PHILADELPHIA - Mayor Jim Kenney has appointed Farzana Rashid Hossain, MD, an assistant professor of clinical medicine and a gastroenterologist at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, to the Philadelphia Commission for Women to build key relationships and help create equitable opportunities for women at all levels of the Philadelphia workforce.

The Commission has 27 members, 10 appointed by the mayor and 17 appointed by the members of City Council. There have been previous Mayor’s Commissions for Women established by executive order, but this is the first such permanent body.

“It is a wonderful honor to be appointed to the Commission by Mayor Kenney,” said Rashid Hossain. “I am grateful for his confidence in me and am committed to helping women achieve equal opportunities, and contribute to the local economy. I hope to empower girls to follow their scientific passions and take an executive pathway from the lab to the boardroom and look forward to working with my new colleagues to demonstrate that capable women are essential in strategizing and executing long-lasting government policy matters that will enable equal rights for women.”

Rashid Hossain’s honors and awards include the Health Care Heroes Award from Penn Medicine and the Radhika Srinivasan Award for Humanism and Professionalism at the division of Gastroenterology at Penn Medicine.

“Dr. Rashid Hossain is an outstanding physician who is committed to helping the Philadelphia community through her expertise in medicine as well as serving on this important committee,” said Anil K. Rustgi, MD, chief of the division of Gastroenterology. “My colleagues and I take great pride in her selection and are confident that she will be a highly effective voice for women and girls and an outstanding role model.” 

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