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.

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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