To fully embrace diversity within the American Lung Association and the communities we serve, in August 2020, Board Chair Steve O’Kane and National President and CEO Harold Wimmer announced the formation of the Lung Association’s first-ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council.
Led by Kristina Hamilton, the DEI Council is comprised of staff from all departments, levels and regions of the organization, each of whom hold full-time positions in addition to producing this incredibly important work on behalf of the Lung Association.
DEI Council: Candace Alexander, MEd, CHES, Daniel J. Bowler, Erica Costa, MPPA, Felicia Fuller, Dr.PH, Kristina Hamilton, MPH (Chair), Pedro Haro, MPH, Ranjana Kodwani, MPH, James A. Martinez, Nicole Reyes, Maureen Rovas, MBA, CNP and Maxine Tatlonghari.
Their leadership and hard work have impacted our mission, development and marketing efforts in many positive ways. Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion elevates the quality of everything we do to serve our mission. Additionally, it helps with our staff and volunteer recruitment and retention and makes the American Lung Association an employer of choice.
Some of the many things they have accomplished include: adding Juneteenth to the paid holiday schedule; acknowledging several observances internally, and externally on our social media platforms and website; hosting three national webinars focused on lung health disparities in historically underrepresented communities and transgender cultural awareness; and launching a DEI landing page on Lung.org that highlights Lung Association hosting resources addressing health disparities among Black, Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, LGBTQ+ and Indigenous communities.
The DEI Council has been a strong first step in addressing the organization’s goal to better understand, reflect and communicate with the communities we serve. This has long been an objective of the Lung Association and the staff who make up the council have taken this directive to heart. The Council have been the leaders we have needed and have led some difficult conversations on staff calls, with courage and grace. Not only can the work they are leading be replicated in and permeate all aspects of our organization, it must, in order for us to stay relevant.
We congratulate the DEI Council and encourage them to keep up the good work.