Team

HDEIA is a volunteer-driven organization that embraces diversity and inclusion, fostering a culture of collaboration and partnership. We value the unique experiences and backgrounds of all individuals. The impactful work of HDEIA is made possible by the dedicated contributions of numerous professionals listed on this page, as well as many other members. We extend our sincere thanks to all who generously give their time, financial support, and ideas to support our organization. Thank you for being part of HDEIA’s mission!

Board of Directors

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Barbara Wirowtsko

CMO and Co-Founder, Qlaris Bio

Barbara Wirowtsko

Barbara Wirostko, CMO and Co-Founder, Qlaris Bio. As a serial entrepreneur and passionate advocate for patients’ needs in ophthalmology, she is responsible for guiding all Qlaris Bio’s medical and clinical development strategy. In addition to her role at Qlaris Bio, she is a practicing glaucoma clinician researcher, holding an Adjunct Professorship in Ophthalmology at the Moran Eye Center and in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Utah.
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Rajat N Agrawal, MD, MS

CEO at Retina Global

Rajat N Agrawal, MD, MS

Dr. Rajat N. Agrawal is a distinguished ophthalmologist and retina specialist, widely recognized for his clinical expertise, extensive research contributions (including co-inventor of ARGUS-II), dedication to teaching, and a profound commitment to social causes.
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Radhika (Radi) Tunstall

President & CEO, Founder

Radhika (Radi) Tunstall

Radhika Tunstall, CEO & founder of the Health Diversity Equity & Inclusion Alliance (HDEIA), brings extensive expertise and experience across various sectors of the healthcare industry.
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Advisory Committee

The Advisory Council comprises distinguished leaders and experts from diverse fields, each bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to our organization. Through their guidance, we are better equipped to navigate the challenges of health equity, inclusion, and diversity on a global scale. Their insights and strategic advice are instrumental in shaping our initiatives, ensuring they are impactful and sustainable.

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Adam Foster

Executive Officer

Adam Foster

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Kristina May

Design Lead

Kristina May

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Jason Sterling

Marketing Head

Jason Sterling

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Dr. Rameshkumar K. Raman MD

Endocrine Associates

Dr. Rameshkumar K. Raman MD

Dr. Rameshkumar K. Raman is an endocrinologist in Moline, Illinois and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Genesis Medical Center-Silvis and UnityPoint Health-Trinity Muscatine. He received his medical degree from Stanley Medical College SMC and has been in practice for more than 20 years.
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Dr. Paul Underwood, Jr.

President , Cardio MedSci
President, Association of Black Cardiologists ,
(2004-2006)

Dr. Paul Underwood, Jr.

Cardiologist Dr. Paul L. Underwood, Jr., was born on March 23, 1960 in Knoxville, Tennessee. After Underwood graduated from Austin-East High School in 1976, he received his B.S. degree in biology at Morehouse College with departmental honors and his M.D. degree from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. Underwood completed his post graduate training at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and the Iowa Heart Center.
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DR. PAUL UNDERWOOD, JR.

Cardiologist

DR. PAUL UNDERWOOD, JR.

Cardiologist Dr. Paul L. Underwood, Jr., was born on March 23, 1960 in Knoxville, Tennessee. After Underwood graduated from Austin-East High School in 1976, he received his B.S. degree in biology at Morehouse College with departmental honors and his M.D. degree from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. Underwood completed his post graduate training at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and the Iowa Heart Center.
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Patient Leadership Council

Shamekka Marty

Shamekka Marty

Director, Patient Ambassador and Outreach

Shamekka Marty

Shamekka Marty is the Director of Patient Ambassador and Outreach at Health Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Alliance. A passionate leader in health equity, Shamekka has dedicated her career to improving access to care for underserved communities. Drawing from her personal experiences navigating Lupus, kidney disease, and other autoimmune conditions, she has become a powerful advocate for patient-centered care.
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Dr. Paul Underwood, Jr.

President , Cardio MedSci
President, Association of Black Cardiologists ,
(2004-2006)

Dr. Paul Underwood, Jr.

Cardiologist Dr. Paul L. Underwood, Jr., was born on March 23, 1960 in Knoxville, Tennessee. After Underwood graduated from Austin-East High School in 1976, he received his B.S. degree in biology at Morehouse College with departmental honors and his M.D. degree from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. Underwood completed his post graduate training at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and the Iowa Heart Center.
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DR. PAUL UNDERWOOD, JR.

Cardiologist

DR. PAUL UNDERWOOD, JR.

Cardiologist Dr. Paul L. Underwood, Jr., was born on March 23, 1960 in Knoxville, Tennessee. After Underwood graduated from Austin-East High School in 1976, he received his B.S. degree in biology at Morehouse College with departmental honors and his M.D. degree from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. Underwood completed his post graduate training at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and the Iowa Heart Center.
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Want to get involved?

Join HDEIA by becoming a member today! Bring your passion and expertise to championing transformative change, and to advocating to improve social conditions and address barriers that prevent people from leading healthy and productive lives! 

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Health Diversity Equity and Inclusion Alliance is a nonprofit and 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

HEALTH DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION ALLIANCE

Health equity for all; Inclusion of all; Advance diversity in clinical trial research and STEM globally

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barbara

Barbara Wirostko, MD, FARVO

Barbara Wirostko, CMO and Co-Founder, Qlaris Bio. As a serial entrepreneur and passionate advocate for patients’ needs in ophthalmology, she is responsible for guiding all Qlaris Bio’s medical and clinical development strategy.  In addition to her role at Qlaris Bio, she is a practicing glaucoma clinician researcher, holding an Adjunct Professorship in Ophthalmology at the Moran Eye Center and in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Utah.

Before co-founding Qlaris Bio, Dr. Wirostko was the Chief Medical Officer of EyeGate Pharmaceuticals following its acquisition of Jade Therapeutics, where she was the Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer. In her role at Jade, Dr. Wirostko spearheaded the strategy and operations for the preclinical and clinical development of the unique hyaluronic acid, Ocular Bandage Gel, for human use.  Prior to Jade, she served as the Chief Medical Officer of Altheos, a small, privately held glaucoma biotech company. Dr. Wirostko also held leadership positions in medical and clinical development at Pfizer in Ophthalmology, overseeing anterior and posterior segment ocular programs, including Xalatan (latanoprost) and several other pipeline programs.

Dr. Wirostko received her MD and completed her residency at Columbia University and holds a BA in Microbiology from Cornell University. Dr. Wirostko completed a glaucoma fellowship at Cornell University.

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Rajat N Agrawal, MD, MS

Dr. Rajat N. Agrawal is a distinguished ophthalmologist and retina specialist, widely recognized for his clinical expertise, extensive research contributions (including co-inventor of ARGUS-II), dedication to teaching, and a profound commitment to social causes. Dr. Agrawal’s journey in the field of ophthalmology began with his medical education and residency in Nagpur and Mumbai (formerly Bombay). He subsequently embarked on a retina fellowship at Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai, India, where he later assumed a faculty role, dedicating seven years to the institute. Following this, he received an invitation to Hong Kong, where he played a vital role in teaching, training, and managing complex cases at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and other hospitals in the city. His expertise also extended to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, where he held the unique position of being the sole Retina Specialist in the country and the Caribbean region. Dr. Agrawal served as the Director of the Ophthalmology Program at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Nassau and took on the role of Residency Director for residents from Yale University Department of Ophthalmology. In 2003, Dr. Agrawal became a part of USC/Doheny Eye Institute in Los Angeles, California. Alongside clinical care and teaching, he significantly contributed to the ideation, research, and development of ARGUS-II. His involvement included devising the surgical procedure for the implantation process and overseeing the subsequent clinical trials conducted in six centers in the United States and four in Europe. Notably, ARGUS-II currently stands as the sole approved treatment for advanced retinitis pigmentosa in the United States and Europe. Dr. Agrawal also works with the industry in the field of ophthalmology, helping companies with clinical development and operations, medical affairs, regulatory strategy, marketing and commercial plans, etc. He holds a Masters degree in Regulatory Sciences from USC. Dr. Agrawal’s leadership extends to his role as the President and CEO of Retina Global, where he continues to make a profound impact on the field of ophthalmology and the global fight against blindness.

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Radhika (Radi) Tunstall

Radhika Tunstall, CEO & founder of the Health Diversity Equity & Inclusion Alliance (HDEIA), brings extensive expertise and experience across various sectors of the healthcare industry. With roles spanning from Executive Leadership to Physician and Pharmaceutical Scientist, Her multifaceted career includes senior positions at leading pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Notably, her advocacy for patient voices and strategic patient engagement efforts within the Pharmaceutical Industry underscores her commitment to improving healthcare outcomes. With a background in Science and Patient focused medicines development, Dr. Tunstall’s leadership positions at various companies further demonstrate her dedication to driving transformative change in patient care and pharmaceutical development. Positioned at the helm of HDEIA, her vision and dedication to promoting health equity, diversity, and inclusion globally shape the organization’s strategic direction and impact, aiming to improve healthcare outcomes for underserved populations and advancing diversity in STEM education.

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Dr. Rameshkumar K. Raman MD

Dr. Rameshkumar K. Raman is an endocrinologist in Moline, Illinois and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Genesis Medical Center-Silvis and UnityPoint Health-Trinity Muscatine. He received his medical degree from Stanley Medical College SMC and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Rameshkumar K. Raman has expertise in treating chronic diabetes, obesity/overweight, among other conditions – see all areas of expertise. Dr. Rameshkumar K. Raman accepts Medicare, Aetna, Humana, Blue Cross, United Healthcare – see other insurance plans accepted.

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Dr. Paul Underwood, Jr.

Cardiologist Dr. Paul L. Underwood, Jr., was born on March 23, 1960 in Knoxville, Tennessee. After Underwood graduated from Austin-East High School in 1976, he received his B.S. degree in biology at Morehouse College with departmental honors and his M.D. degree from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. Underwood completed his post graduate training at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and the Iowa Heart Center.

In 1987, Underwood began working at St. Croix Hospital in the U.S. Virgin Islands. During his three year stay there, Underwood eventually became the Director of the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit for the hospital. He also became the Physician Advisor for the Peer Review Organization at the Virgin Islands Medical Institute.

In 1997, Underwood acted as a consultant among a sixteen member multidisciplinary medical team that traveled to Dakar, Senegal to provide cardiovascular medical care for the community. The venture, Project MEDHELP, led by Albert F. Olivier, consisted of cardiothoracic and general surgeons, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, internists, public health experts, dermatologists and gynecologists.

In 2004, Underwood was appointed as the tenth president of the Association of Black Cardiologists, where he served until 2006. Under Underwood’s leadership, the organization developed various community based programs including Changing Health Outcomes by Improving Cardiovascular Education and Screenings (CHOICES), and the Center for Continuing Education and Professional Development (CCEPD), which is ranked in the top five percent of accredited providers. Underwood also developed Project Hope, a project that provided Hurricane Katrina evacuees with medical care and refurbished medical records.

Also in 2004, Underwood led the Association of Black Cardiologists to manage and unveil the results of the African American Heart Failure Trial (A-HeFT), the first study conducted in a heart failure population in which all of the participants identified themselves as black. The results of the study led to the production of the drug, BiDil, the first ever heart medication specifically geared towards African Americans—the racial demographic with the highest percentage of heart disease.

In 2006, Underwood joined the North Phoenix Heart Center, before joining his wife at Sonoran Health Specialists in Scottsdale, Arizona. Underwood serves on several boards and organizations including the Black Board of Directors Project and the Use of Force Disciplinary Review Board of the Phoenix Police Department.

Underwood lives with his wife, Dr. Hollis Underwood, a physician in private practice, and their three sons, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

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Shamekka Marty

Shamekka Marty

Shamekka Marty is the Director of Patient Ambassador and Outreach at Health Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Alliance. A passionate leader in health equity, Shamekka has dedicated her career to improving access to care for underserved communities. Drawing from her personal experiences navigating Lupus, kidney disease, and other autoimmune conditions, she has become a powerful advocate for patient-centered care. Her journey has inspired countless individuals facing similar health challenges. Shamekka holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business from Rutgers University and earned her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Rutgers School of Business. She has also completed specialized training in Health Equity through Harvard. Her work focuses on advancing health equity, leveraging AI in healthcare, and championing women’s health and chronic illness.

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