Webinar: Exploring Obesity Disparities in Marginalized Groups
Webinar: Exploring Obesity Disparities in Marginalized Groups
Originally recorded Wednesday, June 8, 2022 | 11 AM - 12 PM CST
About the webinar
This program explores the root causes of obesity disparities in Black and Brown communities throughout the US. According to the CDC, obesity impacts 49.6% of African Americans and 44.8% of non-white Hispanic Americans, compared to only 42.2% of white Americans. Black and Brown children are also disproportionately affected by childhood obesity. 2017 CDC data indicates that among racial groups, obesity impacts 25.6% of non-white Hispanic children and 24.2% of African American children, compared to only 16.1% of white children. These obesity disparities result from a complex confluence of socioeconomic, environmental, cultural, and psychological factors. This webinar examines the causes that result in obesity disparities that disproportionately impact black and brown communities.
Distinguished Speakers
Moderator: Mr. Joseph Gaspero
CEO and Co-Founder, Center for Healthcare Innovation
Joseph Gaspero is the CEO and Co-Founder of CHI. He is a healthcare executive, strategist, and health disparity researcher. He founded CHI in 2009 as an independent, objective, and interdisciplinary research and education institute for reducing health disparities for marginalized communities of color. Joseph leads research and educational initiatives at CHI, including research focused on increasing diversity in clinical trials, building diverse, culturally competent teams, understanding how social determinants of health drive health disparities for BIPOC communities, decreasing medical mistrust, and understanding how chronic conditions disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities. He has been the lead organizer for one of the country’s preeminent health equity and diversity symposia in the U.S. In his role as CEO, he sets and executes CHI’s strategy, devises marketing tactics, leads fundraising efforts, and manages CHI’s Management team. His leadership stems from a wide array of experiences, including founding and operating several non-profit and for-profit organizations, serving in the U.S. Air Force in support of 2 foreign wars. Joseph’s skills include strategy, management, research, marketing, and finance. He has lived in six countries, traveled to over 40 more, and speaks three languages, and he brings a global approach to strategy and problem-solving. Joseph has a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago. When he’s not immersed in his work at CHI, he spends his time snowboarding backcountry, skydiving, mountain biking, volunteering, engaging in MMA, and rock climbing.
Dr. Ricardo Correa, MD, EdD, FACP
President, Maricopa County Medical Society
Ricardo Correa, M.D., Ed. D., F.A.C.E., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.M.Q. is an Associate Professor of Medicine, the Program Director for Endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism fellowship and the director for diversity in Graduate Medical Education at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Staff Clinician and Researcher at Phoenix V.A.M.C. and health equity fellowship director for the Creighton School of medicine.
He completed his Medical School and master’s in education at The University of Panama. He completed a research fellowship in Epidemiology and Tropical disease at I.C.G.E.S. in Panama City and his internal medicine residency at Jackson Memorial hospital-University of Miami (U.M.) program. In 2012, he was honored with the A.O.A. and GoldDOC Award from the U.M. Then, he pursued his clinical and research fellowship in endocrinology with a particular focus on neuroendocrinology and adrenals at the National Institute of Health.
He is board-certified in Medical Quality. He is the author of the book title “Case report: basics and publication.” and senior Co-Editor of the book “Endocrinology of Aging.” His research focuses on neuroendocrinology, mainly on pituitary and adrenal tumor and health care disparities in diabetes in Latinx populations.
He is dedicated to the community and helps as the co-medical director for an underserved clinic in Phoenix, where he created the endo and diabetes clinic. He also helped screened asylum patients as part of his volunteer work with the 100 Angels group, and he gives lectures and mentors many underrepresented minorities to become part of medicine. Due to all his career, Dr. Correa has been awarded several recognitions, including Presidential Leadership scholar, 100 Hispanic Inspiring Scientist, Medscape Rising Start, N.M.Q.F. 40 under 40, Humanitarian award by Arizona Medical Association AACE Endocrinology Rising Star and many other prestigious national awards.
He enjoyed playing the saxophone, hiking in the Phoenix mountain with the family, and traveling to other countries to learn about the different cultures.
Dr. Sean Lucan, MD, MPH, MS
Vice President & Medical Director, EHE Health
Sean Lucan serves as the "medical conscience" for EHE Health -- America's original and only preventive healthcare network. He is the physician lead in charge of all medical content and clinical quality.
Prior to joining EHE Health, Sean was a practicing family physician and grant-funded health researcher. His work focused on social determinants related to obesity, cardio-metabolic illness, and diet-related chronic diseases. Sean has also worked extensively in the areas related to COVID-19 mitigation. He has consulted for both industry and academia.
Sean is a former Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar and a recent fellow at the National Academy of Medicine (formerly Institute of Medicine). He has broad expertise in epidemiology, public health, health disparities, and health policy. His work has led to real-world impacts—new procedures, practices, and policies.
Dr. Uzoma Okeagu, PharmD, BCPS
Medical Science Liaison, Novo Nordisk
Uzoma Okeagu is a Medical Science Liaison at Novo Nordisk with over 7 years of experience in clinical and pharmaceutical industry settings. As a native of the Metro Detroit area, he completed his undergraduate and graduate training at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Upon graduation, he finished a clinical pharmacy residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, IL. Following completion of his residency, he remained at Sinai Health as a general medicine clinical pharmacist for several years before pursuing a research pharmacist position at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. He has been a Medical Liaison in the field of obesity and weight management at Novo Nordisk since 2019, working in the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Some of his strategic focus areas include providing weight management education to health care practitioners and mid-level providers, supporting development of HER pathways for triaging obese patients, engaging with academic training programs regarding current obesity management curriculum, and standardizing obesity management throughout health systems.
Webinar Leaders
CEO and Co-Founder, Center for Healthcare Innovation
Dr. Ricardo Correa, MD, EdD, FACP
President, Maricopa County Medical Society
Vice President & Medical Director, EHE Health
Dr. Uzoma Okeagu, PharmD, BCPS
Medical Science Liaison, Novo Nordisk
Joseph Gaspero is the CEO and Co-Founder of CHI. He is a healthcare executive, strategist, and researcher. He co-founded CHI in 2009 to be an independent, objective, and interdisciplinary research and education institute for healthcare. Joseph leads CHI’s research and education initiatives focusing on including patient-driven healthcare, patient engagement, clinical trials, drug pricing, and other pressing healthcare issues. He sets and executes CHI’s strategy, devises marketing tactics, leads fundraising efforts, and manages CHI’s Management team. Joseph is passionate and committed to making healthcare and our world a better place. His leadership stems from a wide array of experiences, including founding and operating several non-profit and for-profit organizations, serving in the U.S. Air Force in support of 2 foreign wars, and deriving expertise from time spent in industries such as healthcare, financial services, and marketing. Joseph’s skills include strategy, management, entrepreneurship, healthcare, clinical trials, diversity & inclusion, life sciences, research, marketing, and finance. He has lived in six countries, traveled to over 30 more, and speaks 3 languages, all which help him view business strategy through the prism of a global, interconnected 21st century. Joseph has a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago. When he’s not immersed in his work at CHI, he spends his time snowboarding backcountry, skydiving, mountain biking, volunteering, engaging in MMA, and rock climbing.