The Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Cleveland Clinic promotes cultural competency through strategic programming that cultivates an inclusive organization, develops talent, and supports employees to better serve patients.  Under the leadership of Executive Director Le Joyce Naylor, Program Manager Anila Nicklos and other team members, a range of programming has been created that contributes to the development of a diverse workplace environment where patients and fellow employees, feel appreciated, valued, and welcomed. Having arrived in Cleveland from her native Albania seventeen years ago, Nicklos has a personal commitment to promoting Cleveland as a welcoming place for all. In addition to her role at Cleveland Clinic, where all employees are called “caregivers”, Nicklos is active in the community and is a proud Global Cleveland volunteer.  

 

Examples of Diversity and Inclusion programming throughout Cleveland Clinic include: 

 

• Hero Experience: Launched in 2012, the Hero Experience helps veterans and reservists find rewarding career opportunities at Cleveland Clinic. 

• Employee Resource Groups: All caregivers are welcome to participate in Employee Resource Group (ERG) programs and activities that address the healthcare needs of diverse communities through outreach, education, and training. The ERGs are:

o African American (AAERG)

o Clinic Pride-LGBT

o Circle of Healers Native American

o GOAL (Group of Aspiring Leaders)

o Interfaith Network

o Military Veterans

o Minority Physicians

o Pan-Asian

o SALUD-Hispanic/Latino

o Women In Search of Excellence (WISE)

o Women’s Professional Staff Association (WPSA)

• Language Enrichment: A series of programs available to bilingual caregivers and those interested in developing foreign language skills. 

• Global Patient Services:  A full service department with patient service coordinators, financial counselors, and language interpreters fluent in more than 98 languages dedicated to meeting diverse needs of domestic and global patients and their families.

• Minority Men’s Health Center : The Center was developed to specifically address the healthcare needs of minority men and hosts an annual free health fair with dozens of free screenings.

• Tu Familia, Tu Salud: Annual community event designed to address health literacy and health needs specific to the Hispanic community.

• Celebrate Sisterhood: Ongoing program of engaging events designed to empower women of color to seek health information, embrace healthy lifestyle choices, and promptly get needed care at the first sign of a health problem.

• Young Business Leaders Summer Internship Program: Pipeline program for American Indian, African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander junior and senior high school students interested in careers related to the business side of healthcare.

• Clinic Solutions: Think tank sessions for African American and Hispanic/Latino undergraduates and graduate level college students majoring in finance, accounting, marketing, IT, business administration, and other business-related fields.

• Aspiring Physicians and Research Scientists Conference: Focuses on science and innovation for American Indian, African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and/or first generation and underprivileged science, math, and pre-med undergraduate students

• Charles R. Drew Saturday Academy: Supports high school students in developing skills critical to advancement through college and on to medical/dental school.

 

Additional programming includes networking sessions that Nicklos describes as a cultural exchange. These events are open to all Cleveland Clinic caregivers and offer an engaging way to learn about other cultures through open dialogue.

 

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