CHEF Receives 2016 ACHE District 3 Regent-at-Large Award for Chapter Accomplishment in Diversity

Irita Matthews is the ACHE Regent-at-Large for District 3, which encompasses the Chicago Health Executives Forum

The Regent-at-Large Award for Chapter Accomplishments in Diversity (RAL Award) is awarded annually to fully chartered ACHE chapters in each District that demonstrate a commitment to and successful execution of significant diversity?and inclusion efforts within their chapter, the community, and the healthcare management field.

On September 26^th, 2016, I had the extreme pleasure of presenting the District 3 RAL Award to our ACHE colleagues of the Metropolitan Chicago Area,  the Chicago Health Executives Forum (CHEF). CHEF received the award this year for its continued commitment to embracing and promoting diversity and inclusion as part of its chapter activities. I would like to share some of the planning that brought about this honor to CHEF as a benchmark chapter.

In 2014, CHEF’s Board of Directors (Board) established a full standing committee devoted to increasing membership diversity and inclusion by appointing Charlene Roderick as Chair and creating a Diversity and Inclusion Committee (Committee) that (1) develops policies and initiatives to foster an inclusive environment within CHEF and to put into action initiatives listed on its Chapter Statement on Diversity and Inclusion, (2) adds elements of diversity and inclusion to other events hosted by CHEF throughout the year, and (3) works with CHEF to help organize events to increase CHEF’s presence and profile amongst minority healthcare leaders. Most CHEF Diversity and Inclusion Committee members serve as subcommittee members on other CHEF committees to ensure a diversity and inclusion presence in CHEF Metropolitan Chicago activities; committee members serve as subcommittee members on CHEF?s Membership & Advancement, Education and Networking, Health Education Networking Committee, Leadership and Governance committees.

CHEF?s thoughtful planning and execution resulted in the execution of successful diversity and inclusion initiatives in 2015 involving activities, programs and collaboration with various affinity groups and thought leaders of diverse backgrounds too numerous to list.

This year, CHEF continued its diversity and inclusion work through hosting a summer networking event for healthcare colleagues committed to eliminating healthcare disparities and increasing diversity career advancement in healthcare.

Finally, Ms. Roderick, CHEF’s Chair for Diversity & Inclusion, co-presented for the ACHE webinar entitled  Expand Your Chapter’s Diversity Efforts through which webinar listeners were provided lessons from CHEF’s own chapter activities.

Please join me in congratulating CHEF for modeling chapter work in diversity and inclusion on behalf of its chapter membership, District 3, and ACHE. I also encourage you to share this message with your respective chapters as an example of chapter commitment to ACHE’s core value of diversity and inclusion.

Special thank you to the Diversity & Inclusion Committee: Jeremiah Leonard-Co-Chair, Ken Campbell, Leticia Madrigal, Tony Dunbar, Nicolas Aquilar, Maryann Czarnota, Tony Dunbar, Fred Smith, Derrick Mitchell, Adiba Khan and Crystal Vasquez.

With my best regards,

Irita Matthews
ACHE Regent-at-Large, District 3