Speaker
Brenda Battle, RN
Brenda Battle serves as senior vice president for community health transformation/chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for UChicago Medicine. In this role, she oversees efforts to design UCM’s community health management strategy, develop and implement coordinated, innovative healthcare solutions to address healthcare disparities, and foster innovation in UCM’s care delivery system by crafting care models that promote diversity, inclusion and equity. Ms. Battle leads efforts to integrate the resources and strategies of UChicago Medicine with the assets and resources of the community to meet the healthcare needs of populations served by the health system. She oversees UChicago Medicine’s Urban Health Initiative, which facilitates and coordinates efforts to address the complex health and social needs of residents on the South Side of Chicago by bringing a collaborative, community-based and participatory problem-solving approach to the health and social needs of UCM’s patients and the broader community. Prior to joining UCM, Ms. Battle was director of the inaugural Center for Diversity and Cultural Competence at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, where she oversaw programs to eliminate health disparities and promote diversity, equity and inclusion. She has more than 38 years of healthcare experience. Her prior roles include serving as executive vice president, government and community affairs, for Medical Transportation Management Inc. and leading operations in commercial and Medicaid managed care. Ms. Battle has several publications and has served as a national speaker on reducing healthcare disparities.