2025 Faculty Excellence Awards: Celebrating achievements in academic medicine

For more than 20 years, Kimberly S. Pedram, M.D., has had an extensive and expanding impact at VCU. From her early days as a small group leader in Foundations of Clinical Medicine to her current role as an attending physician on inpatient services, Pedram has guided hundreds of aspiring doctors. She is known for stimulating intellectual achievement and fostering deep understanding among her students, who praise her ability to make complex concepts “both accessible and meaningful.”.

John D. Grizzard, M.D., has elevated the learning experience for every resident, student and fellow who has rotated through cardiac imaging through a combination of clinical excellence, pedagogical clarity and mentorship. Known for his clinical teaching and ability to simplify complex cardiac imaging concepts for a diverse audience, Grizzard’s approach to education ensures that every interaction is a learning opportunity. He actively guides and supports medical students, residents, fellows and junior faculty in their career development, including research and scholarly projects.

Jason A. Carlyon, Ph.D., is described as dedicated to advancing the academic and professional careers of his mentees, which enables them to transition into successful roles across academia, government and industry. Equally notable is his interest in their well-being and growth, cultivating scientific independence and critical skills. His lasting impact on the careers and lives of his mentees extends far beyond their time in his lab.

Recognized as a multifaceted researcher, leader and clinician, Richard K. Sterling, M.D., has been a pillar of the academic community since 1997. Over the years, Sterling has formally mentored over 60 individuals and is repeatedly lauded for his profound personal commitment to mentoring, which is characterized as transformational, marked by deep caring and lifelong advocacy. He is noted for his accessibility, consistently offering his time, guidance and encouragement to learners and colleagues at every stage of their development, often without formal obligation. Sterling’s “infectious enthusiasm” for teaching and his compassionate nature have earned him the description of “a scholar, but more importantly, a gentleman first.”

Since arriving at VCU, Rashida H. Woods, M.D., has taken on numerous leadership roles, including medical director of quality improvement and patient safety for the division of pediatric emergency medicine and team lead of the pediatric stroke task force. She currently serves as program director for the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship, for which she has led curriculum redesigns and strengthened core faculty engagement by empowering faculty to create curricula. A committed educator and mentor, Woods teaches learners across the spectrum of academic medicine, from EMS providers to medical students, emphasizing collaboration and empowerment, as well as fierce advocacy for her learners.

As internal medicine residency program director, Rebecca E. Forrest, M.D., delights in problem-solving and innovating, seeing her role as a leader to not only guide learners down a path, but to remove obstacles and ensure residency training is evolving to meet the needs of today’s trainees. Forrest values the individual relationships she forms with the residents in her program, offering career path guidance and support for every resident whether applying for jobs or fellowship training after residency.

Since joining VCU in 2014, Cesley Watkins has consistently demonstrated her ability to manage complex programs within the graduate medical education environment. Known for her proactive problem-solving, she played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, assisting an understaffed Graduate Medical Education 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.