By Rachel Bailey, Editor, PWH® Connect Journal
The Professional Women in Healthcare® (PWH®) organization celebrated the achievement of being together in-person at its fourth annual PWH® Leadership Summit in Westminster, Colorado, May 16-18, 2022. The PWH® Leadership Summit is our industry’s only conference dedicated to diverse and inclusive leadership development. Driving the PWH® mission of creating a more diverse and inclusive healthcare industry equally led by women, a variety of mentoring, education and networking sessions inspired over 180 attendees to step out of our comfort zones, embrace inclusion and connect!
“It was so wonderful to celebrate all our personal and professional achievements together at this year’s Summit,” said PWH® Chair and Vice President of Industry Associations at Owens & Minor Vicky Lyle. “Thank you to all our attendees, our Summit Sponsors, amazing speakers and dedicated member volunteers who helped make the event so impactful and inspiring. I’d especially like to thank the PWH® Summit Committee, led by April Shomper, who also serves as Vizient’s Event Director.”
Vizient sponsored our opening keynote speaker, Mike Rayburn, who demonstrated how asking what if can turn challenges into opportunities. Indeed, throughout the Summit, speakers and attendees appealed to the what if approach. Vicky Lyle asked, “What if we had a culturally inclusive healthcare industry equally led by women?” According to the latest research from McKinsey & Company, we would all be in a position for greater profitability. Joe Walsh of Supply Chain Sherpas asked, “What if the [healthcare] system perfectly delivered, even in a crisis?” Joe Machicote, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer of Premier, challenged us to be more accountable by asking “What if we are the teammate who isn’t showing up for our company’s culture?”
Attendees bemused these questions during meals, receptions, mentoring circles and interactive breakout sessions. Some highlighted sessions included opportunities to learn best practices for professional development from professional trainers and executive coaches, as well as industry veterans like Cathy Denning, Janis Dezso, Sue Hulsmeyer and Anne Eiting Klamar. Sessions featured topics such as motivating in virtual environments, presenting with executive presence, advocating for a seat at the table and managing up.
A favorite of past Summits, this year’s series of 15-minute Leadership Insights was sponsored by Midmark and did not disappoint:
- Joe Walsh, Executive Coach and Founder of Supply Chain Sherpas, encouraged us to unlock our potential by focusing more on skills development and storytelling. Know which limiting stories might be getting in your way. Then embrace leadership preparedness by developing new skills (and stories) on our way to new summits.
- Stephanie Muir, Chief Technology Officer of Midmark, provided clear steps for creating our life’s roadmap to success and reminded us it is never too late to plan our legacy. Naming our goals makes them clearer and adjusting to rocky terrain along the way helps realize goals faster.
- Joe Machicote, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer of Premier, inspired us to build an environment that sustains diversity and inclusion by recognizing and sharing our privileges. A commitment to showing up, being accountable and superior to our former selves helps everyone thrive.
- Natalie Martin, Director, Creative Services for NDC, explained how to influence from different angles and levels of our organization’s hierarchy. Knowing when to put which foot forward in time with the beat can get a dance floor grooving, even in virtual environments.
- Aster Angagaw, Vice President, Head of Commercial and Public Sectors at Amazon Business and former Board Member at Owens & Minor, taught us how to integrate career, growth, play, community, money, self-care and purpose to grow in our leadership roles without burning out.
Tuesday’s sessions ended with the powerful gender partnership Fireside Chat, “Better Together: Creating an Inclusive Environment”, moderated by Vizient’s Monica Davy, featuring an open and honest conversation with Owens & Minor’s Jeff Jochims and Brianna Dillard-Dula. This critical discussion reminds us that if we don’t intentionally include, we unintentionally exclude. Attendees were challenged to create an inclusive environment where all voices can be heard and to use our privilege and positions to open windows of opportunity for diversity.
During the final leadership panel entitled “Leading with Impact through Historical Change,” moderator Elizabeth Hilla, Senior Vice President of HIDA, picked back up on the what if theme. She asked industry leader panelists: “What if the pandemic never happened, what leadership lesson would you have missed and what have you gained because it did?”
- Amanda Chawla, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Vice President for Stanford Health Care, said, “Without the pandemic I don’t think I’d be as brave as I am today.”
- David Gillan, Chief of Client Retention & Strategy for Sodexo, said, “The pandemic made us live our values in ways we hadn’t before.”
- Tina Murphy, Division President, Value Based Care for GHX, said, “I learned I can be an exceptional leader because I’m a woman and not despite the fact.”
- Joe Grispo, Senior Vice President, Chief Sales Officer for B. Braun, said, “If it wasn’t for the pandemic, we wouldn’t have the most common phrase in business today – ‘You’re on mute!’”
Last, but definitely not least, closing keynote speaker Colette Carlson had the room rolling with laughter as she shared five strategies to connect:
1. Awaken your awareness
2. Express your success
3. Cultivate connections that count
4. Act in authentic alignment
5. Get your ask together!
We hope you do “get your asks together” and join us next year for more networking and high-quality education as we learn together and strive to cultivate inclusive leadership. “After coming off the heels of such an inspirational and impactful re-connection in Denver, I hope all of you will save the date for the 2023 Summit and don’t forget to invite a colleague to join you!” said April Shomper, chair of the PWH® Summit Committee. Make sure to mark your calendar for the 2023 PWH® Leadership Summit at the St. Anthony in San Antonio, Texas, May 1–3, 2023.