1. Center for the
Health Professions
3333 California Street
Suite 410
San Francisco, CA 94118
tel: 415/476-8181
fax: 415/476-4113 September 29, 2008
http://futurehealth.ucsf.edu
RE: Silvia Montano
This letter is a general letter of support for Silvia Montano. I have known Silvia for
over sixteen years in my role as Director of the Center for the Health Professions at
the University of California, San Francisco. Silvia was the first person hired by the
newly created Center when I assumed the Directorship in 1992 and she has
remained a vital member of the core Center for the Health Professions team.
In 1992, Silvia joined the Center as a Program Associate with the Pew Biomedical
Scholars and Director of the Latin America Fellows program. This program
provides research support to some of the hemisphere’s leading young scientific
investigators in biomedicine. In her leadership of this program she has been
creative, thorough, and professional. Her work has consistently gone beyond the
particulars of the position. She has also been an active member of the leadership
team at the Center for the Health Professions. She works well with others and her
drive and ambition are contagious.
In 2001 the Director of the Pew Scholars program left to join the James Irvine
Foundation’s Executive team. I never had one doubt that Silvia was the right person
to move up to lead this entire area for the Center. The job has offered her many new
challenges and she has met each one with her usual determination and hard work.
In the past seven years she has become a senior leader at the Center for the Health
Professions and a trusted colleague.
To expand her skill base Silvia enrolled and has now graduated from the program in
public administration at the University of San Francisco. It was just what she
needed to compliment her experience gained on the job. She has made the most of
these skills and I see their application across her work.
Silvia is one of the most intelligent, affable and productive leaders I have ever had
the chance to work with. She is constantly looking for ways to improve herself,
2. others around her and the product of her team. She is adaptive to new situations and
a very quick study. I of course give Silvia my most enthusiastic recommendation
and know she will make an important contribution to whatever challenge she takes
on next.
If I can provide additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
Edward H. O'Neil, Ph.D, MPA, FAAN
Professor, Family and Community Medicine
Dental Public Health and Hygiene
Social and Behavioral Sciences (Nursing)
Director,
Center for the Health Professions
