Brian Gibbs joined UMass Memorial Health as the hospital system’s inaugural vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer in 2020, selected from a nationwide search. Since his arrival, Gibbs has executed initiatives within the healthcare system to promote equity for underserved communities.
With the help of Gibbs’ leadership, UMass Memorial released its first health equity report in 2022 along with the system’s pledge to triple its purchases over the following five years with minority- and women-owned businesses. In March 2023, Gibbs’ office collaborated with the university’s talent acquisition team to put on a multicultural fair hosted by the Ghanaian Church of Pentecost in Worcester to address disadvantages applicants of color encounter when finding and interviewing for healthcare positions. The event helped more than 100 individuals apply and interview for available roles.
In September, Gibbs’ team joined forces with UMass Memorial clinical teams to host a health fair for local multicultural, multigenerational communities. The fair allowed for attendees to receive health education and screenings by on-site providers, vendors, and specialists.
Gibbs is the co-founder of Roxbury’s Cherishing Our Hearts and Souls coalition, which works to eradicate racial and ethnic health disparities.
“To succeed in [organizational culture shifts] in health care has required me to have great faith in myself, my community, and our common humanity, and to always approach my work with patience and persistence, meeting people where they are, encouraging them, and – most importantly – listening to them,” said Gibbs.
