Women of Community

We see new friends have joined us, Welcome! Let us (re)introduce ourselves! Women of Community, or WOC as we lovingly call it, launched in 2020 and is focused on increasing representation of Women of Color in health care leadership. According to McKinsey & Company’s annual report on Women in health care, the challenges that Women as a whole face are magnified for Women of Color — 30% of healthcare senior leaders are White Women, versus only 4% Women of Color. While White Women are underrepresented, Women of Color are virtually non-existent. Egregious considering how many WOCs make-up frontline (clinical and non-clinical roles), are caregivers (paid and family), and the gaps in care outcomes for WOCs. Our community is 6,000+ and we lead events, advocacy campaigns, and strategic collaborations. WOC welcomes all Allies. You do not need to be a WOC to support and celebrate WOCs! The Crew behind WOC: ?? Shruti Kothari, Founder - A health care transformation advocate, Shruti has worked as a health educator, community mobilizer, quality improvement leader, early stage startup operator, and in venture capital. She currently leads Industry Initiatives for Blue Shield of California, and is the Co-Founder of the Start-up Crown Society. She’s been recognized on lists like Business Insiders 30 under 40 and frequents the healthcare conference speaking circuit. ?? Elaine Cheng, Community Lead - An Oakland native, Elaine is an enterprising force influencing the next generation of change makers. Elaine is currently a Project Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific where she is working on creating change in the R&D industry. Elaine has been instrumental in the growth and success of Women of Community’s mission of elevating extraordinary women of color working for the health of their communities. ?? Diana Rios, Community Lead - Diana is passionate about addressing #healthcare ease and access through advancing #digital technologies. As a Digital Product Manager at Blue Shield of California, Diana helps create high quality experiences for 4 million BSC members. Diana leads the #WOCWomenCrushingItWednesdays campaign, as well as supports all other WOC programs!? ?? Matthew Evearitt, Artist Partner - With 10+ years of experience in visual branding, content creation, and education, Matt utilizes the power of collaboration to tell stories through imagery and film to create experiences, learning, and activism. Matt is a Senior Creative, Social Media Specialist for Blue Shield of California, and the Creative Director + Videographer for BeholdCreators Media. He’s worked with orgs like Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Oaklandish, Super Duper Burgers – and has been featured in NYTimes.com, NPR Code Switch, KQED, and more!? Sign-up for our email list to stay up to date about events, advocacy campaigns, and other good stuff! And follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn ???? #femalefounders #advocacy #empoweringwomen #bipoc #womeninhealthcare #womenofcolorentrepreneurs #poc

WOC Community Update! Today's spotlight: Alica Forneret ?? Alica, one of our past #WOCMotivationMonday features, is hosting PAUSE’s first-ever resource fair in Los Angeles, CA, this Saturday! She’s collaborating with amazing leaders in the grief and death care field to offer an impactful, resource-packed afternoon. Event Schedule: 1. Prism Pop-Up & Workshops | 12:00–2:00 PM (pre-registration required) 2. Tabling (Meet the experts, collect resources) | 12:00–2:00 PM 3. Panel Discussion | 2:30–3:30 PM 4. PAUSE & Partners Workshops | 4:00–6:00 PM (pre-registration required) 5. All Day: ? Access to the Book Nook ? Explore the MESO Labyrinth ? Screening of “Curating Grief” This event is open to everyone—regardless of race, background, or profession. It’s designed to meet grievers where they are, provide resources to support care providers, and showcase tools that ensure no one navigates grief alone or unprepared. Whether you join a workshop, connect with experts during tabling, or attend the panel discussion, please REGISTER here: https://lnkd.in/gStYvYPS to help the team prepare for the amazing community they’re excited to welcome. If you’re in the LA area this Saturday, don’t miss this transformative event! #womenofcommunity #woc #womenofcolor #wocupdate

LinkedIn?provides a vast platform for networking with professionals across industries and locations. Building and nurturing these connections can open doors to new career opportunities, partnerships, mentorships, and valuable insights. Per Business Insider, Gen Z is driving LinkedIn's user growth, with an expected rise of US Gen Z users by nearly 14% in 2024. Makes sense… LinkedIn is a must for job-seekers and many Gen Zers are now in the workforce. But while LinkedIn growth continues, many academic intuitions have not kept up with the demand of supporting students with educational resources on how to best leverage the platform. Not UC Berkeley School of Public Health!? I spent yesterday afternoon with a group of phenomenal University of California, Berkeley graduate students, facilitating a workshop about how students can leverage LinkedIn and show up in an authentic way that supports their career development, professional passions, inspires connection — And DRIVES SOCIAL IMPACT ???? This was a group of 20 absolutely brilliant Masters and Doctoral students! Here are a few profiles of some of the students and how they want to leverage LinkedIn: ?? A DACA recipient who wants to share motivational content for other DACA recipients, creating + supporting the community. ?? A former nurse who is passionate about maternal health equity and wants to advocate for change. ?? A doctoral student focused on environmental health who’d like to increase public awareness about environmental health issues. What an inspirational group ?? ?? ?? – Check some of of them out ???? Renee Clarke, MPH, RN, BSN Ayman A. Sarah Gao Pritika Khatri Ratu Orisi Lalabalavu Edwina Malmberg Christine Megariotis Neaka Mohtashemi Lucia Rodriguez Alvizo Dirk Tolson III, B.Sc Yunle Wang Cynthia Yu Thank you UC Berkeley School of Public Health’s Social Impact and RISE teams for inviting me to facilitate the session -- Couldn’t be prouder to be a Cal Bear, and to get to teach Cal Bears! ???????????? Caitlin Green Fred Dillon Molly Woerner Megan Olivera, M.Ed. Claudia Williams

I am so excited to be moderating a virtual panel discussion for Blue Shield of California Industry Initiatives on Bridging the Gap on Behavioral Health: Advancing Whole-Person Care Through Integration. ? With nearly one in seven California adults experiencing a mental illness, behavioral health integration is a key component to providing high-quality, patient-centered care. This discussion will explore how payers, providers, and other stakeholders can work together to create a sustainable foundation to scale behavioral health integration and improve our system’s ability to meet the behavioral health needs of all Californians. ? Join the conversation on December 12th at 11am PT / 2pm ET to hear from experts who are leading incredible initiatives to build a more accessible, effective, and equitable behavioral health care system: ? ?? Christine (Fernandez) Brocato, MBA, Vice President of Strategic Innovation, CommonSpirit Health ?? Jennifer Christian-Herman, PhD, Vice President of Clinical Strategy & Programs, Blue Shield of California ?? Crystal Eubanks, MS, Executive Director, California Quality Collaborative ?? Sharmil Shah, Psy.D, Assistant Deputy Director, Office of Health Workforce Development, California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) ?? Vanessa Villaverde, MPA, MHSA, Senior Program Investment Officer, California Health Care Foundation ? I hope to see you there! Link to register: https://lnkd.in/g6EaZBfX #primarycare #behavioralhealth #integration #wholepersoncare #collaboration #innovation?#equity

WOC Community Update! Today's spotlight: Roja Garimella, MD, MBA ?? Roja was one of our featured #WOCWomenCrushingItWednesday trailblazers in 2023, and she continues to inspire! Last month, Roja returned to the classroom at Harvard Business School —this time, not as a student but as a speaker—to share her entrepreneurial journey since graduating. Her story was the subject of a case study authored by Reza Satchu & Patrick Sanguineti, chronicling the founding journey of Kubera Health. The case explored the pivotal lessons, challenges, and successes that shaped her path—and the story is far from over! Here are a few takeaways from the inspiring conversations she led: 1. Failure is a teacher, not a threat. Roja emphasized that failure, while uncomfortable, sharpens decision-making and builds confidence. It’s especially transformative for those of us who grew up chasing "gold stars" and perfection. 2. Agency drives growth. Placing yourself in situations where you have true accountability fosters deep learning. Experiencing the rewards—and the challenges—of your decisions first-hand accelerates personal and professional development. 3. The magic of early-stage entrepreneurship. In the startup world, you don’t have to choose between learning, creating impact, or building equity. Entrepreneurship offers a unique opportunity to pursue all three simultaneously in deeply fulfilling ways. Roja shared these insights with two sections of 90 second-year students in HBS's new Founder’s Mindset course, many of whom are already working on or considering their own ventures. It was both humbling and energizing for Roja to connect with this next wave of entrepreneurial talent as a peer, mentor, and fellow builder. We’re so proud of Roja for sharing her wisdom and continuing to inspire women and communities everywhere! Make sure to keep up with her journey by following her on LinkedIn. #womenofcommunity #woc #wocupdate #womenofcolor

WOC Community Update! Today's spotlight: Dr. Tiana S. Woolridge, MD, MPH ?? Last month, Dr. Tiana joined Deborah Sawaf on The Power Of Words Foundation episode: "The Impact of the Environment on Our Mental Health is Very Important." They explored how our surroundings shape our mental health and well-being, and discussed the "power of 7" — a tool to help shift negative emotions to positive ones. They also dived into Dr. Tiana's personal journey, and so much more. Incredible Tiana! Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gnwRm5xs #womenofcommunity #woc #womenofcolor #wocupdate

I’ve openly discussed my reasons for getting out of the Marine Corps at the end of 2013, but don’t mistake my exit for any lack of pride and honor to have worn the uniform. I? likely wouldn’t be where or who I? am without raising my right hand. Besides, contrary to what my DD214 says, my service hasn’t ended. *Happy 249th Birthday, Marines!* Let me leave you with my favorite passage: “Being a Marine is a state of mind. It is an experi- ence some have likened more to a calling than a profession. Being a Marine is not a job—not a pay check; it is not an occupational specialty. It is not male or female, majority or minority; nor is it a rank insignia. Stars, bars, or chevrons are only indicators of the responsibility or authority we hold at a given time. Rather, being a Marine comes from the eagle, globe, and anchor that is tattooed on the soul of every one of us who wears the Marine Corps uniform. It is a searing mark in our innermost being which comes after the rite of pas- sage through boot camp or Officer Candidates School when a young man or woman is allowed for the first time to say, "I'm a United States Marine." And unlike physical or psychological scars, which, over time, tend to heal and fade in intensity, the eagle, globe, and anchor only grow more defined—more intense—the longer you are a Marine. "Once a Marine, always a Marine."” - MCWP 6-11, Leading Marines (Photo from Aug 2, 2004, promotion to Sergeant by my first two mentors, (then) CWO2 Jarvis and GySgt Salinas)

?On Wednesdays we highlight an amazing Women of Community. This week’s shout out goes out to Leila Yari, MPH. Leila wears multiple hats! Leila serves as the Chief Revenue Officer at MD Integrations. She runs her own consultancy for digital health and healthcare tech startups - providing them high level strategy and tactical support. And she is the Co-founder & General Partner for the Women's Equity Lab where she backs incredible startups while increasing the number of female investors. Previously: ?Leila has been a Seed Investor at Sunfish, helping with fertility financing, making the fertility journey a financial possibility for families ?As the Director of partnerships at Truepill she secured partnerships with telemedicine businesses, enabling the home delivery of medications across all 50 states + DC. ? At Innovaccer, she served as the Business Development Manager where she worked on sales expansion. Leila’s extensive experience of health systems + payers + early stage startups make her an excellent leader making an impact in improving population health! Follow Leila to learn more about #funding women innovators! #WOCWomenCrushingitWednesday #womenofcommunity #womenofcolor #woc #WomenCrushingitWednesday?

WOC Community Update! Today's spotlight: Maria D. Toler ?? SteelSky Ventures Founding Partner, Maria, recently attended an inspiring event at The White House hosted by First Lady Jill Biden, celebrating the 2024 "Girls Leading Change" honorees. This initiative shines a powerful spotlight on young leaders who are advocating for critical causes that will shape the future. This event closely aligns with SteelSky Ventures' commitment to investing in the future of women's health. Our ongoing partnerships with The White House, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are driving cutting-edge innovation in this space. As we continue to support new advancements in women's health, we are energized by the passion and leadership of the next generation of advocates. Read more about this empowering event here: https://lnkd.in/gUFwPqzm And don't forget—your voice matters! Remember to vote in the upcoming elections. #womenofcommunity #wocupdate #womenofcolor #woc

So proud of my daughter who works in a cheese shop! For so many of us, especially those from immigrant families, life was all about chasing careers that were considered "good" – doctor, engineer, or something equally prestigious. Expectations weighed heavy on our shoulders, shaping the paths we walked, whether we loved them or not. And without even realizing it, many of us mirrored this behavior with our children, pushing them toward the same narrow ideals, and limiting space to dream for themselves. Admittedly, I fell into that same trap in my daughter’s early years. She was in college pursuing a pre-med degree and one day, through tears, she told me she felt broken. She was drowning, forcing herself into a life she didn’t want, just to meet the expectations her father and I had placed on her. That was the moment everything shifted. I told her to come home and that it was time to figure out what *her* dream really was—not ours. Hospitality school became the answer. And eventually, she discovered her true dream: owning a cheese shop someday! So much of our peace comes from giving ourselves permission to live authentically—not spending years twisting ourselves into someone else’s idea of success. After spending some time freelancing and working in finance to save up for her first home, my daughter called me and said, "It’s time -- I’m going to work at a cheese shop so I can learn the business from the ground up." The other weekend, I had the joy of seeing her in her element at the shop—and it was pure magic. She was radiant, passionate, and completely at home, with customers drawn to her enthusiasm and sales soaring when she was behind the counter. She was exactly where she was meant to be, building a life on her own terms, at just 27 years old. I couldn’t be any prouder of her. Parents, we have the power to break the cycle. We don’t need to keep chasing someone else’s dreams or passing those burdens to our children. There is no finish line for fulfillment when the race was never ours to begin with. We can be the generation that teaches our kids to honor their own dreams—because happiness is not found in other people’s expectations but in living a life that is fully, authentically ours.