Dr. Joseph S. Pangelinan, MA, PhD is of the Fesinnim, Soufa, and Obo clans from the Micronesian region of the Pacific. He is an indigenous Chuukese and Chamorro (Saipan) Pacific Islander. Currently, he serves as an assistant professor of medicine and the inaugural Director of Cultural Awareness and Diversity in the John T. Milliken Department of Medicine (DOM), at the Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis. Pangelinan was hired to expand the Washington University School of Medicine’s mission; to enhance diversity (broadly defined); and to help foster a climate of inclusion and equity for employees, students, and trainees within the DOM.
Prior to Pangelinan’s position at Washington University in Saint Louis, he worked in education and mental health settings as an administrator, educator, and mental health service provider. His scholarly activities include publications, program presentations, lectures on cultural awareness, factors impacting career development of students of color, career advocacy from a social justice framework, and experiential activities for teaching multicultural concepts.
Pangelinan has provided counseling services to individuals, families, and groups who are members of a protected class (individuals with disabilities, religious minorities, people of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community). He has led efforts to create a workplace that values and respects differences and to increase the representational diversity in the workforce and graduate training programs. Additionally, Pangelinan has taught and provided individual and group mentoring and supervision to undergraduate students, graduate students, doctoral students, and provisionally licensed counselors. At the Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Pangelinan continues mentoring, teaching and collaborating on issues related to inclusion, equity and diversity.
Pangelinan was educated in both public and private school systems in Micronesia and USA. He attended public elementary schools on Chuuk and Saipan. After graduating Xavier High School in Chuuk, he matriculated and completed his undergraduate education at Benedictine College. He went on to earn a master’s degree from Southeast Missouri State University and a doctorate’s degree from the University of Missouri in Saint Louis.
PROFILE
Position: Assistant Professor and Director of Cultural Awareness and Diversity
Organization: Washington University in Saint Louis
Contact: jpangelinan@wustl.edu
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephpangelinan/
AREAS OF FOCUS
- Children, Youth and Families
- Culture
- Education
- Health
- Indigenous Values
LANGUAGE
- Chuukese
- Chamorro