RWJBarnabas Health, in an effort to further amplify its efforts to address health care equity, announced this week that it has created the Black Executive Alliance — a group aimed at increasing the recruitment, retention and elevation of Black people to executive roles in health care within the system and its surrounding communities.
The group, which also aims to nurture and guide the current and next generation of leaders within RWJBarnabas Health, held its first meeting early this summer.
The BEA, which has more than two dozen members, is led and organized by Dr. Meika Neblett, chief medical officer and chief academic officer at Community Medical Center, and Sean Baptiste, the chief human resources officer of the RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group.
Neblett also leads the Equity in Healthcare goal that is part of the system’s antiracism initiative, Ending Racism Together.
The Black Executive Alliance will meet quarterly, or as needed, to discuss initiatives and upcoming events. Members of the BEA must be Black or of African American descent and an associate vice president level or above, and must be employees of RWJBarnabas Health.
“It is our hope that members of the Black Executive Alliance will leverage their leadership roles to engage in and sustain necessary dialogue and diversity solidarity across the system by participating in panels and discussions, as well as by providing and suggesting resources to support causes that will impact and change policies,” Neblett said.
The BEA will serve as a resource for mentorship of Black young professionals within RWJBarnabas Health and the community, as well as create a platform to enhance communication, encourage achievement and provide an open forum for Black executives to share their lived experiences.
The Black Executive Alliance will serve as a communication vehicle, linking Black executives with one another for the purposes of resource sharing, career advancement and support. Together, the group will seek innovative ways to promote belonging, collaboration and networking; develop recommendations to support RWJBarnabas Health’s goals for Ending Racism Together, to increase diversity, equity and inclusion; and create a model for growing and developing Black leaders.
Ending Racism Together uses an evidence-based and data-driven approach to confront systemic and generational effects of racism that result in poor health, social, economic and educational outcomes. Through a focused approach that addresses inequity for patients, the workforce, the community and system operations, RWJBarnabas Health seeks to improve health outcomes, achieve equity and eliminate disparities.
RWJBarnabas Health CEO Barry Ostrowsky said the group will amplify an important issue in health care.
“The COVID-19 pandemic, paired with recent civil injustices, has shone a very bright light on inequity and systemic racism, highlighting an even greater need for programs like the Black Executive Alliance,” he said.
“As a component of Ending Racism Together, the Black Executive Alliance, we are committed to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion across our entire enterprise to create a national model for developing an antiracist culture. Ultimately, it is our hope that the Black Executive Alliance will be impactful, not just for its members, but for RWJBarnabas Health.”
