Champions of Change
Judit Camacho has been engaged with SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) for the last 17 years and has served two terms as executive director. SACNAS is dedicated to fostering the success of Hispanic/Chicano and Native American scientists—from college students to professionals—to attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership. A passionate advocate for social change and full involvement of diverse communities in the sciences, Judit is proud to lead an organization that was founded nearly 40 years ago by women and men who were the first Chicanas/os or Native Americans in their fields to obtain a doctoral degree. Also a leader in promoting gender equity in the sciences, the average participation of women in SACNAS—as mentors, program participants, etc.—over the last 12 years has been 56%. Furthermore, during the last 15 years, on average, 47% of the positions on the 15-member Board of Directors have been held by women. Judit first became involved with SACNAS as a student, while pursuing her mathematics degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has also completed graduate coursework in public health from Johns Hopkins University, and life experience as a teacher, activist and mother of three children. In between her terms at SACNAS, she had the pleasure of working at the National Institutes of Health and learning about the need for stronger participation in science policy by all communities.