The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is pleased to announce that Dr. Jennifer Nazareno will assume the role of associate dean for the UCSF Graduate Division, effective July 2024.
A distinguished alumna of UCSF, Nazareno brings extensive experience and expertise to her new position. As associate dean, she will be instrumental in formulating strategies to enhance the academic success of students and uphold the academic integrity of the Graduate Division programs. Furthermore, she will act as deputy to the dean, offering indispensable guidance and support as a key member of the dean's team.
Following her graduation from UCSF, Nazareno became a T32 and Presidential Diversity postdoctoral fellow at Brown University, where she subsequently became an assistant professor at the School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences and the Jonathan M. Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship. In memory of her late parents, she researches the impact and contributions of immigrant Filipino nurses, care workers, and small business owners on the health and long-term care sectors in the United States.
Notably, Dr. Nazareno was also appointed as a faculty fellow for the Undocumented, First-Generation College, and Low-Income Student Center (UFLi) and the Center for the Study of Race & Ethnicity in America (CSREA). Her contributions earned her the Barrett Hazeltine Assistant Professor Endowed Chairship for Entrepreneurship Practice, as well as the distinction of being named an Ashoka Changemaker Campus Leader. She is also the first faculty member from the Brown University’s School of Public Health to receive the Dean’s Award for teaching and mentorship for three consecutive years (2019-21). Furthermore, Nazareno co-founded the Philippine Health Initiative for Research, Service, & Training (PHIRST).
Dr. Nazareno was promoted to associate professor and at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, was named the inaugural academic director of the online MPH program. Most recently, she served as associate dean for academic affairs and innovation at the School of Professional Studies, where her team spearheaded new online program initiatives in public health, biostatistics, and data science that focused on ensuring AI tools and data systems remain safe and ethical. In her role, she passionately aimed to promote educational equity by broadening access to master’s programs for non-traditional adult learners, working professionals, and international students.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Nazareno back to UCSF, confident that she will excel in this crucial role for our students,” remarked Dean Nicquet Blake, Vice Provost of Student Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate Division. “Her extensive experience and commitment to student advocacy will undoubtedly have an immediate and positive impact on the Graduate Division.”
As associate dean, Nazareno will oversee academic programs, faculty development and support, academic policy development, and student academic support.
Nazareno stated, “I’m eagerly anticipating the opportunity to assume a leadership position at UCSF and support these exceptional students. UCSF holds a special place in my heart, and the groundbreaking research conducted here has a profound global impact on health.”
Nazareno earned her PhD in medical sociology from the UCSF Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Her dissertation, which examined the lived experiences of immigrant Filipino women who emerged as owners of health and long-term service-related businesses in the United States, was recognized with the prestigious UCSF Anselm Strauss Award for Most Distinguished Qualitative Dissertation. Nazareno obtained her master’s and undergraduate degrees from UCLA. Her research and teaching expertise encompass medical sociology, structural and social determinants of health, qualitative methodology, women’s migration, labor, and entrepreneurship.
