"The future health of individuals, as well as the health of our economy, depends partly on developing a culturally competent, language-proficient health care workforce," said Gary L. Yates, TCWF president and CEO. "By bringing awareness to these champions and their accomplishments, we hope to encourage others to follow their example."

Michael V. Drake has worked for 30 years to encourage minorities to enter and succeed in health-science schools with the University of California system.  He is currently chancellor of UC Irvine and is passionate about medicine, public service and education. 

Ernest C. Levister, M.D.

Each of the physicians will receive a cash award of $25,000 on June 11, 2007 at TCWF's fifth annual Champions of Health Professions Diversity Award ceremony in Los Angeles.  The Champions awards are designed to recognize the efforts of physicians who show extraordinary dedication to ensure the success of minorities in medical professions. 

Michael V. Drake, M.D.

Drake has a long and accomplished association with the UC system that spans more than 30 years. He was the UC vice president of the Office of Health Affairs, where he oversaw education and research activities in 15 health-science schools, including schools of medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and public health.  He also supervised UC Special Research Programs, which studies health issues ranging from tobacco-related diseases to breast cancer to HIV/AIDS.  Drake was Steven P. Shearing Professor of Ophthalmology at UC San Francisco (UCSF). He also served as senior associate dean for admissions and extramural academic programs at the UCSF School of Medicine, where he was responsible for the school's admissions process and educational outreach programs.  He was involved in the establishment of the faculty-student Committee on Recruitment and Retention and served as its chair for 10 years.

"I think it's really important for all of us to know that when we are around young people, a little bit of encouragement can make a big difference," said Drake.

Dr. Ernest C. Levister is a highly regarded advocate for the underrepresented and for dismantling health care disparities. He practices internal and occupational medicine in San Bernardino and has personally mentored students pursuing careers in medicine, engineering and education. He is a long-time health columnist for the Inland Empire Black Voice News.

Levister's desire to level the playing field propelled him to lead the Vines Medical Society, an affiliate of the National Medical Association. Levister assisted in the creation of programs at UC Riverside, designed to ensure faculty diversity and greater retention and graduation of people of color.  He was instrumental in and supported the establishment of the student organization African-Americans United in Science. 

"It is important to level the playing field, not to change admission or graduation standards, but to give kids the opportunity to develop their skills, to bring them up to the level that they should be," said Levister. 

The California Wellness Foundation is an independent, private foundation created in 1992 with a mission to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention.

The Foundation prioritizes eight issues for funding: diversity in the health professions, environmental health, healthy aging, mental health, teenage pregnancy prevention, violence prevention, women's health, and work and health. It also responds to timely issues and special projects outside the funding priorities.

Since its founding in 1992, TCWF has awarded 4,633 grants totaling more than $559 million. It is one of the state's largest private foundations, providing an average of $50 million in grants each year in pursuit of its mission. Please visit TCWF's website at www.tcwf.org for more information, including a newsroom section devoted to the Champions of Health Professions Diversity Award and the three honorees.