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

?? Celebrating Women's History Month: Spotlight on Shruti Kothari ?? This Women's History Month, we honor Shruti Kothari, a trailblazer in healthcare transformation and a valued member of HT4M. As Director of HT4M Member, Industry Initiatives at Blue Shield of California, Shruti leads efforts to drive policy changes that enhance healthcare experiences for patients, families, and providers. ?? Beyond her role at Blue Shield, Shruti founded Women of Community, an organization dedicated to increasing the representation of Women of Color in healthcare leadership. She also co-founded the Crown Society, furthering her commitment to diversity and leadership in healthcare. ?? Shruti's diverse background includes positions as a health educator, community mobilizer, quality improvement leader, early-stage startup operator, and venture capital professional. Her multifaceted experience enriches her contributions to the healthcare sector. Thank you, Shruti, for your unwavering dedication to transforming healthcare and empowering communities! ???

WOC Community Update! Today's spotlight: Erika Evearitt ?? We’re thrilled to celebrate Erika on her new role as the Assistant Dean of External Affairs and Development at the UC Berkeley School of Information! Erika is now part of an incredible team at the I School, advancing its mission at the intersection of technology, society, and human impact. In her new role, Erika is excited to expand opportunities for students, deepen valuable partnerships, and grow the resources that drive innovation in information science. Her dedication to building a more informed, ethical, and connected world is truly inspiring. Congratulations, Erika! We can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll accomplish. ???? #womenofcommunity #woc #womenofcolor

Rest in Peace Esther ??? Esther Burlingame, a great mentor, friend, and second mother to me for 15+ years, passed away Christmas eve 2024, after a courageous battle with terminal cancer. Throughout her journey she remained strong + joyful. I remember accompanying her to treatment at University of California, San Francisco, never once did she feel sorry for herself. She served kind words + encouragement to everyone around her. Esther was one of my first bosses — she was exceptional to work for. Instead of looking at my lack of experience, and limited analytical skills, she helped me figure out what I was good at, and restructured the role to fit my natural abilities. At 25 y/o, I had never had someone believe in me as much as Esther did. I learned so much about how to be a good Human from Esther. Esther avoided judging, and instead always sought to understand and love others. She listened with compassion, was tolerant + accepting, and spoke truth with gentleness. Let beautiful Esther’s memory be your reminder to hug your loved ones tight and live life authentically with a loving and open heart ?? At the request and permission of her family, I am sharing Esther’s memorial details on LinkedIn in case there’s anyone who worked with Esther at Kaiser Permanente who would like to pay their respects and help celebrate her life. — Celebrating the Life of Esther Elaine Burlingame We invite you to join us as we honor and celebrate the life of Esther Elaine Burlingame, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend whose unwavering faith and love touched so many. ?? Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025 ? Time: 3:00 PM ??Location: Alameda Christian Reformed Church, 2914 Encinal Ave, Alameda, CA 94501 In remembrance of Esther’s favorite color, we ask that you wear something purple in her honor ??. A small reception will follow the service, where we can share memories, stories, and the lasting impact of Esther’s life. For any questions or to reach out, please contact her son, Robert Burlingame, at [email protected].

WOC Community Update! Today's spotlight: Amira K.S. Barger, MBA,CVA,CFRE ?? ?? Pre-Sale Announcement: The Price of Nice! ?? Exciting news for our community! Amira Barger’s upcoming book, The Price of Nice: Why Comfort Keeps Us Stuck—And 4 Actions for Real Change, is now available for pre-order. This powerful read challenges the idea of "niceness" as a force for good, exposing how it often upholds the status quo rather than driving real change. With a bold framework for action, Amira provides a guide for those ready to move beyond performative politeness toward true equity and justice. ? Pre-order now from an indie bookseller, Penguin Random House or Barnes & Noble, Inc. ?? Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores) ?? Penguin Random House ?? Barnes & Noble Let’s support Amira and be part of the conversation that transforms “nice” into meaningful change! ?? #womenofcommunity #woc #womenofcolor #ThePriceOfNice #PreOrderNow

Join our Women of Community x UC Berkeley Social Impact Career event on April 2nd, 2025! This event is open to UC Berkeley undergraduate + graduate students, recent graduates, and WOC Community + allies! Successful WOC professionals will discuss how they transitioned into health care as an entry level candidate, their career progression journeys, and specific tips + strategies they wish they had known early in their career. You will also have an opportunity to network with and ask featured speakers about their field, career journey, and industry prospects. The session will include: ?? Opening reception with an opportunity to get a new professional headshot ?? Panel with leading industry experts, ?? Networking where attendees get to meet each panelist Register here ???? https://lnkd.in/gu_km4zp Thank you to our incredible speakers: ?? Lloryn Hubbard, Director of Clinical Trial Diversity and Community Engagement at Daiichi Sankyo ?? Cecilia Oregon, Executive Director, Institute for Health Policy, National Government Relations &?Member of the Faculty, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine ?? Dennise Rosas, Area Director in Sutter Health’s Greater Silicon Valley, President of?NALHE Northern California ?? Ji Im, System Senior Director, Community and Population Health at CommonSpirit Health As well as our hosts Claudia Williams + Fred Dillon at UC Berkeley School of Public Health????? We hope to see you there!

Three years strong! ????? The Women of Community family came together once again to celebrate International Women’s Day with Barry's — bringing so much energy, encouragement, empowerment, and sweat ??! Thank you Bon Manhkong, Danielle Howard, and the Barry’s Experience Team for making this collaboration a success yet again! We are so grateful to partner with you for 3 years ?? And a shout out to our instructors Tara and Spencer Lee for leading such a fun and dynamic class! And of course, thank you to our amazing WOC crew who showed up and showed out: ?? Amira K.S. Barger, MBA,CVA,CFRE ?? Smitha Gopal ?? Jessica Karr ?? Helen Chung, Ph.D., M.T.S. ?? Elissa Duron ?? Sherry Chaumpluke, P.E. ?? Jeannine Tran ?? Pooja Mittal ?? Gabriela Mujal, MHA ?? Michelle Ochoa ?? Laronne Faulkner MBA, MPH ?? Amanda Mendiea ?? Folasade Phillips, MPH ?? Jade Sophie-Claire ?? Shruti Kothari ?? Diana Rios, MPH ?? Elaine Cheng We’re beyond grateful to Barry’s Castro for celebrating and uplifting our badass WOC members who continue to make a difference in our communities. And a special thank you to all our allies who joined us to honor this day! Here’s to strength, sisterhood, and making an impact—on International Women’s Day and every day. #womenofcommunity #woc #womenofcolor

These are not bad words. They do not need to be limited or avoided. Healthcare leaders: keep doing the great work you are doing to build INCLUSIVE tools that... ?? promote HEALTH EQUITY ?? deliver PERSON-CENTERED CARE ?? remove BIAS in healthcare ?? support WOMEN ?? erase HEALTH DISPARITIES for BIPOC, LATINX, LGBTQ, INDIGENOUS, and other UNDERSERVED and MARGINALIZED communities ?? remove BARRIERS to care for VULNERABLE POPULATIONS The work you are doing is more important now than ever! Keep going, and ADVOCATE unapologetically about improving our healthcare system for all. https://lnkd.in/e2Rf_bpE

2025 UCSF Rosenman Symposium If you are interested in participating in a very dynamic healthcare event, I encourage you to attend this year's UCSF Rosenman Symposium at the University of California San Francisco Mission Bay Campus. The event will be held May 20 and 21. After serving last year as a panelist, I have the honor to be part of the 2025 steering committee. The event brings together curated attendees, including healthcare leaders, innovators, investors, and policymakers. The symposium's size and topics are designed for maximum interaction between the attendees and speakers. That leads to a richer exchange of ideas and fosters collaborations that might not have otherwise occurred. Last year had some "animated" conversations that you normally don't experience in an event with this level of expertise! This year's speakers include Glen Stettin, MD (Evernorth), Sarah Emond (ICER), Caroline Carney, MD, MSc, FAPA, FAPM, CPHQ (Magellan Health), Jeff Mirviss (Boston Scientific), Jessica Altman (Covered California) and many more. Space is limited. If you want to attend, I can help bypass the application review process to register, so reach out! For more information: https://lnkd.in/g5M4RGyb

It was a privilege for the Global Initiative on Health and the Economy (GIHE) to be able to partner with the U.S.-Mexico Economic Council (USMXECO) and others on the US-Mexico Health Forum in Mexico City last week. The Forum helped highlight opportunities to advance public health, working across public and private sectors to create real and sustainable solutions on things like attracting greater investment in the health sector, and ensuring sustainable financial coverage for life saving care and treatments. During our panel on sustainable financing for health systems, Bertha Mancilla and Klaudia Arizmendi shared critical insights on value-based healthcare and the unique implications for rare disease. Thank you to our generous sponsors, our partners at American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico, and our Chamber dream team Anabel Teixeira, Megan Bridges, Suyash Gupta, MSPH Ryan Denson.