Welcome Noemi, Josie and Amanda to the Division of Geriatrics!
We are excited to welcome the three newest members of our Division this week! Please see details below –
Noemi Burgos, MPH, HEARD Research Associate
Noemi started her new role this morning and will support the HEARD (Hospice Equity for People Impacted by Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias) Study, led by Dr. Krista Harrison. She earned her Master’s in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley and brings diverse expertise in public health research and community engagement. Most recently, Noemi worked as a Data Analysis Intern/Epidemiology Research Assistant at the Central California Consortium for Public Health, analyzing large public health datasets and addressing health disparities. Concurrently, at Alameda Health Systems, she collaborated with clinicians and community members to adapt prenatal resources for Spanish-speaking patients, supporting equitable maternal healthcare. Noemi’s passion for advancing equity is reflected in her work, including her role in the Richmond Task Force to End Gender-Based Violence, which was supported by a $15,000 Social Impact and Innovation Grant.
As a Research Associate, Noemi will work closely with Dr. Harrison and Shira Rutman (Project Director) on projects aimed at improving care and policy for older adults with serious illness. Her responsibilities include community outreach, participant recruitment, data collection, policy brief generation, manuscript writing, and grant application support. Noemi will also assist the UCSF Pepper Center Vulnerable Aging Research Core (VARC), helping faculty Pepper Scholars with consultations and trainings related to evidence-based policy recommendations. Based at the Mission Bay Office, cubicle #8128, Noemi will report directly to Shira Rutman. We are thrilled to welcome her to our growing Division—please join us in giving her a warm welcome! Noemi can be reached at: [email protected].
Josie Lee, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-C, PHN, Age-Friendly ED Nurse Practitioner
Josie started her Nurse Practitioner position this week, and will be joining Anna Hines, Camie Kuo, TK Abraha, Mitch Erickson, and Journey Meadows in the Age-Friendly Geriatrics Emergency Department (AFED) consult service. Josie brings extensive experience in geriatric care, having spent years delivering comprehensive assessments, care coordination, and individualized care planning for medically complex older adults in safety-net healthcare systems. Most recently, Josie worked with the Center for Elders’ Independence (PACE Program), where she conducted geriatric assessments, managed chronic conditions, and collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to support frail older adults across outpatient, hospital, and community settings. Her dedication to advancing equitable, trauma-informed care for underserved populations makes her a valuable addition to our team.
In her role with AFED, Josie will provide expert consultative services to optimize care for older adults in the emergency department, supporting ED providers with structured assessments, care recommendations, and discharge planning. She will collaborate with pharmacists, social workers, geriatricians, and other interdisciplinary professionals to ensure safe transitions of care and ongoing management for patients. Josie’s commitment to enhancing the patient experience aligns perfectly with UCSF’s Age-Friendly Health System goals of focusing on “What matters” to older adults. Based at the Parnassus campus, Josie will work closely with Division geriatricians and ED providers during her shifts. We are thrilled to welcome Josie to the Division of Geriatrics—please join us in giving her a warm welcome! Josie can be reached at [email protected].
Amanda Sanchez, MSN (Western Governors University Student Learner)
We are excited to welcome Amanda Sanchez, RN, back to UCSF as she joins our Age-Friendly Geriatrics Emergency Department (AFED) consult service for 40 hours of shadowing in September as part of her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program at Western Governors University. Amanda previously worked as an ED RN at UCSF, where she placed many impactful referrals to our service and demonstrated a strong interest in advancing care for older adults. Her dedication to improving health outcomes for this population aligns seamlessly with the mission of UCSF’s Age-Friendly Health System.
Under the guidance of Anna Hines, her preceptor for this clinical practice experience, Amanda will build advanced clinical competence by participating in direct patient care and observing interdisciplinary collaboration that optimizes transitions of care for older adults in the emergency department. This opportunity will also help her integrate knowledge from her education program, which emphasizes evidence-based curriculum design and innovation for nurse educators. We are thrilled to support Amanda on this next step of her journey and look forward to working with her to improve care delivery and empower older adults. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome! Amanda can be reached at [email protected] beginning on September 9th.
Welcome to Noemi, Josie and Amanda to our growing Geriatrics family!