Tri-Valley native Nazineen Kandahari is one of 13 recent inductees in the Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

Sponsored by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and the county's Commission on the Status of Women, the 17-year annual program raises funds to women and families in Alameda County and champions learning for local girls through the Mary V. King "Leading the Way" Youth Scholarship Fund.

A virtual ceremony was held this year in lieu of the traditional in-person celebration, and features video biographies of the honorees, a message from County Administrator Susan Muranishi, and surprise for one of the inductees.

Kandahari -- who was born in the Middle East and raised in Dublin -- was recognized by the Emerging Leader category for her "commitment to change the systems perpetuating health disparities" and "facilitating people's right to imagine and pursue their healthiest lives."

Some issues that Kandahari has worked on include gender-based violence in medicine, as well as changing systems that perpetuate health disparities.

Currently a student in both the Joint Medical Program and Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved at the University of California, San Francisco, where she obtained her medical doctorate, Kandahari also holds a master's degree in science from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.

The other 2020 Women's Hall of Fame inductees were:

* Business and Professions: Reign Free

* Justice: Sonya L. Smallets

* Community Service: Candi Thornton-McCreary

* Non-Traditional Careers: Jean Bjork

* Culture & Arts: Judith Smith

* Philanthropy: Nicole Kyauk

* Education: Susan A. Cota

* Science, Technology, Engineering: Rashim Mogha

* Sports & Athletics: Teri McKeever

* Environment: Fatemeh Shirazi

* Youth: Valeria Cruz

* Health: Cynthia Carey-Grant.

The nomination period is now open for the 2021 Alameda Women's Hall of Fame. To nominate someone, visit acgov.org/whof/nominations.htm.

To learn more about the Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame and the 2020 inductees, visit whof.acgov.org or email countyadministrator@acgov.org.

Contributions to the Mary V. King "Leading the Way" Youth Scholarship Fund can be made at acgov.org/whof/support.htm.