As part of the Governance Committee, the Board REI Sub-Committee is tasked to recommend and oversee Board racial equity strategies, content and practices that are systemic, race-explicit and outcome oriented. See who is on our subcommittee and what brought them to this important work.

Nikki Akparewa, RN, MSN/MPH

Diversity & Inclusion Coach

 "I joined the REI Subcommittee because I believe that Health Care for the Homeless is on to something innovative by bringing together the whole community to address the issues of bias and health inequity.  I love the vision as well as the passion of this organization and I want to be a part of this movement."

Chelsea Arthur, MS

Chair, Board of Directors

CMS Program Manager, SemanticBits

"It is up to each and every one of us to commit to the work to make equity and inclusion a natural part of our lives. Just like it took hundreds of years to sew the seeds of hate and watch them flourish, it will take an equal or greater amount of force to make acceptance and love our default settings.  I am here to apply that pressure not just for Health Care for the Homeless, but for our broader community."  

Michael B. Jackson, MBA

Second Vice Chair, Board of Directors; Chair, REI Sub-Committee

GM, Public Health, Venture Capital & Start-ups, Amazon Web Services

“As a Black man, disparities are a lived experience; they were already top of mind, an anxiety, a burden that we can’t take off.  It’s important for me to raise awareness and use data to move people to action. I really take this responsibility seriously. I’m encouraged by the fact that we’ve been empowered here. I’ve seen the numbers as a Board member. I know we’re putting in the resources and the budget. This is not something that is a passing phase, and we’ll all work to make sure it’s not.”

Stuart Levine, MD

First Vice Chair, Board of Directors; Chair, Program & PI Committee

President and Chief Medical Officer, MedStar Harbor Hospital, MedStar Health

"It’s such an important conversation. It always has been. I’m going through these same discussions in my own organization. I think there are so many different things that Health Care for the Homeless has done already and so many things it’s poised to do that are models. I’m proud to be a part of it and contribute."

Cheryl Matricciani, CPA, Esq.

Chair, Governance Committee

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary​, Medical Mutual Liability Insurance Company of Maryland

"Looking at the priorities of Health Care for the Homeless, racial equity and inclusion fits solidly within our mission and strategic plan. It starts with a willingness to come together to reflect and constructively challenge how we think about ourselves and others. Through listening, sharing, and acting in ways that are transparent and inclusive, we will develop principles and policies that support anti-racism at Health Care for the Homeless and in the broader community we serve."

Shannon McMahon, MPA

Chair, Policy & Engagement Committee

Executive Director of Medicaid Policy, Kaiser Permanente

 "The intersection of public policy and the work of Health Care for the Homeless has been my focus since joining the board. I’m excited to contribute to this important work, since there are now – FINALLY – meaningful conversations about race, equity and inclusion happening in our political and administrative institutions. As the chair of the Policy and Engagement committee, I envision being a conduit to support the work of the committee while working closely with the public policy and advocacy team to bring the voice of the Health Care for the Homeless Community to inform and influence the dialogue with political decisionmakers. I’m really excited and energized."

Kim Sydnor, PhD

Dean, School of Community Health and Policy, Morgan State University

"I joined the REI Board Subcommittee because there is meaningful work to be done in the area of racial equity and inclusion and Health Care for the Homeless is an organization I believe is committed to doing that work with integrity and transparency. This also provides a mechanism to link the work of Health Care for the Homeless to the efforts of Morgan’s new Center for Urban Health Equity. Happy to join in the work."

Shawn Talley, MS, PHR

Co-Chair, Human Resources Committee

Executive VP, HR & Administration, MedZed

"REI is the tangible evolution from Diversity toward Justice. Acknowledging what is going on in our community, I’m excited to contribute to the group that turns our gaze inward to address the needs of our incredible Health Care for the Homeless team!"

Meet our REI Staff Committee   Read about our REI work