Calles Appointed to Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Jorge Calles, M.D., associate professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, has been appointed by N.C. Governor Beverly Perdue to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs.

Calles has been involved in community outreach activities for the Hispanic and Latino communities in Forsyth County for the past seven years. This includes establishing a weekly medical education radio program on Que Pasa Radio and writing a companion paper that is published weekly for the Que Pasa newspaper.

As the director of student and faculty development for the Maya Angelou Center on Health Equity, Calles has established a grant program to train lay health advisors to serve Hispanic communities in Forsyth County. He has also had the opportunity to travel to multiple Latin American countries for continued medical education. Calles received his medical degree from the The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 1976.

"The opportunity to offer my perspective on Hispanic issues is a serious and sobering responsibility that I do not take lightly," said Calles. "I have already done some informal surveying of key Hispanic community members to gauge the needs of the community at state level and have found that there is great hope and expectation."

The Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs advises the governor on issues relating to the state’s Hispanic/Latino community; supports state efforts toward improving race and ethnic relations; provides a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the state’s Hispanic/Latino community; promotes cooperation and understanding between the Hispanic/Latino community, the general public and state, federal and local governments; and performs other duties as directed by the governor.

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