Swedish Health Services has announced that Mardia Shands, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, has been named the first Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer.
Effective April 12, Shands will direct programs that increase workforce diversity, improve equity in hiring and employment practices, and ensure an inclusive workplace for all Swedish caregivers and providers.
Shands brings a wealth of experience in leading DEI programs. Most recently, she was the Chief Diversity Officer at TriHealth, a seven-hospital nonprofit health care system in the Greater Cincinnati area. She will work as a dyad partner with Nwando Anyaoku, M.D., MPH, MBA, who was recently named Swedish’s Chief Health Equity Officer. They will co-lead the newly created Swedish Office of Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.
This is another important step in Swedish’s work to drive initiatives to dismantle systemic racism, reduce barriers to health care access and improve health equity.
“I am excited for Mardia to join our leadership team and help us move forward in our commitment to strengthen our work around DEI and make Swedish a welcoming and supportive workplace for everyone,” Dr. Guy Hudson, Swedish CEO, says.
