2025 Diversity Champions to be honored at Scottsdale MLK dinner
Staff Reports | Community Updates
Scottsdale Community Celebrating Diversity is naming Roger Lurie, Joel Martin, Ph.D., and Priya Radhakrishnan, M.D., as its 2025 Diversity Champions.
These honorees will be recognized at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Dinner Celebration 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, at the Fieldhouse at Scottsdale Stadium.
The Scottsdale Community Celebrating Diversity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining the legacy of the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. whereas Diversity Champions are individuals who exemplify the philosophy of Dr. King and who have enriched the greater Scottsdale community by empowering others.
Individuals can be nominated by anyone in the community. Eligible nominees must work, live or volunteer in Scottsdale.
Roger Lurie has 38 years of service at Arizona State University, including several years as an executive director and most recently consultant for information technology.
Roger says he feels his greatest professional accomplishment has been as a mentor, preparing students and employees for a successful career. He has served as a volunteer career coach at the city of Scottsdale’s Vista Del Camino Career Center since 2016, coaching persons from all age groups and income levels in identifying and preparing for the next phase of their career. Roger serves as chair of the Human Services Commission and Scottsdale Housing Authority, identifying and advocating for services for seniors, families, and vulnerable members of our community.
Dr. Joel Martin is the president of Triad West, Inc., a global consulting, training, and leadership development firm headquartered in Scottsdale.
Taking a stand to empower others through her examples of inclusion, celebration of diversity, transformational leadership education, empowerment, and business development 16 years ago, Dr. Martin founded the Positively Powerful Education Summit and Woman Awards conferences and programs.
Her extensive career experience includes volunteering on Dr. King’s Poor People’s Campaign, being a member of the Reunification Training Team for Minister Nelson Mandela in the Republic of South Africa, workforce development for young people in Chicago, being one of the first women to own and operate a full-service ad agency, and various businesses and the nonprofit she founded and leads today.
Dr. Priya Radhakrishnan is the chief academic officer, vice president at HonorHealth. She also serves as the vice dean for clinical affairs and graduate medical education for the new ASU School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering. She is an internal medicine physician with an interest in treating patients with chronic complex illness. She is a physician leader with extensive medical education experience; whose philosophy centers on integrating the needs of learners, patients, and community.
She has completed the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Equity Matters Fellowship and helped develop the diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives. She has served as the network leader for the HonorHealth Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Collaborative – her research focuses on addressing the impact of SDOH and Health Equity.
