Reflections on Q3: Milestones, Growth, and Community Connection

As I reflect on the past few months, I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences that continue to shape my journey, both personally and professionally. This last quarter has been packed with meaningful milestones that reflect the power of connection and community, reinforcing why I do what I do at Acclinate.

I started the year with the goal of leaning into more in-person thought leadership opportunities. (Read: how does one push the limits of introversion?!)?One of the highlights was speaking at the Color of Gastrointestinal Illnesses, Inc. (COGI - Co-Gee) Equity in GI conference. Discussing health equity in this critical space not only reaffirmed my commitment to bridging gaps in healthcare access but also gave me a platform to share how Acclinate’s NOWINCLUDED community platform supports the company’s mission with industry leaders, patients, and caregivers.?

Equally rewarding was returning to my alma mater, the University of Michigan, to talk to a group of aspiring entrepreneurs about Acclinate's work. (Thanks W. David Tarver for the invite!) As a proud School of Public Health alumna, it was an honor to return to the place where I had my first “aha!” moment for how I’d be leveraging my passion for creating real, tangible impact in healthcare. Watch the highlights here:

Our community team also achieved several exciting wins in Q3. We partnered with our friends at Black Health Connect to curate a content creators' studio experience, where we used our NOWINCLUDED branded listening booth activation to engage directly with the community and hear their health experiences and stories. In many ways, this experience was unique because it provided a community of Black health providers a space to feel seen and heard. So often they are focused on advocating for their patients and community members that they neglect to do the same for themselves.?

We’ve also been partnering with the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) to host Community Summits. Our most recent one was held in Detroit—my hometown—which was a full-circle moment. The event was hosted at the Northwest Activities Center, a community center my great aunt, who lives with Parkinson’s disease, has visited weekly for swim and aerobic classes. It’s also located less than a mile from my high school and centrally located within the small radius that many of my westside family members live within. I was truly home at this event. It’s these moments that make the work that much more meaningful for me.?

Relatedly, I was able to spend a couple days in our Huntsville office with Acclinate’s co-founder and NOWINCLUDED’s visionary, Tiffany Whitlow . This allowed us to solidify plans for what’s next, which feels so timely based on what we’ve seen and heard throughout the year so far. We’re sprinting ahead (fast), and I’m excited to be in the race.?

Lastly, on a professional note, our community team unveiled a facelift to our NOWINCLUDED community site, including the introduction of our new chatbot, NIA, which is already transforming the way we interact with our members. More features and updates are slated for the rest of the year and well into 2025 already. (Apologies in advance for my obnoxious work social posts, mostly for my friends on IG who remind me that I only ever post about work these days.)

On the personal front, this summer was a much-needed season of reconnection. Opening the quarter by celebrating my birthday surrounded by family and friends reminded me of the importance of taking time to recharge. My 20th high school reunion brought me face-to-face with old classmates, while my 95th family reunion in Memphis, my maternal grandmother’s hometown, was a beautiful celebration of legacy and togetherness.?

And just because I’m not me if I don’t talk about Nova…my daughter started official school and turned 3 in the process — a reminder of how quickly time is passing and how precious every moment is.

Looking ahead, I am more determined than ever to close out the year on a high note. Our community platform is set for exciting updates, like a new mobile application, that will further empower our members to feel seen, heard, and valued. I’m doubling down on creating spaces for connection (professionally and personally), where individuals can come together, cut through the noise, and build meaningful relationships that might never have formed otherwise. We’ll continue leveraging our platform to overcome health equity barriers, making sure every voice in our community is heard and every mind feels empowered to take actions for better health.?

Most importantly, my focus remains on connecting with our community in ways that are both intentional and fulfilling—creating opportunities for engagement that leave us all feeling enriched and uplifted. As we finish out this final quarter of the year, I look forward to finishing 2024 stronger than ever.