About Upequity

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About Us

Our aim is to engage in work that supports advancing systems and policy changes, eliminating barriers, and producing tangible improvements in people's lives.

Upequity believes that it takes a united effort to truly impact lasting change and is committed to contributing to the collective health equity movement to ensure healthcare is accessible to all who need it, when they need it.

Upequity is a registered 501c3 nonprofit that delivers patient-centered, evidence-based research and explores novel solutions to positively impact underserved communities with rare and serious chronic health conditions.  

To reach our aim, we explore and advance novel ideas, conduct evidence-based research and incubate emerging entities in their journey to becoming organizations. Upequity’s work is focused on underrepresented and underserved populations including women, people of color, LGBTQAI+, the elderly, disabled, rural, and those struggling with limited financial resources who live with rare and serious chronic health conditions.

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Our Strategic Pillars

We drive efforts and change with the intent of improving lives. The following strategic pillars center our work efforts:
  • Conduct leading patient-centered research that supports the advancement of systems and policies that improve equitable access to healthcare.
  • Advance conversations and actions to reduce / eliminate health care disparities.
  • Test novel, evidence-based programs and projects that facilitate awareness and education and amplifies the voice of underrepresented patients and families.
  • Use technology and innovation to improve the quality of life of underserved populations.
  • Collaborate with organizations that share similar health equity related goals and passion to contribute and advance the health equity movement.

These Strategic Pillars focus our approach to achieving our organizational objectives, measures, and outcomes.

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Our Culture

We deeply believe in the importance of building a strong and enduring culture where we value and recognize different perspectives. We personally and organizationally pledge to bring the following core values to our work:
  • Servant Leadership
  • Authenticity
  • Innovation
  • Results
  • Honesty & Integrity
  • Inclusion
Our Culture
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Our Commitment To Diversity

“We believe deeply that our unique and different lived experiences and perspectives are essential ingredients to building a strong Upequity that deeply understands and truly addresses the needs of those we serve.” – Kandyma Sar, Co-founder

Our passion for health equity unites us as an organization. We believe in the power of our unique differences and the impact we can make as we come together in our shared values and purpose.

We welcome you! We are building an organization we can be proud of where you can be your true self, utilize your talents and be heard. This is the power of inclusion and enables us to unlock the power of our differences and the potential of our teams.

We succeed by leveraging our differences to solve problems, create opportunities and be stronger together. We encourage, embrace, and value each of us for being our authentic selves.

Equity, inclusion and respect are cornerstones of our culture. At every level our organization reflects the diverse people we serve around the nation. Diversity does not only mean race. It includes race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, religion, disability, socioeconomic status and neurodiversity. We are dedicated to building a thriving organization that welcomes and respects the diversity of different cultural backgrounds, talents, interests and ideas.

Inclusion is built into our organizational practices from recruitment, development, promotion and leadership as well as embedded deeply in our core values. Representation is a continued commitment and one of the ways that we can measure ourselves.

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Meet Our Team and Advisors

Upequity is grateful to have the input of an amazing team who bring their subject expertise and personal passion to the organization
Tahra Anglade

Tahra Anglade, MS
Research Advisor

Mike Birmingham

Michael Birmingham, MBA
Strategist

Mousumi Bose

Mousumi Bose, PhD
Principal Investigator & Advisor

Tara Britt

Tara Britt
Policy Advisor

Elisa Callejas Dominguez

Elisa Callejas Dominguez
Program Advisor

Abhirami Coimbatore Gowrisankar

Abhirami Coimbatore Gowrisankar
Advisor

Kimberly Haugstad

Kimberly Haugstad, MBA
CEO & Co-founder

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Anna Landseadel
Communications Manager

Erendira Ramirez

Erendira Ramirez
Translation & Advisor

Anna Schon, MSc

Anna Schon, MSc
Genetic Counselor Advisor

Jessica Shiles, MSc

Jessica Shiles, MSc
Genetic Counselor Advisor

Teneasha Washington

Tenesasha Washington, PhD, MPH
Principal Investigator & Advisor

Meet Our Board Members

The Board of Directors of Upequity as of June 2023 includes:
Fernando Sanchez, MD

Fernando Sanchez, PhD
Board Member

Gabriela Prudencio

Gabriela Prudencio, MBA
Board Member

Kimberly Haugstad

Kimberly Haugstad, MBA
CEO & Co-founder

Detrice G Barry

In Loving Memory
Detrice G Barry, PhD, MSN, MEd, RN
Board Member 2021-2023

Interested in joining Upequity team in a staff, advisory, or board position?

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Our Partners

Upequity believes that it takes a united effort to truly impact lasting change. We have developed and will continue to build key partners in rare disease, chronic disease, health equity, research, education, policy and other areas that support and align with our purpose.

We proudly recognize our alignment and partnership with the following groups:
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Rare and Ready Coalition
Partner-NOORDA
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Sponsor-RDII
IGAN
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Our Sponsors

We are thankful for the commitment and belief of the following supporters who help to fund our work. 2023 Sponsors include:
(Last updated June 2023)
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Sponsor-RDII
IGAN
Octapharma logo
Sanofi
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Partner-NOORDA
ultragenyx
Medexus Pharma
HFHEALTHCARE
biocryst
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