Each year since 2005, Working Mother Media has recognized and honored a dynamic, extraordinary individual for the Multicultural Women’s Legacy Award. Previous winners of this award have demonstrated a strong dedication and significant contribution to the advancement of women of color; they have created a legacy and tradition for other trailblazers to follow.

This year’s extraordinary recipient, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, Dean and Executive Vice President of Morehouse School of Medicine, is a pioneer and leader in women’s health and community-based health services. Her exemplary work in the field of medicine along with her contribution to the advancement of research, community health and education and training programs have truly set her apart from the rest.

Dr. Rice leads the way as a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Her previous leadership roles include Dean of the Meharry School of Medicine and Senior Vice President of Health Affairs, founder of the Center for Women’s Health Research, and the Director in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She has also held several leadership positions as the Dean of the School of Medicine and Senior Vice President of Health of Affairs at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. Currently, she serves on the FDA Advisory Panel for Reproductive and Urological Drugs.

Dr. Rice will be presented with the 2011 Multicultural Women’s Legacy Award at the Ninth Annual Best Companies for Multicultural Women National Conference on July 19 in New York City, where she will be the keynote speaker.