Since 1998, the Center for Multicultural and Community Affairs (CMCA) has served as a trusted space for connection, growth, advocacy, and opportunity for faculty, students, and trainees across the Mount Sinai community. Today, as part of the Office of Professional Engagement and Development, CMCA enters an important new chapter, one that builds on our longstanding foundation while expanding our role as a shared institutional resource that supports professional development, belonging, and community across the educational continuum.
Our mission reflects both continuity and evolution. We remain deeply committed to helping students and trainees thrive academically, professionally, and personally, while strengthening pathways, partnerships, and learning environments that expand access, support, and opportunity for all learners. Through mentoring, coaching, leadership development, pathway programming, community engagement, and collaborative partnerships, we aim to prepare future leaders in medicine, science, and health care who are equipped to serve in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
Having had the privilege of growing alongside CMCA for nearly three decades, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of community, representation, mentorship, and intentional support. CMCA’s impact has always extended beyond the programs we offer. It has been about helping individuals feel seen, supported, and connected to a larger sense of purpose and possibility. As we move forward within the Office of Professional Engagement and Development, we remain committed to fostering a culture where learners can flourish, build meaningful relationships, and develop the confidence and skills to lead with excellence, compassion, and integrity.
We invite you to partner with us as we continue advancing a culture of opportunity, belonging, and professional growth across the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai academic community.
Ann-Gel S. Palermo, DrPH, MPH, TIPC, ACC
Director, Center for Multicultural and Community Affairs
Senior Associate Dean for Academic Community and Culture
Director, Academic Community and Culture Core
Office for Professional Engagement and Development
Professor, Leni and Peter May Department of Medical Education
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai