Building Confidence through Preparation

Sista's, do you remember the day you started your "cycle/period"? Do you recall how prepared you were for that moment? Reflecting on that experience and the woman you are today, what advice did you receive to prepare you for that day? What words of encouragement helped foster your confidence through the journey of puberty?

Presented through an Edification session for OUR young Sistas ages 8 to 12, A Sista's Always Prepared is a program designed to intersect the perception of preparation and the cultivation of confidence with the path of puberty. Through personal experience and love, we teach our young Sistas how to positively embrace the transition into womanhood while cultivating confidence; this is A Sista's Touch in action.

At the conclusion of the Edification session, each young Sista will be able to:

1. Increase their confidence level in talking about puberty.

2. Demonstrate their ability to identify resources needed to maintain good hygiene.

3. Understand the appropriate use of at least 3 essential resources in the ASAP kit.

4. Appreciate the act of preparation to achieve the skill of being confident.

Calling all Queens in Training ages 8-12

Speaker for Cohort 12

Dr. Simms-Mackey

Dr. Simms-Mackey is the Chair of Pediatrics & Chief of Graduate Medical Education at Alameda Health System.

Prior to her role at AHS, Dr. Simms-Mackey was the director of Graduate Medical Education and Pediatric Residency Program at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Oakland. She also holds an appointment as a clinical professor of Pediatrics with the University of California, San Francisco’s School of Medicine, educating medical students as well as pediatric residents.

Previously, Dr. Simms-Mackey was the director and a physician facilitator for the Multicultural Curriculum Program at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Oakland. She was a Commissioner for First 5 Alameda County, which works with approximately 80 partners throughout the county to provide continuous prevention and early intervention to promote optimal health and development and narrow disparities for children from ages 0 to 5 and their families. Since 2010, she has annually been voted as one of the Bay Area’s best doctors and was the featured physician for the 2011 edition of Oakland Magazine.

Dr. Simms-Mackey currently serves on the American Board of Pediatrics Board of Directors, after serving on the ABP's Maintenance of Certification Examination Committee and Future of Testing Committee. Serving in hospital leadership, she also currently chairs the Graduate Medical Education Committee and is a member of the Continuing Medical Education Committee and Medical Executive Committee.

Dr. Simms-Mackey received her bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University, her doctorate in medicine from the UCLA/Drew Medical Education Program, and is an alumna of the California Health Care Foundation Health Care Executive Leadership Program.