Donna Elliott, ‘A True Trojan,’ Celebrated as Inaugural Holder of the Ensign Foundation and Tony Alamo, MD, Chair of Medical Education

On February 8, Tony Alamo, MD, a licensed pilot since the age of 19, was preparing to fly the family plane from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. His destination was a special and personally important celebration—the installation of Donna Elliott, MD, EdD, as the inaugural recipient of the Ensign Foundation and Tony Alamo, MD, Chair of Medical Education at Keck School of Medicine of USC.

But Las Vegas was hosting the Super Bowl three days later, and Alamo found himself caught in massive air traffic delays. Determined to attend the ceremony at Keck, he ditched the plane, jumped in his car with just hours to spare, and drove the 275 miles.

Arriving just in time, Alamo joined a jubilant crowd of colleagues, friends, and family to celebrate Elliott’s decades of USC service and her unflagging dedication to students and faculty. Carolyn Meltzer, MD, dean of the Keck School, hosted the event and praised Elliott for her work ethic, humility, and exceptional leadership. Alamo applauded Elliott as “a true Trojan” who earned all her degrees—bachelor’s, MD, master’s, and doctorate—at USC.

National Leader in Medical Education

Vice Dean for Medical Education and Chair of the Department of Education since 2018, Elliott explained that her goal from the beginning of her tenure was to elevate the prominence of the discipline and enhance the prestige of the department. Dean Meltzer shared proof of this success, commenting, “I didn’t know all that much about USC and what an incredible place it is before I came—but I knew of you, and I knew your reputation.”

With oversight of all academic areas related to medical student education, including MD, MD-PhD, and master’s programs, and supervision of a suite of essential administrative offices, Elliott’s work is a key driver of the culture and progress of medical education at USC.

The Keck School “has been enriched by Dr. Elliott’s many years of service,” said Pamela Schaff, MD, PhD, who directs the Master of Science in Narrative Medicine program and the HEAL (Humanities, Ethics, Art, and Law) program, and has known Elliott since 1996. “It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work with her over the years. She’s a wise and generous colleague, teacher, leader, and friend.”

Alamo paid tribute to Elliott’s service by citing a selection of the numerous teaching and mentoring awards she has received, within USC and nationally, including the Women Leaders in Medicine Award from the American Medical Student Association, the Edithe J. Levit Distinguished Service Award from the National Board of Medical Examiners, and the Exemplary Service Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Student Affairs.

Inspired by Mentors, Driven to Serve

Accepting the chair with humility, Elliott shared the recognition with “all of the faculty and staff in the department who I’m so proud to call my colleagues, who work tirelessly each day to serve faculty and students.”

She expressed gratitude that the power of the chair will help her advance the department’s mission. “We are a department that serves others,” Elliott said. “We serve faculty, we serve programs, and ultimately and most importantly, our learners.

In a moving tribute, she spoke to the influences of two cherished mentors who guided her as she pursued medical education leadership: Stephen Abrahamson, PhD, considered by many the founder of the discipline of medical education, and Julie Nyquist, PhD, who directs the Master of Academic Medicine program at the Keck School.

Elliott promised to continue the work. “We have a responsibility to uphold the legacy of the department,” she said, “And this endowed chair pays tribute to that legacy while paving a way forward to create and innovate in the discipline of medical education.”

Philanthropy Propels KSOM’S Educational Excellence

Acknowledging the transformative power of philanthropy, Dean Meltzer said that the generous donors “who continue to invest in the Keck School of Medicine have a huge impact on our community.” She suggested that the honor that endowed chairs bestow elevates their home departments and entrenches the importance of the fields they support. Elliott added that endowed chairs stand as “enduring symbols” of the foresight and generosity of their donors.

A Keck Champion in Nevada

Alamo serves as Chief Physician Executive and Chief Medical Officer at the Nevada Heart and Vascular Center, and President and Trustee of the Sharon and Michael Ensign Family Cancer Foundation, among other leadership roles—and is a 1991 graduate of the Keck School of Medicine.

Dean Meltzer praised him as a dedicated alumnus with a long history of investment in USC and service to the Trojan Family. He currently serves on the Board of Councilors for Keck Medicine and on the USC President’s Leadership Council.

A prominent physician in the Las Vegas medical community, Alamo emphasized that the quality of care patients can get at USC and in Los Angeles far surpasses that of even a booming city like Las Vegas. Recognizing this value, Alamo leveraged his connections to establish important relationships that facilitate patient transfers—and save lives. “As I started to take care of my patients, my friends and family, I’m so glad that the school at which I was trained opened their arms,” he said. “I’ve been sending very grateful patients since 1994.”

A Legacy of Faith in Education

He paid an emotional tribute to the Ensign family, affectionately referring to Sharon and Michael Ensign as his “second set of parents.” Alamo’s determination to attend the celebration on time, he said, was driven in part by his desire to share their inspirational story.

Alamo’s father met Michael Ensign in the early 1960s when they were dealers at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino in Reno. They slowly climbed the industry ranks together, relocating to Las Vegas, and working swing and graveyard shifts along the way. Ensign eventually earned a position as Chairman and CEO of the Mandalay Resort Group, which he sold to MGM Resorts International in 2005.

Neither man went to college but each of them—with a shared belief in the power of education and a hope for what it could do for their beloved city—pushed their kids toward higher education. “I know why they wanted me to be a doctor,” Alamo said, “They wanted me to bring medicine back to Vegas.”

Grateful for the compassionate treatment and exceptional services they received at Keck Medicine of USC, Sharon and Michael Ensign wanted to craft a legacy that would help more patients have access to the same expert care.

Their philanthropic vision is carried out by the Ensign Family Cancer Foundation, where Alamo works closely with two other trustees—David Ensign, their son, and Eric Ensign, a grandson. The three partners follow the Ensigns’ vision of strategic giving to create more future medical leaders.

Michael Ensign firmly believed in what Alamo shared with him: “You give to a medical school on the education side, and those young minds will care for everybody, all over the planet, from USC. That’s where you can make a difference.”

Sharon and Michael Ensign embraced this as their mission—giving to seed young minds and amplify their impact across the globe, to benefit countless future patients.