UCSF has selected seven innovative projects to receive Career Well-being and Career Mobility Grants to support staff in exploring career growth, strengthening purpose, and building pathways for long-term fulfillment. The program received an impressive 101 applications  promoting career wellness for UCSF employees.

Announced earlier this year, the one-time grants program invests in ideas that foster career development, connection, and well-being across the UCSF community. This grant program is brought to the UCSF staff and faculty community through a partnership between Wellness and Learning and Organization Development, two units within Human Resources collaborating to uplift career wellness. The selected projects reflect a wide range of approaches, from coaching and mentorship to storytelling and community-building, and are aimed at helping staff thrive in their roles and envision new possibilities for their careers. 

“Being selected as a grantee is incredibly meaningful to me,” said Kaitlin Zazueta. “It affirms the importance of investing in our pediatric staff – not just in the work they do, but in their growth, purpose, and long-term fulfillment. I’m excited to bring this vision to life and create space for exploration, connection, and innovation that strengthens both our people and the care we provide.”

Each funded project will be implemented over the coming year. Grants are for between $2,000- $4,000 and align with one or more of the following focus areas: career development, career wellness programming, mentorship, burnout prevention and engagement, and access. 

“Advancing career growth and mobility is fundamental to building the workforce we need for the future,” said Laura Dannels, UCSF’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “When we make it easier for our people to explore opportunities, build new skills, and move across the organization, we strengthen our talent pipeline, increase retention, and accelerate innovation. These grants are a targeted investment in unlocking potential across UCSF, ensuring our people can grow with us while continuing to deliver exceptional impact.”

Learn more about the seven selected projects below.

2026 Career Wellbeing and Mobility Grant Recipients

OMAG Staff Retreat & Culture Series — Celso Dulay 

Since 2016, OMAG has hosted staff retreats to foster connection and engagement. This project expands that foundation through annual off-site retreats and year-round programming designed to advance career development, career wellness, teamwork, and engagement.

Peds Pathway Lab: A Pediatric Staff Growth & Mobility Initiative — Kaitlin Zazueta 

The Peds Pathway Lab project is a six-week internal career exploration program for pediatric staff that aims to reduce burnout by improving visibility into growth opportunities, fostering career clarity, and promoting resilience through structured reflection and project-based learning. Workshops will explore the different functions of UCSF’s Talent Marketplace, where staff will take part in sessions, complete short-term projects, and share their learning to build skills, stay engaged, and discover opportunities across teams.

Thriving in Practice: A Coaching Initiative for Staff — Linda Yang 

This coaching circle program is designed for nurses who face a turning point in their careers – either moving into management for the first time or a seasoned nurse manager transitioning to another leadership role. By combining community, peer support and coaching tailored to these cohorts, the goal is to support the whole person for both personal and professional longevity.

UCSF Veteran Career Resilience & Mobility Summit — Mel Maxwell 

The UCSF Veteran Career Resilience and Mobility Summit is a one-day forum intended to build community, mentorship, and enhance career mobility awareness among UCSF staff veterans.

Stories That Sustain: Narrative Writing for Burnout and Renewal — Noriko Anderson 

This project will use the benefits of a writing circle and restorative justice community circle principles to promote connection and build strategies for wellness and burnout prevention through storytelling.

OSR-OCTA Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program (P2PMP) — Olive Giovannetti 

This grant will strengthen our pilot program by enabling us to bring in dedicated expertise and enrich the participant experience, including a skilled facilitator to lead both the program kickoff and midpoint sessions. Additionally, expert presenters will deliver targeted professional development workshops on topics such as résumé development, CliftonStrengths, and an AI-101 toolkit — equipping participants with practical skills to support their professional growth.

Designing an Organic Mentorship Ecosystem (Project DOME) — Oana Maties

This project provides a structured yet flexible mentorship ecosystem designed to foster organic, interest-based connections among faculty through a searchable database, facilitated networking, and longitudinal mentorship pods. By promoting cross-rank collaboration and peer support, it aims to enhance professional development, academic productivity, and faculty retention.