2021 UCSF Alumni Achievement Awards Honor Accomplished Alumni and Rising Leaders

Judith Labert presents the 2021 Alumni Awards

Judith Lamberti, MD ’78, president of the Alumni Association of UCSF, presents the 2021 UCSF Alumni Achievement Awards during a virtual event.

The Alumni Association of UC San Francisco has named seven winners of the 2021 UCSF Alumni Achievement Awards. These awards honor alumni across the UCSF’s four schools and the Graduate Division for extraordinary contributions to clinical practice, research, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, service and mentorship, as well as for early-career success.

“The past year has been a challenge for all of us,” said Mario Peraza, executive director of Alumni Relations. “Through it all, these award winners have each been a source of inspiration, exemplifying the commitment and resilience that makes our UCSF community so special.”

The awards were announced during the 2021 UCSF Alumni Weekend, a virtual event held April 15 through 18.

Alumni Early-Career Award

Shaily Arora, PharmD ’12
This award honors an alum who has graduated or completed training within the last 10 years (2010 – 2020), has advanced rapidly in their career, and has displayed significant achievement in the areas of leadership and professional success, pushing the boundaries of science and health care. 


Alumni Mentor Award

Letitia Bradford, MD ’97, Resident Alum, Orthopedic Surgery
This award recognizes an alum who has devoted their career to inspiring, mentoring, and educating the next generation of scientists and health care providers.


Alumni Humanitarian Service Award 

Kimberly Chang, MD, MPH, Resident Alum, Family Medicine
This award recognizes an alum who has made a transformative contribution to their local community, the nation, or the world that has helped make it a better place. These honorees have achieved recognition for making a noteworthy, positive change to the human condition through health care and science. 


Alumni Philanthropic Award

Marilyn P. Chow, BS ’70, MS ’72, PhD ’82
This award honors an alum who has made UCSF a philanthropic priority and whose gift has made a significant impact on the University’s ability to improve and advance education, research, and/or health care.  


Alumni Entrepreneur Award 

Nicholas Hu, MS ’13, Global Health Science
This award recognizes an alum who demonstrates the highest caliber of innovation in science and/or health care through risk-taking actions and/or value-creating transformations.


Alumni Discovery Award

Yvonne L. Kapila, DDS ’90, PhD ’97
This award honors an alum who has made outstanding achievements creating positive change through basic science/health care research and has brought distinction to themselves and the UCSF community. 


Alumni Practitioner Award

Andrew Lui, MPT ’95, DPT ’06
This award honors an alum whose work is marked by boundless clinical empathy, understanding, and caring within health care.