Shannon Bradley, assistant vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at HCA Houston Healthcare, has been at the helm of the system's renewed DEI efforts since 2019.
System’s DEI Council recipient of the 2021 Diversity Team Award
Houston, TX – HCA Houston Healthcare has been named a 2021 Diversity Team Award recipient by Profiles in Diversity Journal (PDJ), which will profile the healthcare system along with 14 other multi-industry winners in its September 2021 issue.
The Diversity Team Award recognizes talented and dedicated team members who work together to support and advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within their respective organizations. The award also celebrates the inclusivity that diverse individuals, working together as members of a team, represent.
“Beginning in 2019, HCA Houston Healthcare began to renew and expand our focus on DEI through a comprehensive approach focused on six key areas: patients, colleagues, suppliers, boards, community partnerships and sustainability,” said Evan Ray, executive vice president, chief administrative officer and executive sponsor of the DEI networks at HCA Houston Healthcare. “Our goals include advancing health equity and access to services for all patients, providing an inclusive culture where colleagues can thrive, and promoting the inclusion of diverse businesses within our supplier base. We also are focused on ensuring our boards of trustees reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and building healthier communities through strategic partnerships and environmental stewardship.”
In 2020, HCA Houston Healthcare reinitiated its DEI Council; relaunched five employee-led colleague networks geared toward women, Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latinx, young professionals and veteran colleagues and hosted conscious inclusion training for numerous senior leaders. System and community engagement leaders also collaborated with underserved communities for mentoring programs, sponsored the Center for Houston’s Future Healthcare Report and invested over $10 million dollars in minority and women owned businesses, in addition to several other initiatives.
In 2021, HCA Houston Healthcare kicked off three additional colleague networks including Asian, LGBTQ+ and Mental Health and Wellness groups, which serves to help employees continually work through many challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and provides a supportive network, education and resources for all members. All colleague networks are open to all employees, regardless of how they identify.
All of these renewed efforts have been led by Shannon Bradley, division assistant vice president of DEI, who took over the role in 2019. Her work in coordinating the restructuring and relaunch of five colleague networks has yielded incredible results. In one year, HCA Houston Healthcare’s strategic outreach efforts led to an overall 333% increase of colleague network membership.
“In less than two years, Shannon has sparked an amazing transformation of our DEI efforts, bringing rigorous approaches to enhance our initiatives,” said Ray. “She has taken our colleague networks to new heights and we can feel the excitement about these programs throughout the organization, even sharing best practices across HCA Healthcare. It is an honor to receive this national recognition for the important and deliberate work we are doing to promote DEI, as we strive to make a positive impact within our communities.”
Founded in 1999, PDJ is dedicated to promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion in the corporate, government, nonprofit, higher education and military sectors. Their team helps to stimulate organizational change by showcasing visionary leadership, innovative programs and committed individuals who are engaged in proactive DEI efforts.
“We’re delighted to acknowledge the successes and contributions of the diversity teams that have been awarded this recognition, and the organizations that create and support such teams,” says PDJ Publisher James R. Rector. “Research shows that diverse teams are more innovative and produce superior results. And we believe that recognizing the achievements of these teams is an important next step in the growth and evolution of diversity, inclusion, and equity in the workplace.”
Previous Diversity Team Award winners include Fannie Mae, Liberty Mutual Insurance, New York Life and Northrop Grumman.
Learn more about the Profiles in Diversity Awards and review the full list of 2021 honorees.