Ava E. Pierce, MD, FACEP completed her undergraduate degree at Louisiana State University and earned her medical degree at Louisiana State University School of Medicine at Shreveport.  She completed an emergency medicine residency at Emory University School of Medicine.  Dr. Pierce is currently a Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and an Emergency Medicine attending at Parkland Health and Hospital Systems.  She is the Associate Vice Chair for Outreach and Engagement and the Director of the Emergency Medicine Research Associate Program.  She also serves as a member of UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Medical School Admissions Committee, and is a faculty liaison for Housestaff Emerging Academy of Leaders (HEAL), which focuses on professional development and mentoring for residents and fellows from under-represented groups.  Her research interests include medical education, diversity and inclusion, and cardiac resuscitation.  She completed the Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) Program and the AAMC s Healthcare Executive Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program and is committed to making innovative changes that will enhance diversity and inclusion and improve excellence in health care, thus strengthening a diverse workforce that will provide culturally competent quality medical care to all.  She has served as the Development Officer for the Academy for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine (ADIEM) and the president - elect for ADIEM for 2017-2018 and the ADIEM president for 2018 - 2019.  Dr. Pierce was one of the presenters for the following poster: Heron SL, Moll J, Moreno-Walton L, Pierce AE, Lopez BL.  Advancing Diversity and Inclusion: An Organized Approach through a Medical Specialty Academy, which won best in class poster for optimizing approaches to mentorship, coaching and faculty development throughout the faculty life cycle at the 2015 GDI/GFA AAMC Professional Development Conference in San Juan, PR, June 26, 2015.  She was awarded the 2016 Outstanding Academician Ward by ADIEM in recognition of her impact on the academic success of students and residents from underrepresented minority groups.