Becker's Hospital Review

WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP 57 end, this leads to a powerful solution devel- oped with inclusivity. Colleen Riley, OD. Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for embec- ta: Women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math careers. is shortfall is not solely because women are not pursuing STEM education. We also have a leaky bucket, meaning once they em- bark on a STEM career path, the support and mentorship they need falls short and they exit to pursue other opportunities. As women in healthcare, we need to work to- gether to support one another and challenge those systems that aren't working for us. If you're new in your career, don't be afraid to speak up when added support is needed or if something just needs to change. And if you've been in the industry for a while, use your influence to make things easier for the next generation. We need to put them on our shoulders. Veronica Sandoval, PhD. Principal, Pa- tient Inclusion and Health Equity, Chief Diversity Office, Genentech: I am com- mitted to motivating those with influence and power to prioritize and increase public health literacy for historically underserved patients so they can ultimately advocate and communicate for themselves. Whether this is combatting COVID-19 misinformation or explaining what it's like to participate in a clinical trial, we must address health inequi- ties through education and empowerment. I encourage those in a similar unique position of privilege to work to identify and advocate for solutions that make healthcare more ac- cessible to all types of patients, especially those historically le behind in healthcare. Ghazala Sharieff, MD. Corporate Senior Vice President, Hospital Operations and Chief Medical Officer for Scripps Health (San Diego): My best advice is to always step up and just ask. So oen I find that women may not even apply for a role because they lack sometimes just a single item on the job description. We also hesitate to ask. I had the honor of being the first fellow twice in my career by just asking if I could be. My mom always said, "e worst they can say is no." is has been the best advice and I would not be where I am today without asking and thinking outside the box, beyond the "re- quirements." Getting known can be difficult, so stepping up and working on projects that may not always be the most fun — but are definitely needed — is a great way to get rec- ognized. Kimberly Williams, DNP. Director of Nursing Operations, Bass Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases Hematology/Oncology, CAR-T, Stem Cell Transplant, and Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine at Stanford Medicine Children's Health (Palo Alto, Calif.): I first started in health care as a front desk clerk for a clinic in Texas. A female doctor there was the one who pushed me to go into nurs- ing. Because she saw something in me, and allowed me to stand on her shoulders, I got started on my path to become a Black nurse leader. Now, in my current role and co-chair of one of our organization's diversity, inclu- sion and equity committees, I've made it my life's purpose to infuse a culture of inclusion and equity in all areas of healthcare — from the front line to the boardroom and to bring others along with me on this journey. n Best, worst states for women By Alexis Kayser Many of the best states for women are concentrated on the East Coast, while Southern states fare worse for female residents. WalletHub released its "2023 Best & Worst States for Women" ranking Feb. 27. They ordered all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on women's economic and social well-being — including median earnings, unemployment rate, friendliness toward working moms and affordability of doctor's visits — and healthcare and safety — including abortion access, quality of women's hospitals, the female uninsured rate and prevalence of rape victimization. The best states for women, ordered by WalletHub: 1. Vermont 2. New York 3. Massachusetts 4. Minnesota 5. Connecticut 6. District of Columbia 7. Washington 8. Rhode Island 9. Hawaii 10. New Jersey 11. Maryland 12. Maine 13. Iowa 14. New Hampshire 15. Delaware 16. California 17. Oregon 18. Illinois 19. Wisconsin 20. Virginia 21. North Dakota 22. Michigan 23. Pennsylvania 24. South Dakota 25. Montana 26. New Mexico 27. Colorado 28. North Carolina 29. Arizona 30. Indiana 31. Florida 32. Nebraska 33. Kentucky 34. Nevada 35. Ohio 36. Kansas 37. Utah 38. Alaska 39. Missouri 40. Tennessee 41. Wyoming 42. Idaho 43. West Virginia 44. Texas 45. South Carolina 46. Georgia 47. Alabama 48. Arkansas 49. Louisiana 50. Mississippi 51. Oklahoma n

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