November 29, 2023
Carla Y. White has been promoted to associate professor in the Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education (PACE) at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. She is also a pharmacist and the Associate Dean of Organizational Diversity and Inclusion at the School.
White is a highly regarded thought leader, educator, influencer and pragmatic disruptor in the cultural intelligence space. In her role, she leads in strategic planning, organizational design, developing and articulating a communication strategy, identifying gaps, addressing challenges, developing best practices, determining relevant metrics and facilitating strategic partnerships.
“This promotion represents a responsibility to reimagine and bring something wildly ambitious to the world,” said White. “To expand on my work, I’d like to focus on initiatives that will bring sustained societal value. For example, I’d like to develop an accountability framework that would produce systemic change to address social determinants of health and mitigate disparate health care.”
White has received 1.6 million in grant funding, which includes a grant from the McKesson Foundation aimed at increasing access to pharmacy and cultural intelligence. As well as a Genentech grant that explored mentorship of underrepresented women at research intensive institutions. This work will serve as a foundation for the next phase of her career.
Since joining the School in 1997, White conceptualized and developed two health communications courses titled Contemporary Communications in Healthcare and Contemporary and Applied Communications in Healthcare. She also pioneered and developed several programs and organizations within the School including the following:
- PRIME – community building for underserved students (2021)
- Rapid acts of inclusion – community building for faculty and staff (2018)
- Undergraduate students for diversity in pharmacy (2013)
- The first postdoctoral education fellowship at the School (2011)
- The mentoring future leaders in pharmacy program (2011)
- The leadership academy (2011)
- The leadership excellence and development programs (2009)
- Alumni symposiums (2009)
- The Carolina pre-pharmacy club (2009)
- The recruitment ambassadors program (2008)
- Pharmacy college admission test reviews (2005)
“During her career, she has provided students with the foundations of patient care through laboratory experiences. She has mentored and advised numerous students and helped build a diverse and inclusive culture. She is a well-known national leader and is most deserving of her promotion to associate professor,” said Stefanie Ferreri, Pharm.D., Henry L. Smith and James L. Olsen Distinguished Professor and chair of PACE.
White is well published with over 200 citations and has over 100 invited presentations. Recent accomplishments include the development of the School’s DEI Strategic Plan with data driven metrics, principal investigator (PI) on an $856,000.00 grant from the McKesson Foundation to launch the McKesson Leading Excellence, Advancing Diversity program, co-PI on a $386,895.25 grant to assess wellness of BIPOC women faculty at research-intensive institutions and recipient of the 2020 Triangle Business Journal Leaders in Diversity Award.
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