Marketing executive-turned health equity champion receives AHA's highest staff honor
Growing up in New York's Crown Heights community, Gerald Johnson saw the impact of under-investment. 工作机会很少, fast food was more prevalent than fresh food and quality health care was often out of reach.
“我们总是听到, “如果你生病了, 不要去这家医院[附近的], 去那个[白人住的地方],他说.
快进到今天,许多这样的不平等仍然存在. It's what keeps Johnson up at night and propels him forward as the 美国心脏协会's executive vice president of health equity and chief diversity officer. 教育, a stint on the European professional basketball circuit and a corporate career were his ticket to a better life. 从那以后,他一直肩负着帮助他人的使命.
"We still have ZIP codes determining people's life expectancy — with 10- and 20-year gaps between communities a few miles apart,他说. “新鲜的食物, 无烟空气, hospitals that adhere to AHA quality guidelines … every community should have access. 这就是激励我的原因."
Serving, giving and caring are in Johnson's DNA, passed down from his dad Gerald Sr. 以及抚养他长大的祖母辛西娅·约翰逊.
“当你看到我的时候,你也看到了他们,”他说. “他们在自己的生活中都是仆人式的领袖. 所以, 我一直在一些组织做志愿者,包括老大哥, 大姐姐, 送餐上门等等."
由于美国心脏协会对健康公平的关注, Johnson connected with the organization nearly two decades ago amid a successful marketing career driving sales for big brands and Fortune 100 companies, 包括联合利华, 纳贝斯克, 吉百利史威士, 康尼格拉食品公司和强生公司.
他最初是美国心脏协会多元化领导委员会的志愿者, 他后来作为主席领导的, 他还担任过许多其他国家委员会的职务. His tremendous impact inspired an offer for a staff position as the AHA's inaugural chief diversity officer.
杰出的领导者
“从第一天起, Gerald has extensively partnered with volunteers and executives across the association to guide health equity strategy, 信息和定位,南希·布朗说, 美国心脏协会首席执行官. "He works tirelessly to broaden representation of diverse staff and volunteer talent. And he has helped to expand our health equity work beyond global borders."
Johnson serves as a lieutenant to Brown in her role as co-chairperson of the World Economic Forum Global Health Equity Network, which mobilizes executives across sectors and industries to address health disparities.
He drives the AHA's progress in building an inclusive workplace where all voices are valued, 所有的观众都能公平地享受到它的使命. 他的领导帮助成立了美国心脏协会健康公平办公室, AHA Social Impact Funds and more — sharpening the AHA's competitive edge, 扩大其影响, 吸引新业务,加强国家和全球联盟. 他还负责美国心脏协会的指导项目, 供应商多元化倡议和文化学习经验.
A key outcome of Johnson's leadership is the CEO 多样性 Advisory Cabinet, 它的存在是为了在所有人群中推进AHA的使命, 不分种族, 种族, 性别, 宗教, 年龄, 性取向, 国籍和身体残疾.
在他的指导下, the AHA created 10 unique Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that eng年龄 and support staff with similar life experiences. 其中包括Heart & 灵魂, which supports Black staff interests; Somos Corazón, created for Hispanic/Latino employees; Hearts with Pride, an LGBTQ+ community; and H3 Club, 针对亚裔美国人, 太平洋岛民和夏威夷原住民. 还有针对退伍军人的ERGs, 父母, 内向的人, 新兴专业人士和心血管或脑部疾病的幸存者.
鼓舞人心的使命大使
In 2022, Talent Dimensions and the Global ERG Network presented the AHA ERGs with its Top 10 Enterprise-Wide ERG Award, 哪个奖项表彰在倡导多样性方面表现卓越的人, 公平与包容.
提高集体意识, the AHA Office of Health Equity hosts a monthly "Cour年龄ous Conversations" series, 从种族主义到年龄歧视等及时的话题, "creating a safe space to talk about things that are important to staff and relevant to our mission,约翰逊说. And the Structural Racism and Health Equity Langu年龄 Guide helps employees speak and write about important issues using consistent and respectful vernacular.
“我为这些成就感到自豪, 为我们的伙伴关系感到骄傲, 更重要的是, 我为我的团队感到骄傲,约翰逊说. "They've helped me create this Office of Health Equity and embed equity across the organization."
通过公平和包容的视角, Johnson said the AHA will realize its vision of advancing health and hope for everyone, 到处都是.
"I wish I had a magic wand and could wave unlimited resources across the world to mitigate the social drivers of health,他说. “我想把美国心脏协会带到城市, states and countries where our mission isn't fully represented so all people have the opportunity to lead a longer, 健康的生活."
For his achievements, Johnson will receive the AHA's highest staff honor — the Earl B. Beagle Award for Staff Excellence — during the online National 志愿者 Awards 仪式 周四,从6点到8点.m. 中央.
他说,能得到认可,他感到荣幸和谦卑. 他向他的家人表示敬意, 包括他的祖母, 他称之为他的“一切”,他的妻子说, 斯蒂芬妮, 是谁的爱支撑着他和他的父亲, 谁的智慧之语至今仍能引起共鸣.
“爸爸总是说,‘不要太把自己当回事. 每个人都很重要.'"