These panels have been approved for 1.5 ACHE Face-to-Face credits each (3.0 if you attend both).
3:30-5pm – Panel #1: Embracing a Dialogue about Gender Equity and Intersectionality
5:30-7pm – Panel #2: Equity of Care
As healthcare consumers become more demographically diverse, healthcare leaders seek to recruit and retain talent from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Gaining an understanding of intersectionality will equip leaders to build and retain team members across difference and in ways that establish common ground and cultivate inclusive cultures of belonging The concept of intersectionality recognizes that everyone has multiple identities that intersect and influence how we view ourselves and interact with others. Learning how to effectively apply intersectionality principles will help organizations move beyond the one-dimensional aspects of traditional diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
In the drive for gender equity, healthcare leaders have acknowledged the need for fully inclusive gender equity that recognizes the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of identity. Efforts to improve women representation in the senior ranks of healthcare management must include women from all backgrounds and experiences. When intersectionality considerations are incorporated into gender equity strategies, organizations can reap tangible, proven benefits including better talent recruitment and retention, stronger DEI outcomes, and improved organizational performance.
Quality of care should not vary on the basis of the patients’ socioeconomic, ethnic, gender, or geographic background. It is known however, that there is a healthcare divide in the U.S. especially in vulnerable populations including: those lacking health insurance (or are underfunded), low-income families, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ populations. The Affordable Care Act aimed to address access and equity of care issues by expanding health insurance coverage. Deficits in access to care changes the way healthcare is delivered and financed.
To embrace diversity is a core principle of the healthcare management profession and is also an ethical and business imperative. Healthcare organizations must ensure their staff is educated on disparities to appropriately address the needs of patients from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds to provide equitable high-quality care to all. It has been shown that patient-centered care improves clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction while reducing medical errors and costs. Eliminating healthcare disparities provides a strategic component to ensure organizational excellence and long-term financial viability.
Panel #1 Speakers Bios – Embracing a Dialogue about Gender Equity and Intersectionality:
A highly respected leader with a proven record of success, LaSharndra “Sharn” Barbarin is Medical City Healthcare’s first African American female CEO and 1 of 5 African American CEOs within HCA Healthcare. As CEO, Barbarin provides leadership, strategic direction and direct administrative responsibility for all aspects of financial operations, clinical quality outcomes and patient experience for Medical City Lewisville.
Since becoming CEO in 2015, Barbarin has proven to be a dynamic leader, driving record earnings for Medical City Lewisville for 4 consecutive years. Her strong business development acumen and exceptional leadership has led her team to double the facility’s operating margin and increase growth within a 12 month period. Under her leadership, Medical City Lewisville achieved the only Level III Trauma Designation and state Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Designation in Southern Denton County. Additionally, Medical City Lewisville added new service lines including robotics, bariatrics and peripheral vascular services, while expanding access points for patients through Solis Mammography Flower Mound and the Medical City Specialty Castle Hills and Corinth clinics.
Barbarin is a mission-driven leader committed to delivering unparalleled service and exceptional clinical quality for the hospital’s patients and families. Her team significantly improved quality outcomes for the hospital, while improving patient experience to the top quartile and sustaining top-tier employee engagement and physician satisfaction scores. During her tenure as CEO, Medical City Lewisville has sustained straight “A” Leapfrog quality performance scores; ranked #1 in clinical quality outcomes within HCA Healthcare’s vast network; and recently achieved ranking of #1 employee engagement and #1 physician engagement in Medical City Healthcare’s system of acute care hospitals.
Prior to this role, Barbarin served as Chief Operating Officer at Medical City Arlington from 2011 until her appointment as CEO at Lewisville in July 2015. Under her leadership, Medical City Arlington expanded services and achieved outstanding patient and physician satisfaction scores. She began her career with HCA Healthcare as an administrative fellow at Medical City Las Colinas and was quickly promoted to COO at Medical City McKinney, where she served nine years before her promotion to COO at Medical City Arlington.
Barbarin is proud to be an active member of the Lewisville and North Texas communities. In the Dallas-Fort Worth business community, she is highly regarded for her inspiring leadership style, passion for people, and ability to select and develop leadership talent. As Medical City Healthcare’s first African American female CEO, she is passionate about promoting cultural diversity as well as cultural inclusion within Medical City Lewisville through patient care, board representation, hiring practices, and promotions.
Barbarin currently serves on the Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council Board of Trustees, as well as the Board of Directors for the Lewisville and Flower Mound Chambers of Commerce, the Medical City Healthcare Diversity and Inclusion Council, the HCA Healthcare Division Diversity and Inclusion Council, and the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund Board. She was selected by the Lewisville Independent School District Superintendent to serve on the Lewisville Independent School District’s Business Advisory Board and was appointed by the Denton County Judge to serve on the Denton County Public Health Advisory Committee. She is also a charter member and Paul Harris Fellow of the Cross Timbers Rotary Club.
Barbarin is a graduate of Louisiana State University and holds a Master of Health Administration from Tulane University. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. She has been honored as a 2020 Minority Business Leader by the Dallas Business Journal, named an Outstanding Alumni by Tulane University’s School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, Top 25 Women in Business by McKinney Living, and as a Young Healthcare Executive of the Year Nominee by the Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council.
Patricia T. Driscoll, BSN, MSN, JD, is an accomplished educator and senior healthcare leader; Pat Driscoll is the former President and CEO of Home Health Services of Texas, Inc. Prior to stepping into the CEO role, she served on the board of directors. She has more than 40 years of health care experience, including work in her private legal practice and roles in a variety of clinical, executive, consultant, and educational settings. Pat currently serves as Professor of Healthcare Administration at Texas Woman’s University. She was previously Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for St. Paul Medical Center and served in managerial roles at Parkland Health and Hospital System and RHD Memorial Medical Center. In her role as a consultant, she advised Fortune 500 companies on health care strategy.
Pat has extensive expertise in acute and post -acute care, as well as community engagement. She is the Chair-elect of the board of directors of CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Partner) in Washington DC, and is involved in the development of standards for community-based care. Pat is the immediate past chair of the THR Community Leadership Council for Dallas and Rockwall, which is engaged in addressing social determinants of health with an emphasis on behavioral health in underserved zip codes. She served on the Board of Health First, an integrated health delivery system with four hospitals, a health plan, home health and hospice, and served as the Chair of the Board of the North Texas Health Industry Council.
Pat holds a JD from Southern Methodist University, as well as a BSN and MSN.
Dr. Cole Edmonson DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, FAONL, FNAP, FAAN is Chief Experience and Clinical Officer for AMN Healthcare. In his role, Dr. Edmonson oversees the company’s clinical and credentialing organizations, learning and research programs, and holds responsibilities related to clinical quality, compliance, and risk.
Dr. Edmonson comes to AMN from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, a three time Magnet hospital with a highly respected and decorated nursing staff, where he has been Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer since 2010. He held the same position at other hospitals since 1998. He brings three decades of experience as a nurse leader, along with deep involvement in research, professional organizations, health policy development, and community service. He has a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Texas Christian University and Master and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees from Oklahoma University. He is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Academy of Nursing, as well as being credentialed as a Nursing Executive Advanced, Board Certified by ANCC.
Dr. Edmonson is well known for his success in elevating the nursing leadership role and creating collegial teams across the clinical delivery continuum. He is a highly sought after national speaker and a published author of articles and a coauthor and contributor to several books. He is currently serving on the board of the American Organization of Nurse Executives and the American Nurses Credentialing Center. He is an alum of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellow. Throughout his tenure as a nurse leader, he has initiated and led innovative programs to advance clinical quality, education, professional practice, patient experience and safety, and clinician safety.
Travis Gill, J.D. is the Assistant Vice President for Institutional Equity & Access at UT Southwestern Medical Center. In this role, Travis provides leadership in promoting and furthering the University’s commitment to inclusion and equal opportunity for all members of its community. As AVP, Travis has oversight of UT Southwestern’s Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Title IX, and Diversity & Inclusion programs and efforts.
As a scholar, practitioner, and consultant in diversity, equity, and inclusion, Travis is dedicated to removing barriers and providing equitable opportunity through systemic change. In his role, Travis oversees the institution’s strategic approach to promoting a culture of inclusion and belonging through programming, training, consultation, investigation & resolution, collaboration with business resource groups, and outreach across the wider Dallas/Fort Worth community.
Prior to joining UTSW, Travis served as a labor and employment attorney at an international law firm where he provided legal guidance and helped establish corporate policy to ensure a culture of non-discrimination and inclusion at several fortune 500 companies. Travis has also served as the Director of Institutional Equity & Access and Title IX Coordinator at Kansas State University and the Director of Investigations & Outreach in the Office of Institutional Equity at the University of Texas at Austin.
Travis proudly received his undergraduate degree (BBA) in Finance from the University of Oklahoma and his law degree (JD) from the University of Houston.
Dr. Marlette Jackson (she/her) is a researcher, educator, and cross-functional leader with over 8 years’ experience building and scaling DEI initiatives. Currently, Marlette serves as the Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (J.E.D.I) at Virgin Pulse, where she leads the company’s global J.E.D.I efforts. In this role, she oversees all J.E.D.I programming, education and skill-building, conflict mediation, employee resource group engagement, and culture change management.
Marlette holds a PhD in Political Science from Stanford University and has published work on equity, diversity, and social justice in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and the Journal of Political Behavior. In her free time, Marlette serves as a board member for the Stanford First-Generation and/or Low Income Alumni Network and as a board member for the BORNE Alliance, a non-profit providing neurological care to underserved communities in Ethiopia.
Pamela Stoyanoff, MBA, CPA and FACHE, is currently President and Chief Operating Officer for the 10 hospital Methodist Health System in Dallas, Texas. In that role she is leads strategic planning for the system and provides operational leadership for its hospitals, joint ventures and medical group. She is passionate about the Quadruple Aim and improving health by leading efforts that help to reduce health disparities.
She has been a member of numerous Boards and current serves on the Dallas Ft.Worth Hospital Council Education and Foundation Board, Business Council for the Arts Board and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Finance Committee.
Prior to coming to Dallas, Pam was the Chief Financial Officer for the St. Vincent Health System (4 hospitals) in Little Rock, Arkansas. She is originally from Chicago, Illinois and began her career at Arthur Anderson & Co.
Pam has her BS in Business Administration with a major in Accounting, is a CPA and has her Masters degree from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in Lake Forest, Illinois. She is also a FACHE.
Pam has spoken around the country on many topics including revenue cycle management, robotics, cost reduction strategies and diversity in healthcare supply procurement.
She has been voted one of the top “100 Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know” by Becker’s Hospital Review, one of the top 25 Women in Business in Dallas/Ft. Worth by the Dallas Business Journal and was also selected by the Dallas Business Journal as a Health Care Hero (in recognition of contributions toward improving health care in North Texas).
Panel #2 Speakers Bios – Equity of Care:
Daffodil Baez currently serves as the Assistant Director of Clinical Operations at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center- Frisco overseeing the ambulatory multispecialty location. This regional campus is a joint venture between UT Southwestern and Texas Health Resources, which operates the hospital onsite.
Ms. Baez is also an entrepreneur and consultant. She is the founder and CEO of Fortress Therapeutics, a company focused on providing tools for optimal health. The main product line is comprised of organic tea blends to eliminate PMS, stabilize mood from anxiety and depression, and strengthen respiratory systems from allergies and other infections. Ms. Baez also provides consulting services for companies seeking to improve cultural sensitivity and connect with Latino healthcare consumers, streamline their outpatient operations, or launch virtual practice.
Daffodil received her Bachelor’s degree at Rice University before pursuing her Master’s in Public Health at Columbia University. She began her career as a financial analyst for a commercial health insurance payer before transitioning to practice management. After completing her Master’s in Business Administration at Arizona State University, she moved into an executive role for an integrated healthcare provider in Phoenix, AZ which focused on combining medical primary care with behavioral healthcare to the underserved community. In 2020, Ms. Baez was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Since high school, Ms. Baez has volunteered in the community as an educator, organized free health fairs, and is a contributing author to a healthy lifestyle book and curriculum. She is the president-elect for the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE) inaugural Dallas Fort Worth chapter. Daffodil is also an active member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the Greater Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association of Health Service Executives (NAHSE) and is involved with several non-profit organizations focused on education and community health education. In her spare time she enjoys cycling, traveling, and baking. She is a native Texan, the first generation born in the US. Her family emigrated from the beautiful Dominican Republic.
Gary DiPersi, BSN, MBAHA, CENP, FACHE is dually certified as a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and Executive Nursing Practice, Gary started his career as an orderly while attending a diploma based registered nursing program. During the course of his career, Gary spent the first 16 years as a critical care registered nurse eventually obtaining a BSN and MBAHA before transitioning to operations.
A proven leader with 30 years of experience in both the clinical and operations arenas, Gary DiPersi is currently the National Director of Patient Safety at Tenet Health and as such is the functional domain thought and impact leader for safety. Gary’s responsibilities include building a safety agenda that bridges across the three business units: Acute Care Hospitals, United Surgical Partners International, and Tenet Physician Resources. Prior to Tenet Health, Gary was the System Director for Nursing Operations and Performance Improvement at CHRISTUS Health and the System Director of Performance Improvement in both the clinical and operational areas for the Adventist Health System.
Gary’s leadership style has always been to engage those closest to the work in the problem-solving process and to sustain change through active engagement of the staff and leadership at the process and performance levels.
Catherine Oliveros is vice president of Community Health Improvement at Texas Health Resources.
Catherine provides strategic direction to and oversight of Texas Health’s Community Health Improvement initiatives, which aim to decrease health disparities and address social determinants with a special focus on underserved populations. In her role, Catherine oversees community health research and evaluation and is responsible for programs created as part of Texas Health Community Impact, the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program (DSRIP) and Community Health Ministry. Additionally, Catherine oversees the Texas Health Mobile Initiative: Wellness for Life and strategic trajectory projects established to disrupt current systems of care to improve health outcomes. Catherine is also responsible for building strong relationships with public and private organizations who share the Texas Health Vision of improving health and well-being across North Texas.
Before joining the Texas Health family, Catherine was director of community affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, where she developed strategies and collaborative partnerships to advance health and wellness, community engagement and business growth. Her 24 -year career includes six years with Susan G. Komen, where she was regional director for Latin America, including oversight of Komen’s Latin America research and community-based grants portfolio addressing the entire breast cancer continuum of care.
Catherine holds a master’s degree and a doctorate degree in public health from Loma Linda University in California, as well as a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pitzer College in Claremont, California.
Community is also a priority for Catherine outside of work. She is a graduate of Leadership Fort Worth and Leadership North Texas and has served on the boards of The Concilio, North Texas American Diabetes Association, UNT Health Sciences Center: Women’s Health and Health Disparities, North Texas Hispanic 100, and Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation. Additionally, Catherine is a member of the UT Southwestern Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Community Advisory Board.
Bianca L. Radney, MBA is the Vice President of Patient and Family Experience for Texas Health Resources. She has been in healthcare for over 20 years and has a background in psychology and performance improvement. She has the privilege of leading a diverse team, which includes a focus on consultation, insights, education, communication, language access, and most recently patient diversity/inclusion and health equity. Collaboratively, she and her team are leading work to define and support an exceptional experience of care for all patients and families across the THR ecosystem.