Webinar: The Importance of Mentoring in Diversifying America’s Healthcare Workforce
Webinar: The Importance of Mentoring in Diversifying America’s Healthcare Workforce
Originally recorded Thursday, February 16 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PST
About the webinar
With the COVID-19 pandemic laying bare the profound health disparities that impact the US healthcare landscape, healthcare organizations and the industry have responded by committing to addressing health disparities. Across the industry, efforts to reduce systemic barriers and recruit, hire, and promote professionals of color and other underrepresented professionals expanded as a key element in health equity strategies. However, much remains to be done. As of 2019, only 12% of physicians in the U.S. are from historically underrepresented groups, with the percentage of black male physicians unchanged since 1940. And workforce disparities are not limited to clinical roles. Women of color represent 20% of healthcare’s entry-level workforce; however, they represent only 5% of c-suite executives. Healthcare organizations must devise innovative strategies that aim to recruit and hire professionals from underrepresented backgrounds, with mentoring as a central component. Community mentoring programs, starting at the high school level, are an effective strategy for diversifying talent pipelines. Mentorship programs not only foster community collaboration but also provide pathways of opportunity for historically underrepresented communities into healthcare. Therefore, creating more diverse healthcare organizations, from leadership to entry-level, is critical in addressing health inequities in the United States healthcare system. This webinar will discuss the importance of diversifying healthcare talent pipelines and the role mentorship plays in DEI and health equity strategies.
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. Aileen Dinkjian, EdD, MPH
Associate Vice President of Population Health & Executive Director of the Lewis-San Antonio Healthy Communities Institute at San Antonio Regional Hospital
Dr. Aileen Dinkjian has 25 years of experience working in multiple sectors (e.g., governments, private organizations, education, health care etc.) bringing forth unique skills and resources for specific healthcare initiatives. Dr. Dinkjian currently manages and collaborates on high-profile strategic projects serving both internal and external stakeholders in a dynamic matter, and have successfully identified viable opportunities to create and implement strategic plans to drive the long-term vision of an organization. Dr. Dinkjian also co-leads the San Antonio Regional Hospital Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council which includes diverse perspectives from a sub- Community Advisory Council. As the Executive Director of the Lewis-San Antonio Healthy Communities Institute, Dr. DInkjan helps create innovating, inclusive solutions by co-creating structures, programs, and specific training centered around addressing health equity and health disparities. Part of her program includes addressing the shortage of health care workers and elements of the educational gap through a “Wellness Starts With You” program bridging healthcare and wellness directed at middle and high school students. Under her leadership, the institute provides community practicum experience for undergrad and graduate students and community partnerships to support community health improvement and in leading the Community Health Needs Assessment. Dr. Dinkjian had also supported the launching of a new College of Health and Community Well-Being at the University of La Verne to help meet the critical and ongoing demands for diverse, qualified healthcare professionals, brought into sharp focus by the tragedies of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Dinkjian has a deep passion for disease prevention and community health and as a regional leader, Dr. Dinkjian has led national models for high quality education that is innovative in the 21st century health and community well-being. As specific program included an NIH-funded program to diversify scientific grant reviews by involving community members in the review committee process. The programs she currently leads offer career preparation and research opportunities that emphasizes the need to address health inequities and social determinants of health. Dr. Dinkjian received her B.A. in Political Science at Cal Poly Pomona, an MPH at the George Washington University and a doctorate in education at the University of Southern California.
Ms. Leah Pimentel, MBA
Director of DEI and Culture & Co-Director of the UCSF School of Medicine’s Differences Matter, University of California, San Francisco
A graduate of Sonoma State who went on to earn her MBA at Dominican University and a DEI certificate from UCSF, Leah Pimentel became the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care’s first Director of DEI and Culture in January 2022. I’m a third-generation native of San Francisco’s Bayview district and I grew up in a healthcare world. My mother was a lead medical assistant at Kaiser. Sometimes I would go to work with her, so doctors and nurses were always a part of my life. It’s so impactful to see what a hospital does and how much a part of your whole being those people can become. The people my mom worked with are still a part of our family. Growing up and seeing that, I knew it was something I wanted to do. I went to St. Ignatius and did a thousand hours of community service, most of it volunteering with oncology patients at Kaiser. It was so moving, giving someone having a tough time an ear, a shoulder to lean on. It taught me the importance of compassion, hearing, relating, understanding and being supportive. Before I came to UCSF, I had own consulting firm and was a chief customer success officer in technology for a while, but I wanted something more people-focused and more in the hospital area. I started as the Assistant Director of Community Relations at UCSF, working with the community, hearing their growing pains. Then this opportunity came about and…I thought ‘This is my job.’ As a native San Franciscan, I bring a unique perspective, because UCSF is part of San Francisco. And because of my life experience, I’m able to see things through a different lens, feel when a person is not okay, be in tune with it and bridge the gap to try to bring happiness to people. I want to be approachable and create a place where staff feels represented, even as I collaborate with faculty and residents. I also think it’s important to acknowledge my own privilege and power. I’m a homeowner in San Francisco, with a husband and a son and I try to use my privilege for good, doing things like buying N95 masks for my son’s school. Power and privilege can be a positive if we give back to others. I want to reframe how we view power, privilege, and allyship. For example, why only be an ally to a person of color? The important question is: How can I have the biggest impact? I also believe DEI and culture can be fun. I tell this story of how I went to Tahoe on vacation and this little boy asked me why I had my hair a certain way. I didn’t take offense. He was just curious and that’s okay, even important. The point is that DEI concerns won't get fixed today, or even next year, but we’re on this journey together. We all see the world, this department differently, but we’re pieces of a puzzle and if we concentrate on making a great puzzle together we can do amazing things.
Dr. Michael von Poncet, MD, PhD
Executive Medical Director Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Novartis US
Dr. Michael von Poncet is Executive Medical Director Cardiovascular & Metabolism at Novartis US and is leading Research Collaborations and Programs with large Academic Centers and Health Care Systems with particular focus on addressing Health Inequity in underserved populations and Communities in the US. Michael von Poncet is a Cardiologist and Internal Medicine Physician who lived in both professional worlds on the European and the US continent, with over 8 years Clinical Practice in a German University Hospital & with 20 years of career in Pharmaceutical Industry. As Medical Director in Industry he lived and worked in different European Countries (Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Germany) and worked in European Leadership positions leading large Medical Teams and Organizations. This journey was a learning experience about differences in culture, mind-sets, behavioral values and he learned over time about the true value and importance of diversity and inclusion. He was actively mentoring young talents in his teams and external physicians with particular emphasis on actively living and building leadership skills and practices on diversity and inclusion. Since 2018 Michael von Poncet lives in the United States which gave him the specific US reality and perspective of Health Inequity that disproportionately affects communities of color as well as challenges and opportunities in developing a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace.
Webinar Leaders
CEO and Co-Founder, Center for Healthcare Innovation
Dr. Aileen Dinkjian, EdD, MPH
Associate Vice President of Population Health & Executive Director of the Lewis-San Antonio Healthy Communities Institute at San Antonio Regional Hospital
Director of DEI and Culture & Co-Director of the UCSF School of Medicine’s Differences Matter, University of California, San Francisco
Dr. Michael von Poncet, MD, PhD
Executive Medical Director Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Novartis US
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.