Treating the Whole Person: How Social Determinants Impact Health & Achieving Health Equity

Dr. Sophia Nnenna Ononye-Onyia is a Nigerian American scientist, entrepreneur, board director and strategic communications leader. She has over 15 years of cross-functional experience in the biopharmaceutical industry across public health, drug discovery, medical affairs, commercial development and corporate communications. Dr. Ononye-Onyia is the owner and principal of a certified diversity-owned (NMSDC,  WBENC, WOSB) scientific marketing and communications consultancy, The Sophia Consulting Firm (SCF). She is  also a Public Board Director at Daré Bioscience (NASDAQ: DARE), a leader in women’s health innovation where  she serves on two of the Board Committees (Nominating & Corporate Governance, Compensation). She is a Yale  Entrepreneur in Residence, Cell & Gene Editorial Advisory Board Member and Dell Women's Entrepreneur  Network (DWEN) Advisory Council Member. Dr. Ononye-Onyia is an inventor and author of over 30 publications  inclusive of her dissertation on novel epigenetic agents (HDAC inhibitors), peer-reviewed research articles and  opinion editorials in leading media outlets such as WebMD, Medscape, Philadelphia Inquirer, MIT Technology  Review, Life Science Leader, Entrepreneur and Inc.  

Seun O. Ross, Ph.D., is the executive director of Health Equity for Independence Blue Cross (Independence). In this role, she develops and implements strategies and interventions to ensure equitable whole-person health across Independence.

Dr. Ross joined Independence in August 2021 as a seasoned executive. She brings more than two decades of experience in health care. Before joining Independence, she was most recently the chief nursing officer and senior vice president of Managed Service Provider Operations at InGenesis, Inc.

Dr. Ross is a published author and has lectured on many topics, including evidence-based practice and workforce management. She is the chair of the American Healthcare Standards Institute and a delegate for the International Standards Organization, Technical Committee for Healthcare Administration. She received the Coppin State University College of Health Professions Health Care Award and The Philadelphia Tribune Women of Achievement Award.

Before his role as Deputy Health Commissioner, Dr. Franklin served as the Director of Epidemiology, Analytics and Evaluation Division at the Multnomah County Health Department. He also had the opportunity to work with an integrated substance use treatment and primary care agency as the Director of Treatment and Prevention Services.

Dr. Franklin received his doctoral training at The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg of School of Public Health. He earned a master’s in public health and completed post-doctoral training in health policy from the Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Franklin also holds a Juris Doctor from the Kline School of Law at Drexel University. He is a member of the National Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Center for Injury Control and Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 

Gladys Antelo-Allen is a Senior Program Manager with the Field Building & Resources department at the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers. In this role, Gladys manages relationships and supports the strategic direction for the Complex Care Interprofessional Education Learning Collaborative, provides training and consultation on the Camden Coalition's patient engagement strategy, COACH, and RELATE as well as technical assistance in other areas. The Complex Care Interprofessional Education Learning Collaborative (formally Student Hotspotting) has brought together hospital systems, academic institutions, and students in over 20 states to transform the healthcare system and ensure that every individual receives whole-person care. Following a tailored curriculum based on the Camden Coalition’s care model, students form interprofessional teams to work with patients with complex needs in their community who are experiencing extremely high rates of repeated hospitalizations and emergency department visits to help them accomplish their health goals. The Complex Care Interprofessional Education Learning Collaborative was recognized in 2018 for its exemplary contributions to interprofessional education at the 2018 Nexus Summit, hosted by the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education in Minneapolis.

Dr. Barbara T. Williams-Page is a family medicine doctor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is affiliated with Roxborough Memorial Hospital and Main Line Health.   Dr. Williams-Page received her B.A. in Biology from Lincoln University (PA) and her medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.  She also received her MBA in Healthcare Administration from St. Joseph’s University. She has been practicing medicine for more than 25 years.