Diversity and Inclusion

DEI Charter

Mission Statement:

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is committed to promoting and supporting a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the American College of Healthcare Executives chapter in Central Pennsylvania. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where all members can feel respected and valued.

Purpose:

The purpose of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is to:

• Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the chapter and the broader healthcare community
• Educate members on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare leadership
• Identify and address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the chapter and the broader healthcare community
• Foster a culture of respect and inclusivity among members

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement initiatives and programs to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the chapter
• Provide educational resources and training opportunities to members on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics
• Partner with other organizations to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the healthcare industry
• Monitor and evaluate the chapter’s progress towards diversity, equity, and inclusion goals
• Make recommendations to the chapter’s leadership on ways to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion within the chapter

Membership:

Membership in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is open to all members of the American College of Healthcare Executives chapter in Central Pennsylvania who are interested in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Members are expected to attend meetings, participate in committee activities, and contribute to the committee’s initiatives.

Meetings:

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee will meet at least quarterly or as needed to conduct committee business. Meetings may be held in-person or virtually.

Amendments:

This charter may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the committee’s members. Any proposed amendments must be submitted in writing and distributed to members at least two weeks prior to the vote.

Adoption:

This charter is adopted by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the American College of Healthcare Executives chapter in Central Pennsylvania on 06/01/2023.

Diversity and Inclusion

DEI Interview with Board President, Mary Zeigler, MHA

Why is it important for you to serve on our ACHE of Central PA board?

I feel it is important to serve on the board to help fulfill the mission and vision of ACHE in the Central PA area. It is important for our members to have a board that is willing to work for them and provide them with resources they need to grow and excel in their leadership journey.

What does Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mean to you?

Diversity, equity and inclusion means to me the opportunity to learn from others that are different from us.  The things that we learn help us grow personally and professionally. Inclusion allows us to create a supportive and welcoming environment where everyone can contribute their best. Personally, learning from others that are different than I am has helped me to be more inclusive and has taught me how to lead a diverse group of individuals. I love to learn how someone from another culture handles a certain situation, it allows me to learn other ways that I can perhaps handle a similar situation. I want all of our members to feel valued, respected, and fully engaged.

Why is it important to you for us to feature Pride Month on our DEI calendar?

I want all of our members to feel valued, respected, and fully engaged in our chapter.  By featuring Pride month it serves as a platform to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, raise awareness about their struggles, and promote visibility and acceptance. It helps to combat discrimination, prejudice, and stigma that many LGBTQ+ individuals face in various aspects of their lives.

What would you say to those not active in the chapter?

Please think about attending one of our great events that we have planned this year! We have an amazing board that is committed to bringing you quality content that will assist you in your leadership journey. If you have attended our events but are interested in becoming more involved, please reach out!  We always have space on our committees for your expertise and ideas! Also, if you are interested in becoming a mentor in our new mentorship program, please reach out!

DEI Interview with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair Christian Caceido, MD, MBA, CPE, FACHE

What does Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mean to you?

Personally, coming from where I was born and then moving to this country from Colombia to North Jersey at the age of 10, being part of the Latino Community, I feel it is important. Also as a foreign born physician with english as my second language I recognize that representation is important. It is important that everyone understands diversity and evolution of science and healthcare to form how equity should look. From a healthcare lens, culture allows us to customize a solution for everyone.

Why is it important for you to serve on our ACHE of Central PA board?

It is important to have influence to provide support to Central PA. This can also help serve the global community and it is important to educate executives to provide the best care for everyone and address the fragmentation and brokenness of healthcare. We are all patients and have a healthcare story which I just lived with my 16 year old son, through his surgery. He experienced great care and outcomes but poor communication with the care team. He is lucky that I am a physician and his mother is a nurse, so we are able to navigate the system for him and be his advocate.

The DEI Chair position appealed to me because I’m always ready to learn. I’m learning and stretching myself, expanding my network, and informing and educating others so that we can provide the best to our community and organizations. We also tend to think about DEI in traditional terms of race, gender, and sexual orientation, but what about those in the workforce with mental and physical disabilities? Look at the disparities with African American mothers and the high rates of maternal mortality three times that of caucasian mothers. Knowing that these disparities exist, imagine the experience of a deaf woman or a woman with autism in the same situation. What would that do to impact her healthcare and risk of mortality? We must go beyond and be better.

Why is it important to you for us to feature Juneteenth on our DEI calendar?

Juneteenth is a newly recognized Federal Holiday in the U.S. and it is important to share it with our members.

What would you say to those not active in the chapter that are looking to get involved in DEI?

It is a missed opportunity to not be involved, it is an entry point into national resources, learning, networking, and pitfalls to avoid.I encourage members to be more involved and reach out if interested in DEI work.

To those in our chapter not involved in DEI, I was in the same boat as you. It’s ok to be uncomfortable, to jump in and recognize that science has failed some of our population because they were excluded. Embrace the uncomfortable conversations and don’t let it stop you from joining in and helping to create a better healthcare industry and serve our entire community.