Dr. Martinez, a neonatologist, has been a member of the UCSF faculty since 1994. Dr. Martinez is the program's executive director of and, as such, is responsible for connecting PRIME-US with other School of Medicine programs, pipeline programs such as the Post-Baccalaureate program, other UC schools, the University of California Office of the President, and the community at large. Dr. Martinez, who also serves as director of outreach and academic advancement for the School of Medicine, has worked for many years on ways to attract students from underrepresented communities into medicine.

- Karen Sokal-Gutierrez, MD, MPH
JMP-site Director for PRIME-US
JMP site Director

Dr. Karen Sokal-Gutierrez is an Associate Clinical Professor at the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program. She is the Site Director for the newly-developed Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved (PRIME-US), coordinating recruitment and training of medical students to care for underserved populations; faculty for the Contextually-Integrated Case Based Curriculum and Introduction to Research for the students’ masters thesis; medical consultant for the UCB Health Research for Action Center; and member of the UCB Center for Child and Youth Policy.

Dr. Sokal-Gutierrez completed her undergraduate degree at Yale University and her medical degree at UCSF. Her post-doctorate training is in pediatrics, preventive medicine, and public health, with a specialty in maternal-child health. Over the past 20 years, she has worked as a physician in community health clinics, an administrator in public health programs, a researcher in public health interventions, and an educator for medical students, physicians, nurses, early childhood teachers, and parents. She is recognized nationally as an expert in children’s health and safety in child care, and parenting education on early childhood health, especially for low-income and low-literacy populations. She is very active in advocacy and education through the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Community Pediatrics; and coordinates an annual health volunteer group to El Salvador providing training and technical assistance for rural community health workers and child care programs on maternal-child health issues.

Aisha Queen-Johnson, MSW, comes to PRIME-US from TAPP/Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Program at the Family Services Agency in San Francisco. Aisha has worked as the Program Director, Supervisor, Group Facilitator and Case Manager for TAPP since 1999. Aisha work has been within the non-profit social service realm working primarily with children, youth and their families. She has also coordinated an outreach program for youth in foster care through the California Youth Connection, and has provided counseling services at Tenderlion Family Program, Florence Crittendon Services, Oakes Children’s Center and Horizons Unlimited. Aisha was born and raised in San Francisco and is committed to improving the health of underserved communities through innovative program development and implementation and engaging community partners.

Kenneth “Blue” Williams was born in New Castle, Pa. He is currently a BA Candidate at California Institute of Integral Studies and is planning on attending graduate school to pursue a career as a Marriage and Family Therapist. After graduating high school Blue joined the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and worked in Critical Care and Emergency Departments. He has spent his life working in social service oriented jobs from patient care to teaching computers, math and literacy to disadvantaged elementary students in Berkeley and San Francisco. Blue’s commitment to community work is also evident with an appointment to the LGBT Advisory Committee of the SF Human Rights Commission, volunteering and working as an HIV Counselor at Magnet and AIDS Health Project and volunteering with Community United Against Violence speaking to youth and adults about LGBT issues. He has assisted in conducting research for HIV prevention studies and for HIV positive men and Trans persons who actively use methamphetamine. Blue is also a singer/songwriter/performance artists which lead him to play shows throughout San Francisco, host open mics and produce the Soul of Pride African American Stage and Village for SF Pride.