Ana M. Rodriguez, left, and Elizabeth Diaz accepted the ERG & Council Honors Awards.
The Association of Employee Resource Groups and Councils ranked two Mount Sinai Health System diversity councils among their Top 25, honoring them on Friday, May 3, with the ERG & Council Honors Award™. The Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Diversity Council (ranked No.16) and the Mount Queens Diversity Council (ranked No. 20) were recognized for the impact of their diversity and inclusion efforts, having excelled in four categories—Demonstrated Results, Demonstrated Management Commitment, Measurement and Accountability, and Communication and Education. Significantly, the groups were recognized in the first year they applied.
The awards were accepted at the 2019 ERG & Council Conference in Orlando, Florida, by Elizabeth Diaz, Senior Project Coordinator, Office for Diversity and Inclusion, Mount Sinai Health System, and Ana M. Rodriguez, LMSW, Director of Patient Experience, Volunteer Services and Community Affairs, Mount Sinai Queens.
The diversity council at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s is chaired by Rubiela Guzman, Senior Director of Patient Transport, and Pascal Kolak, PharmD, MS, MPA, Pharmacy Manager, and it is sponsored by hospital President Arthur A. Gianelli, MPH, MBA. The council was recognized for its dedication to creating an inclusive environment for staff and patients in alignment with the hospital’s values—teamwork, empathy, transparency, creativity and optimism—and for its support from senior leaders, who have encouraged innovation in thoughts and ideas. With this support, the council outlined education and training, supplier diversity, leadership and staff development, and employee engagement as strategic priorities for the past year. The resulting events included “Taste of Harlem” to introduce local minority- and women-owned businesses to managers as new vendors; “Leaders of Color” panel discussions; and professional development expos to help staff advance their careers. The events have since been replicated by other diversity councils within the Mount Sinai Health System.
At Mount Sinai Queens, the diversity council is chaired by Ana M. Rodriguez, LMSW, Director of Patient Experience, Volunteer Services and Community Affairs, and sponsored by the Executive Director Caryn A. Schwab and Chief Operating Officer Judy Trilivas, RN, MA. The council was recognized for aligning hospital-based ERGs to function as one successful unit. It also was recognized for its strong support from senior leadership and middle management, many of whom are council members and ERG leaders who integrate council activities and events into their departments. The council organizes activities and training that enhance the patient experience, increase staff participation and engagement, promote an inclusive culture, provide leadership development opportunities for staff, and increase the hospital’s visibility in the community.
“Congratulations to all of the diversity council members for their hard work, which led to this well-deserved honor,” says Pamela Y. Abner, MPA, CPXP, Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Office for Diversity and Inclusion, Mount Sinai Health System.