‘Gender equality is the end goal’

Ninfa Saunders President and CEO Navicent Health

Saunders has attained notable accomplishments, including expanding Navicent's reach in Georgia and launching telehealth programs for rural communities. A theme that has motivated her throughout her career has been making the achievement of gender equity a part of her job.

“Gender equality is the end goal, that's where we need to be,” she said.

Under Saunders' leadership, the percentage of women in Navicent's executive team has grown from 17% to 41%. Her means of achieving equity has been through professional development, mentoring programs and evaluating promotions based on goals employees set for themselves.

The former chair of the American Hospital Association's Institute for Diversity also led efforts in Georgia to address the spread of opioids, in addition to placing health coaches in underserved communities throughout the state.

“I'm very committed to bridging the gap between equity and equality and being a mentor to many. If people can see more women executives exceeding expectations, conscious and unconscious bias can be reconciled,” she said.