Shiva Bidar-Sielaff is the associate dean for diversity and equity transformation in the School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH), where she leads a comprehensive effort to embed equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism as imperatives in the school’s missions. Bidar-Sielaff is also the UW Health Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and leads a cross-functional office that consists of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Office of Diversity and Equity Transformation and the UW Health Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She facilitates alignment and progress in areas such as learning and education, faculty and staff support, equity in systems, policies and processes, support for basic science departments and their training programs, and programmatic accountability.

She completed her undergraduate degree at Ecole d’Interprètes Internationaux in Mons, Belgium, followed by a master of arts in international policy studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California. In 2015, she earned a certificate in diversity management from Georgetown University.

In 1997, she first joined the health system to establish UW Health’s medical interpretation services program. She became director of community partnerships for UW Health, and then UW Health Chief Diversity Officer. In 2020, her health system role was elevated to a vice president position.

Bidar-Sielaff is an established leader and effective champion for advancing equity and diversity at the individual, organizational, and community levels. She has served as an alder on the City of Madison Common Council and has experience serving on the Governor’s Health Equity Council, as a co-chair of the Latino Health Council of Dane County, and as a member of the Madison Community Foundation Board. Her many accolades include being named as a 2019-20 UW–Madison Outstanding Woman of Color.