Greetings ACHE-WI friends and colleagues,
The 2022 ACHE WI Chapter Annual Conference is right around the corner, scheduled for September 19-21 at the Osthoff Resort, in Elkhart Lake, WI. The agenda this year is as impressive as past years, as is the number of individuals participating as speakers, moderators, and panelists. Better yet, it is returning to in-person so we can all network and reconnect live. If you have not registered yet, time is running out, don’t delay any further. Register here.
Over the past year, the ACHE WI Chapter’s work towards ACHE’s justice, diversity, equity and inclusion goals has grown tremendously. Our President of the Wisconsin Board of Directors, Christina P. Orr, Assistant Medical Center Director at Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, has been a strong champion and advocate for the justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the Wisconsin Chapter. As an ACHE Wisconsin Chapter initiative, Chapter members have been instrumental in the formation of the Wisconsin chapters for both National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE) and the National Association of Health Serves Executives (NAHSE). This has afforded cross-membership opportunities, networking, and greater engagement with the diverse healthcare leaders in Wisconsin. I am also proud of the diversity of the current Leadership Development Program in Wisconsin. The efforts of our Chapter members are making a difference.
Providing awareness and education to the Chapter on various aspects of diversity has also increased in frequency and depth over the past year. Some of the recent Chapter events which feature topics on diversity and/or included a diverse group of speakers are provided below:
In April, a Face-to-Face presentation titled “Health Disparities in Wisconsin and Lessons from Leading Community and Health Organizations.” was conducted by Deborah Hagen, Primary Care Division Manager, with Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, Dominique Morgan, Market President, VillageMD of Michigan, and Joanne Holland, CFO with Access Community Health Centers. James McLain, FACHE Deputy Director (COO) with Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center served as moderator.
In June, a Face-to-Face presentation titled “Behavioral Healthcare: Approaches to Increase Value for the Organization and Meet Community Needs” was conducted by Kirsten Johnson, MPH, Commissioner of Health, City of Milwaukee Health Department, Toni Simonson, PhD, FACHE Executive Director – Behavioral Health, HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital and Jessica Small, PharmD, BCPP, MBA, VP Operations – Behavioral Health, Advocate Aurora Health with moderator Nick Jaworski, CDE, CEO Circle Social, Inc.
Additionally, Chapter podcasts have also been active in featuring topics on diversity or included diverse groups of speakers, a few examples are offered below:
July 28, Episode 16: “Culturally Competent Care,” with Richelle Webb Dixon, FACHE, SVP and COO of Froedtert Hospital explained how many health care organizations are working to ensure they provide culturally competent care. Richelle focused on the need for patient population data, the engagement with customers and relationships with communities.
March 21, Episode 14: “Quarterly Spotlight with Damond Boatwright,” Damond Boatwright, FACHE President and CEO of Hospital Sister’s Health System (HSHS) spoke on patience, lessons learned from listening, setbacks and taking risks.
February 22, Episode 13: “Addressing Social Determinant of Health: Marie Barry.” Rural WI Healthcare Cooperative (RWHC) Director of Economic Development, Marie Barry talked about creating synergies between rural hospitals and rural communities. She also talked about how the program acts as a “bridge” between the hospital and community and works to ensure that diverse representation is at the table when discussing economic development.
ACHE is committed to promoting and preparing highly diverse and qualified healthcare management leaders. As WI Chapter’s diverse healthcare leaders continue to grow and serve our communities, it is my hope that many will participate in the six-month Thomas Dolan Executive Diversity Program. Dolan Scholars are empowered through a structured curriculum and activities that:
- Cultivate strong leadership presence
- Sharpen expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion
- Build critical leadership skills across the 10 healthcare management knowledge areas
- Expand capacity to navigate career opportunities and challenges
Our entire Chapter should be proud of this enhanced growth and engagement is the area of diversity. It also reminds me that the sky is the limit when we collaborate and work together toward a common goal. Thank you all for your efforts, enthusiasm, and continued support of our WI Chapter.
Proudly, Your Regent
Thomas N. Shorter, JD, FACHE
Regent for Wisconsin
thomas.shorter@huschblackwell.com
