Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
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IMPROVING ACCESS TO CARE AND EXPANDING EQUITY
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CELEBRATING AND SUPPORTING OUR DIVERSE WORKFORCE
At Wheeler, Diversity and Inclusion are intricate to the work we do every day. We look to our employees to share their ideas and be engaged in advancing current initiatives while creating pathways for new ones. Through this process, we can best serve our employees by making it a place where they belong. In addition, it helps us provide quality care to the 50,000 patients we serve annually and to connect with our communities across the state. It also allows us to stay grounded and steadfast in knowing that the work for justice is ongoing; however, as a team, we are committed to seeing it through!
Monique Daley, EdD, CDP, Diversity Officer
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Wheeler
One of our four Organizational Values, Diversity and Inclusion is woven into everything we do, every day.
We are deeply connected IN the many diverse communities that we serve, improving access to care and expanding equity, but we're also naturally PART of them, through our staff, our investment in their work, and through our full continuum of services.
Internally, our annual PRIDE events, monthly Visibility Campaigns, guest speakers for staff, and more all serve to connect us in celebration and commitment to the vibrant community Wheeler is ourselves.
Follow us on social media, and visit our News from Wheeler - Diversity and Inclusion page, to see the latest community events, sponsorships, cultural events at Wheeler, and more!
Throughout the year, we honor and celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion with events for our community and the public, aligned with our values, mission, and vision.
Every month, all Wheeler staff are attended to a wide range of presentations and professional development workshops open to the entire organization, highlighting our internal staff subject matter experts and partnering organizations.
DECEMBER 2024
We were honored to be named a 2024 Top Workplace for our DE&I Practices! This award celebrates organizations who are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive place to work, no matter one's background. This commitment is shared by all levels of the organization is felt by employees.
OCTOBER 2024
We honored National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October! As we continue to celebrate our diverse and inclusive workforce, October is recognized as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The theme for 2024 is "Access to Good Jobs for All." Approximately 10.7% (or approximately 1 in 9) of Wheeler’s current workforce self-identifies as having a disability. Thank you for your contribution to the growth and success of the organization.
We enjoyed attending the open house and community night for our partners Hartford Communities That Care, Inc. on October 17! Watch Monique Daley, EdD, CDP, diversity officer, in this video from the event.
Sydney Satchell, a member of the 2024 Paralympic gold-medal-winning sitting volleyball team, virtually shared her story of hope, perseverance, and resilience on Tuesday, October 22, in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
SEPTEMBER 2024
- Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Pioneers of Change: Shaping The Future Together - Monday, September 30, 2024, 12:30-1:30 pm
We held a live virtual discussion, "Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together," with Melissa Mendez, LCSW, IMH-E, director of Childhood Programs, Wheeler and Vanessa Nazario, MSM, MBA, Belonging and Equity Executive Leader, So Flo NALHE Chapter President
JUNE 2024
Wheeler staff were invited to attend an educational presentation in celebration of Juneteenth:
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Leslie Mayes Low
Journalist and Community Storyteller
Leslie's work with Connecticut in Color has brought numerous powerful stories from communities of color to the forefront. Click the link below to learn more about Wheeler and our impactful community partnership with Madre Latina, featured on Connecticut in Color.
MAY 2024
- Women's Health - Grand Rounds presentation
- Migrants & Navigating Healthcare Systems
APRIL 2024
- Bridging the Gap: An Introduction to Autism and Neurodivergent Individuals
- The Centering of DEI and CRT in Healthcare to Address Disparities
- Neurodiversity and the Myth of Normalcy
- The Benefits of Hiring Veterans: Why and What you Need to Know
- Migrants & Navigating Healthcare Systems
FEBRUARY 2024
Wheeler is proud to offer diverse speakers to celebrate Black History Month.
For our staff, a panel of some of Wheeler's senior leaders of color share their perspectives and experiences of navigating the workforce. The panel will include Teodoro Anderson Diaz, MS, MSW, LCSW, LADC, vice president of health and wellness center outpatient services, Shaunna Monts, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, chief human resources officer, Camila Rubino, MBA, MSN, BSN, RN, senior director of nursing, and Monique Daley, MS, CDP, diversity officer.
Another internal discussion for our staff will feature motivational teacher, author, and entrepreneur, June Archer, for "Yes! Every Day Can Be a Good Day!" June is the President and CEO of a growing multimedia marketing company, ELEVEN28 ENTERTAINMENT. After the disbandment of Elektra Records recording group Room Service in 2000, June gained valuable insights into the music business. He recognized the significance of creating new opportunities and being innovative. June established "Hot Chocolate Soul," the leading music and entertainment showcase in New England, providing a platform for emerging artists in Music, Comedy, and Poetry to hone their skills and entertain the community. This platform addressed the lack of opportunities he faced as an up-and-coming artist. Additionally, he committed himself to giving back by dedicating significant time to educating teens and young adults about music and the importance of education.
Attorney Medina Jett, author of "Peace Be Still: Navigating My Son's Bipolar Disorder," joins our team for a conversation in February as well. Medina Jett is a mother of 3 who was thrust into the world of mental illness when her son was diagnosed with a mental illness 5 years ago. She is now an advocate for destigmatizing mental illness and raising awareness on this national epidemic. Medina’s talk takes audiences along on her journey from her son’s initial bi-polar diagnosis while a junior at a top university through her reflective analysis of how she parented her Black son and the societal factors that possibly led to his diagnosis. Medina shares the red flags that she missed along the way that parents might use as potential indicators of underlying mental health conditions. Medina’s personal story is both inspirational, educational, gripping and at times humorous as she gives us a window into the life of a family managing through a brain based condition. Every mother, every father, every person who loves someone who may be experiencing a mental health condition needs to hear Medina’s story. Medina’s book Peace Be Still: Navigating My Son's Bi-Polar Disorder promises to ignite a national conversation on the mental health epidemic and mental health reform. Medina is distinguished by her unique perspective as a Black woman who has achieved success in multiple professional arenas. She was a C-Suite executive at not one, but three Fortune 100 companies. She also was the founder and president of an award-winning international business in the asset management industry. She is now pursuing her passion for real estate with her newest entrepreneurial venture, TDS Builders, a real estate development company that she co-founded with her youngest daughter. Medina is the recipient of many awards and recognition most notably: the Anti-Defamation League’s Torch of Liberty Award for her advocacy on social justice and racial equality issues; the Urban League of Southern Connecticut’s Diversity Award; the Tri-State Diversity Council’s Influential Women Award; and the Hartford Business Journal’s Top Women in Business Award. Medina is a noteworthy speaker with the Washington Speakers Bureau. Medina earned a BA from Wesleyan University, a JD from Georgetown Law School, and an MBA from the University of Connecticut School of Business.
JANUARY 2024
Wheeler is proud to sponsor two important events honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and celebrating the future success of students of color:
- Greater Bristol Branch NAACP Annual Rev. E.C. Whitehead and Rev. M.L. King Jr. Breakfast
- Hartford Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Breakfast
OCTOBER 2023
- Migrants and Navigating Healthcare Systems. A conversation with Camila Rubino, MBA, MSN, BSN, RN, senior director of nursing at Wheeler, about the present state of healthcare and the contributing factors to limited access for migrants. Camila Rubino, MBA, MSN, BSN, RN, is from Southington and is our new senior director of nursing, overseeing all nursing and medical assistant operations at Wheeler’s five federally qualified health centers, congregate care settings, and Northwest Village School. With 20 years of nursing experience in a variety of health care settings, including emergency department, cardiology and kidney specialties, inpatient and outpatient settings, and other Connecticut federal qualified health centers, Rubino brings a wide range of clinical and managerial perspectives to Wheeler’s health care operations. Rubino was born and raised in Colombia and holds an MBA from Yale University School of Management, an MSN from Sacred Heart University, and a BSN from Southern Connecticut State University.
JUNE 2023
- Celebrating Juneteenth, with Joan Trumpauer Mulholland and Loki Mulholland. Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, a recipient of the 2015 National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award, is a Civil Rights Icon who participated in over 50 sit-ins and demonstrations by the time she was 23 years old. She was a Freedom Rider, a participant in the Jackson Woolworth’s Sit-in, the March on Washington, the Meredith March and the Selma to Montgomery March. Her path has crossed with some of the biggest names in the Civil Rights Movement: Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, John Lewis, Diane Nash and Julian Bond. She has appeared in numerous books, documentaries and has received numerous awards for her work in the Civil Rights Movement. Joan is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Loki Mulholland is an Emmy-winning filmmaker, author, activist, and son of civil rights icon, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. His first book, “She Stood For Freedom” was nominated for the 2017 Amelia Bloomer Award. Loki’s film, “The Uncomfortable Truth” has been viewed over one million times on Amazon. Loki is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated.
MAY 2023
- Diversity from a Family Perspective - Ann Smith (African Caribbean American Parents of Children with Disabilities)
- Diversity Disparities - Connecticut Department of Children and Families
- Building the Trust: Working with the LGBTQIA+ Community - Dr. Rebecca Eleck
- Abilities - Seen and Unseen
- Samantha Nisler, MS, LMFTA
- Dr. Scott Berman
- Emily Brede
- Integrating DEI Practices: Working with Young Children and Families - Melissa Mendez, LCSW, IMH-E
- Moving from DEI to Belonging, Tina Loarte-Rodriguez, MSN, RN, CIC, CPPS, CPHRM
- Working with Veterans
- Samantha Micael, LMFT
- David Barringer
MARCH 2023
- Women Who Tell Their Stories
- Tina Loarte-Rodriguez, MSN, RN, CIC, CPPS, CPHRM
- Vanessa Nazario, MBA
- Lourdes Negrón-McDaniel, CDP, SHRM-SCP
FEBRUARY 2023
- Roundtable: Senior Leaders of Color on Leadership and Career Development
- Monique Daley, MS, CDP
- Shaunna Monts, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
- Teodoro Anderson Diaz, MS, MSW, LCSW, LADC
- Keturah Kinch, MPA
- Tina Loarte-Rodriguez, MSN, RN, CIC, CPPS, CPHRM
- The Lasting Impact of an HBCU Education
- Douglas Kerr
- Keturah Kinch, MPA
- Breast Cancer and Health Disparities - Dr. Olutayo Sogunro
- Managing Racial-Trauma Stressors - Wendy Garvin Mayo, APRN, ANP-BC
- Black Resilience and Racial Injustice - Connecticut Chief Public Defender TaShun Bowden-Lewis