Cynthia Leifer, Faculty Core Co-Director – Dr. Cynthia Leifer is a Professor of Immunology, Department of Microbiology, and Director of the NIH-funded Program for Achieving Career Excellence (PACE) and Rising Stars program. PACE aims to increase and support URM faculty in the biomedical sciences by supporting the success of Cornell’s URM pre-tenure faculty, as well as provide programming and mentoring for outstanding URM trainees who intend to continue on to faculty positions. Over the 16 years that Dr. Leifer has been at Cornell, she developed a service portfolio geared towards mentoring and promoting the success of women and diverse faculty. She previously chaired the CVM committee for the status of faculty women, which has implemented professional development programs to promote the success of women at the veterinary college. Dr. Leifer will serve as a member of the FIRST Institutional Steering Committee, be available as a mentor to FIRST faculty, and ensure that FIRST faculty are able to participate in relevant PACE programming.