Nellie Moualeu, Ph.D.

Nellie Moualeu, Ph.D., is a Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She has charisma and a dynamic attitude that positively impacts patients and staff. She is able to gain rapport and trust quickly and naturally with our psychiatric patients. She embraces patients for who they are by acknowledging similarities while celebrating individual differences. As the psychiatric population is unique in diversity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and social class, she treats each of the patients with dignity, kindness, and respect.

"The psychology department at KUMC is one that is filled with scholars and clinicians. And staff who don't just say that diversity and equity matter but whose daily activities directly reflect that value. So, to have been nominated and selected by this group of individuals was truly an honor. I have been privileged to learn alongside peers who have challenged my perceptions, and I have grown more compassionate for the various struggles the populations we serve face. This award is a great honor and serves as a reminder that the work is ongoing. Thank you!"

Megan Cleary, D.O.

Megan Cleary, D.O., is a fourth-year Psychiatry Resident in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Megan Cleary is known amongst our colleagues as a strong advocate for diversity, not just in the workplace but also in the community. She is an active advocate via social media and in practice settings for promoting diversity and inclusion, awareness of iniquity, inequity, and the influences of social injustice on race, gender, and sexuality in our society and our patients. Her level of social awareness regarding these aspects of care and practice and the subsequent effect they have on our patient populations, as well as her ability to advocate for those who do not or cannot advocate for themselves, is inspiring. She remains unafraid to back down from tense discussions or speak out against injustice in society, making her a valuable colleague and friend and a much-needed presence in our field.

“I was humbled to receive this award. Advocacy has always been my priority, and the recognition validated that my voice does and has made a difference for others. I am most passionate about working with underserved populations with a special affinity for perinatal, LGBTQIA+, and historically underserved communities.”

The Diversity Committee’s Diversity Award was created in honor of Ravinder Goswami, M.D., a graduate of the general psychiatry program who passed away in 2018. For more information about the committee and past award winners, visit the Diversity Committee’s webpage.