Faculty Award Winners 2025

Internal Medicine Fellowships Senior Program Coordinator

Department: School of Medicine

Cesley Watkins is the Senior Fellowship Program Coordinator in the Department of Internal Medicine Office of Educational Affairs at VCU Health, where she has built a reputation as a dedicated and skilled leader in graduate medical education (GME) administration over the past six years. With a Bachelor of Arts in History and an Early Education concentration from VCU, along with 24 graduate credit hours in Teaching-Early Education, Cesley’s educational foundation is rooted in a deep commitment to learning and development. She has also earned certifications in Human Resources Management and Organizational Effectiveness from Villanova University Online. In 2024, she completed the Advanced Program Administrator Training Program through the National Society of Academic Medical Administrators, further honing her expertise in GME. Before transitioning into healthcare administration, Cesley worked in early childhood education, human resources, and program management. Some of her experience includes serving as a licensing inspector, area manager for before and after school programs, and assistant director of a childcare facility on a military base —positions that have significantly influenced her approach to supporting medical learners.

Since joining VCU Health in 2014, Cesley has consistently demonstrated her ability to manage complex programs within the GME environment. She currently provides comprehensive administrative support to several Internal Medicine fellowship programs, including Gastroenterology, Transplant Hepatology, Inflammatory Bowel Disease & Nutrition, and Allergy & Immunology. She oversees application processes; organizes interview days; facilitates trainee orientation, ensuring ACGME compliance; and provides ongoing support to program directors and fellows. Cesley’s organizational skills and ability to build strong relationships have made her a key asset to the department. Known for her proactive problem-solving, she played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, assisting an understaffed GME office while managing her full workload. In recognition of her exceptional leadership, Cesley was promoted to Senior Fellowship Program Coordinator in 2023. She was also appointed Fellowship Senior Coordinator Team Lead, where she now mentors new program coordinators and has helped expand the fellowship coordinator team from two to eight members. As a mentor, Cesley emphasizes professional development and ensures coordinators are well prepared for long-term success in GME. Cesley remains committed to continuous professional growth, actively participating in GME regional and national conferences, as well as specialty-specific virtual events. She is a member of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine and the National Society of Academic Medical Administrators, where she serves on the Education Committee. Additionally, she contributes to several institutional GME committees and regularly volunteers at GME events.

Notable nomination portfolio quotes:

Dr. C. Barrett (Associate Chair for Education) ~ "Despite the demands of coordinating multiple programs, her program coordinators comment specifically that they always feel as if they were the only program she manages, this speaks volumes of the personal attention Cesley affords whomever she is serving in the moment and the careful, accountable task completion and follow though she brings. When the GME office was critically understaffed, Cesley did not hesitate to offer her assistance to the GME office staff even though we were also critically understaffed."

Anonymous Fellow Survey Response (shared by Dr. Ravi Vachhani) ~ "SHE IS AMAZING! WE LOVE HER."

Dr. Ravi Vachhani (Gastroenterology Fellowship Director) ~ "For the past six years, she has significantly improved fellows' support structure and, in the process, their ability to focus on education without distraction. She has done so in an era whose span included the peak of COVID-19, severe personnel shortages and an untold list of trainee crises."

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