J.E.D.I. Champion of the Month: Norbert Robinson
September's J.E.D.I. Champion is Norbert Robinson. Norbert is the director of pharmacy services at Northwest Hospital and an active member of the Black Culture Employee Resource Group (BCERG). The group's co-chair, Hakeem Clark, had this to say about Norbert's dedication to advocating for communities of color: “Norbert Robinson has been a thought leader with the Black Culture Employee Resource Group from its inception. He has also been a key voice within LifeBridge Health to push a continued focus on diversity and an advocate for employees of color. Norbert deserves all the recognition he can get for his continued efforts.”
Q1: How long have you been with LifeBridge Health and what is your current role?
A: I have been with Lifebridge Health for three and a half years as the director of pharmacy services for Northwest Hospital and Grace Medical Center.
Q2. You bring so much passion to the work you do…what motivates you?
A: Being part of a group of people who are focused on making a difference to improve the collective experience has always energized me. Ayesha Fowler and Hakeem Clark have done an unbelievable job leading the entire Black Culture Employee Resource Group (BCERG) and they are dedicated to serving and highlighting the strength of our black employee population. This, coupled with Dr. Sybil Pentsil’s leadership helps us solidify our concepts and ideas. As a result, we attempt to apply new thinking around common problems around diversity and inclusion in the workplace with a desire to integrate data that will show measurable progress.
Q3. As an active member of the Black Culture Employee Resource Group and the director of pharmacy services at Northwest Hospital, what are some of your aspirations for the LifeBridge Health Community?
A: Optimizing pharmacy services as we merge innovative technology with personalized pharmaceutical care is the endgame. Ideally, we will share our pharmacy knowledge not just with our patients but also in the community by attending health fairs and exposing school age children to the pharmacy profession. Our knowledge cannot just stay within the four walls of our hospitals.
As part of the BCERG Partnership sub-committee, I look forward to ensuring Care Bravely is not just a motto for how we treat our patients but also how we engage the communities surrounding our hospitals. BCERG wants to connect the resources available to our employees and supply support to the community. We need to be part of the community, not just in it. We will be developing new relationships and strengthening existing ones by engaging businesses, churches, and other organizations. Collectively, we will spotlight the contributions the African American community continues to make that positively affects all the counties we serve.
Q4. Since starting at LifeBridge Health, what have you found most rewarding?
A: The system approach we take in attacking issues and implementing new initiatives in pharmacy services has been extremely rewarding. I also enjoy engaging with colleagues in both hospitals that share a common goal of improving the patient care experience regardless of their background. We are making a difference.