Entertainer & Emcee
Rubyn Warren
Comedian
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Rubyn Warren started performing stand-up at just 14 years old. He left a job at the Atlanta airport to pursue his comedy dreams in Los Angeles, and the gamble paid off. Rubyn has appeared on TruTV, Fox, and BET and has written for Netflix, Comedy Central, and BET. Known for his relatable humor and magnetic stage presence, Rubyn is quickly becoming a household name in comedy.
MEET THE HONOREES
Deborah Prothrow-Stith, M.D.
Dean and Professor of Internal Medicine, CDU
Deborah Prothrow-Stith, M.D. is dean of CDU College of Medicine (COM) and the founding dean of its new MD degree program, the 157th in the United States and the 4th at a historically Black university. In her 7-year tenure at CDU, she built the team and led the planning, faculty development, and fundraising required to start the program, fulfilling a 57-year-old CDU dream to have its own medical school. In addition, Dean Prothrow-Stith led the restart of CDU’s residency programs in South Los Angeles after a 12-year hiatus with the 2007 closure of the former LA County King Hospital.
Today, CDU runs residency programs in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Psychiatry; fellowship programs in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine; and is planning residency programs in General Surgery and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Prothrow-Stith’s leadership has generated significant growth in the COM faculty, from 100 to over 350, who are appointed in 9 basic science and clinical departments. With the monumental start of a new medical degree program that opened with an inaugural class of 60 diverse students in July 2023, Dr. Prothrow-Stith and CDU have earned considerable recognition from peers and the media.
Before joining CDU, Dr. Prothrow-Stith was a principal at Spencer Stuart and the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) Henry Pickering Walcott Professor of Public Health Practice and Associate Dean for Diversity. At HSPH, she created the Division of Public Health Practice and broke new ground by defining youth violence as a public health problem. In 1987, Governor Michael Dukakis appointed her Commissioner of Public Health for Massachusetts, where she led a department with 3,500 employees, eight hospitals, and a budget of $350 million. She and her family lived in Tanzania during her husband’s tenure as U.S. Ambassador. Dr. Prothrow-Stith is a Spelman College and Harvard Medical School graduate and a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. In 2003, she was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine. She has received ten honorary doctorates, and in 2017, she was named Woman of the Year for the 2nd District by the LA County Board of Supervisors.
Kenya Beckmann
Chief Philanthropy and Health Equity Officer Providence South Division
With more than twenty-five years’ experience in healthcare, higher education and philanthropy, Kenya Beckmann currently serves as the chief philanthropy and health equity officer for Providence in California. In her role, Kenya leads fourteen foundations, a shared support team, community health, and health equity efforts throughout California. Meaningful partnerships are at the core of Kenya’s work in inspiring philanthropy and reducing health inequities.
Prior to joining Providence, Kenya was executive vice president at Hoag Hospital Foundation where she led Hoag Promise, a comprehensive, $627 million fundraising campaign that reached its goal 18 months ahead of its scheduled completion. In addition to healthcare fundraising, Kenya was a leader in higher education philanthropy at UC Irvine and the University of Michigan.
Kenya’s non-profit commitment extends to work with other charitable organizations. She serves as a board member for Providence High School, Amazing Grace Conservatory, APGA Foundation and Solve M.E. and has served as a volunteer advisor for non-profit organizations throughout Southern California.
Originally from Oklahoma City, Kenya received her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, conducted research at Stanford and received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan. She moved to Orange County in 2004, where she and her husband, Matthew, have two sons, 22 and 18, and a 16-year-old daughter.
Brandon Blue, MD
Assistant Member, Malignant Hematology Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
Dr. Brandon Blue is a dedicated physician and researcher committed to advancing health equity and transforming patient outcomes, particularly within the Black community. As an Assistant Member and Clinical Instructor in the Department of Malignant Hematology at Moffitt Cancer Center, Dr. Blue specializes in the treatment of plasma cell disorders and the care of patients before and after stem cell and bone marrow transplants.
Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida and as a child had a thirst for knowledge in particular science and math. As a 16-year-old, he worked at a nursing home near his house in south St. Petersburg and what originally supposed to be a part-time job fueled his interest in medicine and healthcare. “That job in the nursing home exposed me to nurses and doctors and sick people. I told myself; I can do this. I’m personable and good at math and science. I knew I had to find something that aligned with that.” He took his love of people, science, and data to heart and attended Florida State University and graduated. He went on to earn his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. He then completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Washington University School of Medicine. He then pursued a Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at St. Louis University School of Medicine, followed by a specialized fellowship in Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy at Moffitt Cancer Center.
Beyond his clinical expertise, Dr. Blue is deeply invested in addressing health disparities and ensuring that advancements in cancer treatment are accessible to all. He is actively involved in efforts to increase the enrollment of diverse patients in clinical trials, recognizing the critical role representation plays in the development of effective therapies. He also engages in extensive outreach to community doctors and healthcare centers, fostering collaboration to involve more patients who might otherwise be excluded from cutting-edge treatments.
Through his research and advocacy, Dr. Blue continues to be a driving force in the pursuit of equitable healthcare, working to bridge gaps in access and improve outcomes for historically underserved populations. As a leader, he serves as an active member of the American Society of Hematology, Diversity committee, participates in initiatives that address disparities in transplant and cell therapy and is a voice in the black community providing education around cutting edge therapies such as CAR-T cellular therapy. He specializes in the care of patients with blood and bone marrow cancers specifically lymphomas, common and rare types as well as multiple myeloma.
Alena Analeigh McQuarter
Founder, The Brown Stem Girl
Phenom. Prodigy. Whiz kid.
Those are just a few of the words used to describe Alena McQuarter, who started college at 12-years old. She then graduated Magna Cum Laude two years later with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with a Global Health minor with a Concentration in Biomedical Services from Arizona State University.
At 13 years old she became the youngest black person in the history of the U.S. to be accepted into medical school.
With a bold dream Alena became the youngest girl of color to work and intern at NASA. She is also using her voice by launching her own platforms, including The Brown STEM Girl™, The Brown STEM Girl Foundation™ and Brainiac World Media™.
Through The Brown STEM Girl™, Alena has received eight proclamations declaring April 30th as Brown STEM Girl STEM™ in the City Day Honoring Women of Color in STEM.
Alena was named a 2022 Times Kid of the Year Top 20 Finalist. She has the prestigious honor of being the first Grio Awards Young Icon Award recipient. She has received international recognition as a 2022 Global Child Prodigy of the World, in addition to receiving a GUBA Award. Her accolades are numerous including being honored as an HBCU STEM Queen in conjunction with Olay and Ebony Magazine.
Alena has also received international acclaim through her features on Good Morning America with Robin Roberts & Michael Strahan, GMA3 – Need to Know, The Kelly and Ryan Show, Black Entertainment Television, and a host of news outlets throughout the world. In addition, she has also been honored by the Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) as part of their Believe in Women campaign.
Alena has also stepped into the brand partnership space where she has been featured by iconic brands like LEGO® and Barbie® You Can Be Anything. Alena was not only both traditionally schooled and home schooled but she was also world schooled. She is an experienced world traveler which enabled her to attend school in Amman, the capital of Jordan, a city located in the Middle East.
LEGO® sets, Robotics, and NASA are the things that excite Alena. It started at 4-years old when she began traveling to NASA sites to fuel her passion. Phenom. Prodigy. Whiz kid. Those words don’t fully describe the essence of Alena Analeigh. Her intellectual brilliance is only a glimpse into who she is. It’s the depth of her warm-heartedness, quiet spirit, and gracious nature that sets her apart even more.
With a clear vision, Alena is on the path to knock down doors for other brown STEM girls, just like her.