the study of aging, through research, teaching, service and public education.

The award was presented at GSA’s 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting, Nov. 4-7 in National Harbor, Maryland. GSA is the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization focused on aging.

“Heather's career has been defined by her ability to connect research with real-world impact,” said Jennifer Lingler, the associate dean for Research at UC Davis Health. “Whether improving care for older adults, supporting family caregivers or shaping policy, she has consistently turned evidence into action. Few have contributed more to gerontological nursing or done more to cultivate the leaders who will shape its future.”

How Young’s work shaped aging care and family caregiving

Young trained in gerontology at the University of Washington. She practiced as a geriatric nurse practitioner in community-based long-term care and directed the university’s de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging. She later directed the John A. Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence at Oregon Health & Science University.

Her research has shaped long-term care policy in Washington state and beyond. She has studied family caregiving, medication safety in rural assisted living and telehealth strategies to support healthy aging.

She serves as strategic partnerships director of the Family Caregiving Institute at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. She has advised California on its Master Plan for Aging and served as a senior policy fellow with the AARP Public Policy Institute.

Young, a UC Davis graduate, returned to her alma mater in 2008 to build a new nursing school supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Although she retired from the UC Davis faculty this year, Young continues as national program director of the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators, which she created in 2020.

“I’ve spent my career learning from older adults and the families who care for them. They are the reason this work matters,” Young said. “This award belongs to the colleagues, students and nurse leaders who have shared that commitment with me.”

GSA established the Donald P. Kent Award in 1973 in honor of Kent, a renowned sociologist who was known for translating research into practice.

The UC Davis podcast Unfold has won two Signal Awards for an episode about valley fever, putting the show in the company of productions from CNN, Amy Poehler, NPR and others.

The winning episode, “Just One Spore,” profiled two patients whose lives have been upended by the fungal infection valley fever. The episode earned a silver award in the science and education category, and a bronze award in the health and wellness category. 

The episode was reported and produced by Amy Quinton, a news and media relations specialist at UC Davis, and edited by Marianne Russ Sharp, managing editor for news at UC Davis Health. The pair co-hosted the episode. Both have backgrounds in public radio journalism.

"We were judged by some of the best audio storytellers in the business and competed with podcast companies whose budgets far exceed ours,” Quinton said. “We are extraordinarily grateful for this recognition and to be in the company of such talented people creating incredible podcasts."

The Signal Awards is a national contest that seeks to recognize “the most potent, meaningful and unprecedented audio projects being made today.” Judges included podcast creators from Podvision, Netflix, NPR, Podcasts at YouTube, TED, iHeart Media, and PRX.

Highlighting a growing threat

For most people, valley fever is a treatable illness, but for some, like patients Kyleigh Cooyar and Rex Dangerfield, it can cause debilitating symptoms.

“I don't feel normal anymore,” Dangerfield shared in the podcast episode. “I used to be able to play, you know, run around. I used to be able to play basketball. I used to love to bowl. I can't do that anymore.”

Both Dangerfield and Cooyar have been under the care of physician George Thompson, co-director of the UC Davis Center for Valley Fever. He’s helped improve their quality of life by finding the right treatments, which can be challenging.

“He's the one that got it under control, and I think he saved my life,” Cooyar said.

Thompson, an infectious diseases specialist, is also researching new treatments and the effect of climate change on the spread of valley fever beyond the West. The fungal infection is now popping up in places where people have never heard of it.

“Working on this episode was a real eye-opener in terms of the potential spread of valley fever and its impact on humans, and the importance of the work that physician-scientists like Dr. Thompson are doing,” Sharp said.

Quinton and Sharp also produced a second episode on the spread of valley fever in dogs.

Related Resources

Read an in-depth In Focus story on valley fever in both humans and dogs. 

UC Davis Health surgeon David Tom Cooke has been elected to the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the organization's highest leadership body.

The Board of Regents helps guide the governance, policies and strategic direction of the ACS, which represents approximately 95,000 members in 144 countries.

Cooke is a professor and founding chief of the Division of General Thoracic Surgery in the Department of Surgery at UC Davis Health. A nationally recognized thoracic surgeon, he leads the division's clinical, research and educational missions while advancing innovations in patient care and surgical training. Cooke is also physician-in-chief for UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center.

"Being elected to the Board of Regents is deeply meaningful," Cooke said. "This opportunity represents a chance to help shape the future of our profession, develop the next generation of surgical leaders and strengthen the institutions and systems that support excellent surgical care. I am especially proud to represent UC Davis Health on this national stage."

Cooke's involvement with ACS spans more than two decades. He has served in numerous leadership roles. His contributions have included service with the Resident and Associate Society, Young Fellows Association, Program Committee, Patient Education Committee, Board of Governors, Commission on Cancer and the Northern California Chapter of the ACS.

As a regent, Cooke will help oversee the direction of the college and contribute to national discussions on surgical practice, patient care, education, research and emerging innovations such as artificial intelligence and robotics.

"Dr. Cooke's election to the Board of Regents is a well-deserved acknowledgment of his national leadership and longstanding commitment to surgical excellence and service," said UC Davis School of Medicine Dean Susan Murin. "He has dedicated his career to improving care for patients and is an inspiration for the next generation of surgeons."

The American College of Surgeons has served the surgical profession for more than 100 years. Its mission is to improve the care of surgical patients and safeguard standards of care in an optimal and ethical practice environment.

Jann Murray-García, founding faculty member and clinical professor emerita at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Alma Dea Morani, M.D. Renaissance Woman Award.

The national award is the highest honor given by the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation. It recognizes women physicians and scientists whose work has made a lasting mark on medicine and helped shape its future.

Murray-García is a pediatrician who spent more than a decade teaching nursing students in a master’s degree program. As an educator and advocate for health equity, she is best known as co-creator of the concept of cultural humility, a framework recognizing that we never stop learning from the people and communities we serve.

“I am so humbled and grateful to receive the Alma Dea Morani Award from the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation. There are so many, many women physicians who deserve this level of recognition for how they serve and teach and research every day,” Murray-García said.

Beyond her national influence, Murray-García helped cultivate the culture of the School of Nursing itself since its inception in 2009. Through initiatives such as team agreements and inclusive excellence efforts, she fostered an environment where belonging, respect and shared accountability became foundational to how the school community learns, leads and works together.

Building a legacy at UC Davis and beyond

For Murray-García, creating a fairer health system has never been limited to the classroom. Throughout her career at UC Davis, she has brought together students, health care leaders and community members to examine how lived experiences, history and power shape health. It means creating opportunities for people to listen to one another, challenge long-held assumptions and understand how history and social conditions shape health.

“Jann's influence can be felt throughout the School of Nursing,” said Dean Stephen Cavanagh. “She has challenged us to listen more deeply, examine our assumptions and learn from the experiences of others. The culture of belonging and respect she helped foster continues to shape how we educate future health professionals and engage with our communities.”

Murray-García developed the Anti-Racism and Cultural Humility (ARC) Training Program, which helps nursing, medical and UC Davis Health leaders examine bias and address practices that can lead to unequal health outcomes.

She also founded the Interprofessional Central Valley Road Trip, an immersive learning experience along Highway 99. Participants travel by bus into communities often discussed through statistics and policy reports, learning directly from residents about the challenges and strengths that shape life between Stockton and Bakersfield.

Her commitment extends beyond campus. She has been recognized for her volunteer work promoting dialogue about race and social justice in Davis public high schools, including mentoring students who developed a history course on race relations.

Together, these initiatives reflect Murray-García's belief that the work she’s so passionate about belongs not only in classrooms, but in communities, health systems and everyday interactions. That philosophy, first articulated nearly three decades ago, continues to shape education and healthcare globally.

A pioneering idea with worldwide influence

In the late 1990s, Murray-García and fellow physician Melanie Tervalon introduced the concept of cultural humility. Their work challenged the idea that understanding another person's culture is something health professionals can fully master through training alone.

“Dr. Jann is an exceptional scholar who seamlessly thrives at the intersection of vision, science and the importance of honoring, respecting and valuing each other — not as a nice thing to have, but as a fundamental requirement for a functioning and healthy society,” said Piri Ackerman, associate dean for Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence at the School of Nursing.

At its core, Murray-García’s work is about approaching others with curiosity, respect and a willingness to learn. The framework has influenced health professions education and efforts to improve care worldwide.

“There are, of course, generations of women on whose shoulders I stand, especially but not exclusively Black women. Their hope and hard work, often against daunting and disrespectful circumstances, mean we were able to achieve beyond what some of them could imagine,” Murray-García said. “I am committed to continue making dreams become realities for aspiring and current women health professionals.”

Join the virtual celebration

Murray-García will receive the award Nov. 5 at a virtual event hosted in partnership with the New York Academy of Medicine. She will deliver a keynote address, “Cultural Humility: Interrupting Scripts of Inequality.”

The event is free and will be broadcast online beginning at 1 p.m. PT. Register here to attend the celebration.

UC Davis Health has once again been recognized as a national leader in digital health, earning Level 9 certification in both acute and ambulatory care in the 2026 Digital Health Most Wired Survey for the 15^th consecutive year.

The recognition comes from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), whose internationally recognized Digital Health Most Wired program benchmarks organizations that excel in using digital technology to improve patient care, outcomes and operational performance.

For more than two decades, the Digital Health Most Wired (DHMW) survey has been the health care industry's most trusted measure of digital maturity. Each year, hospitals, health systems, ambulatory care organizations, and long-term and post-acute care providers around the world use DHMW to understand where they stand, where they need to go, and how they compare to their peers.

“This honor reflects our team’s unwavering commitment to using digital innovation to advance safe, high-quality, patient-centered care,” said Bruce Hall, Associate Vice Chancellor of Clinical Strategy. “By thoughtfully integrating technology, data analytics and cybersecurity into clinical practice, we are improving outcomes and creating a better experience for our patients.”

Reinventing patient care

As health care organizations navigate persistent cybersecurity threats, evolving care models, workforce shortages and budget constraints, the need to accelerate digital transformation has never been more urgent. Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure are reshaping how and where care is delivered.

Among the 44,000 facilities represented in this year’s survey, UC Davis Health distinguished itself by ranking above its peers in key focus areas including:

• Clinical quality and safety
• Analytics and data management
• Cybersecurity
• Population health
• Infrastructure
• Patient engagement
• Innovation

As digital health becomes increasingly important to the quality of patient care, the CHIME Digital Health Most Wired survey highlights how leading health care providers are advancing and reinventing the way they care for their patients.

“Earning this recognition for the 15^th consecutive year reflects our team’s sustained commitment and expertise in using technology to improve care,” said John Cook, associate chief information officer at UC Davis Health. “We are proud to once again be recognized as a leader in digital health and will continue exploring new, responsible ways to use data and technology to support our clinicians and deliver exceptional care to every patient.”

To learn more about the 2026 DHMW results, visit the DHMW website.

Internationally renowned fetal and neonatal surgeon Diana Farmer has been elected chair of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Board of Regents, the organization’s highest governing body. Her election was announced this week following the annual business meeting of members, which concluded Clinical Congress 2026.

Farmer is a distinguished professor, the Pearl Stamps Stewart Endowed Chair and chair of the Department of Surgery at UC Davis Health. She is also founder and co-director of the Center for Surgical Bioengineering. She is the principal investigator of CuRe (Cellular Therapy for In Utero Repair of Myelomeningocele), the first-of-its-kind clinical trial which combines fetal surgery with stem cells to treat spina bifida.

“We congratulate Dr. Farmer on her appointment as chair of the American College of Surgeons Board of Regents," said Susan Murin, dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine. "Her selection reflects her extraordinary contributions to the field of surgery and her leadership in patient care innovations. This appointment underscores the national impact UC Davis Health leaders have in shaping the future of medicine.”

Farmer has a long history of service to the American College of Surgeons. Her leadership roles have included serving as chair of the ACS Board of Governors and as a member of the Board of Regents.

The American College of Surgeons is dedicated to improving the care of the surgical patient and safeguarding standards of care in an optimal and ethical practice environment. For more information, visit https://www.facs.org

UC Davis Children’s Hospital has been recognized as a 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings assist parents, in consultation with their children’s doctors, in finding exceptional pediatric care — whether for serious illness, a high-stakes surgery or complex medical needs.

UC Davis Children’s Hospital ranked 8^th in California and 9^th in the Pacific Region in U.S. News’ 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings. The Pacific Region covers Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. 

UC Davis Children’s Hospital was also ranked:

• No. 21 in Pediatric Nephrology
• No. 36 in Pediatric Orthopedics, in collaboration with Shriners Children’s – Northern California, UC Davis Children’s Hospital’s longstanding partner in caring for children with burns, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic disorders and urological issues
• No. 42 in Neonatology

"These rankings underscore our unwavering dedication to the most vulnerable neonates and children across Sacramento and Northern California," said Satyan Lakshminrusimha, chair of pediatrics and pediatrician-in-chief at UC Davis Children’s Hospital. "For families facing high-stakes surgeries or complex medical needs including high-risk deliveries, our hospital remains the undisputed clinical leader in the region. We are proud to deliver the highest level of comprehensive, advanced intensive care and specialized pediatric expertise in the Sacramento region, ensuring our community never has to compromise or travel far when seeking world-class care."

For the 2026-2027 rankings, U.S. News and RTI International, a North Carolina-based research firm, collected and analyzed data from 114 children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists. Children’s hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, compliance with established best practices, and level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care.

“Earning a place on U.S. News’ Best Children’s Hospitals list is a testament to UC Davis Children’s Hospital’s dedication to clinical excellence and patient safety,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “These rankings highlight the standout hospitals in each specialty and each region.”

The full 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings can be found at USNews.com.

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UC Davis Medical Center earns multiple rankings in latest U.S. News survey