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Joint ACHE/AUPHA Keynote Speaker
Pandemic: Perils, Perspective, and Progress

Ruth Williams-Brinkley
Regional President, Mid-Atlantic States
Kaiser Permanente

The Joint ACHE/AUPHA Keynote was presented by Ruth Williams-Brinkley, Regional President, Mid-Atlantic States, Kaiser Permanente, and focused on the topic of Pandemic: Perils, Perspective, and Progress. In addition to speaking about the effects of the current environment, she discussed how the field has adapted, what efforts are ongoing, and what this means for the future, including the Workshop's theme of inclusive excellence. 

Ruth Williams-Brinkley is president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc. In this role, Williams-Brinkley oversees all of Kaiser Permanente’s care delivery and health plan operations in Washington, D.C., and suburban Maryland, Baltimore, and Northern Virginia. The Mid-Atlantic States Region operates 34 medical office buildings and has 773,547 members.

Williams-Brinkley joined Kaiser Permanente in November 2017, serving as president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of the Northwest. She oversaw all of Kaiser Permanente’s care delivery and health plan operations in Oregon and markets in Vancouver and Longview/Kelso, Washington. [Click to learn more]

Panel Session on Inclusive Excellence
[Click to learn more about the panelists]

This panel consisted of two individuals from academia and two practitioners. These panelists, shown below, discussed efforts to achieve inclusive excellence, how to successfully approach and discuss the topic, some successes and failures they have experienced, and ongoing and future efforts. They also explored the intersection of healthcare and higher education.

Christy Harris Lemak, PhD, FACHE (Moderator)
Professor and Chair
Department of Health Services Administration
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Interactive Session on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Laurie L. Shanderson, PhD, MPA, FACHE
Dean, School of Health Sciences
Northcentral University

Facilitated by Laurie L. Shanderson, PhD, MPA, FACHE, Dean, School of Health Sciences, Northcentral University, this session will elicit discussions on the major topics around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Open conversations and breakouts will focus on best practices, programs, and important next steps needed to foster cultural change.  

Following watching this session, individuals will have a better understanding of how healthcare management education and practice are approaching these topics and practical knowledge on successful efforts that they can take back to their programs.