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Season 6 | Episode 9 - Jun 27, 2025

Aligning on Equity: Leading Change Through Strategic Communication

Featuring Jess Évora

Episode Description

Related Topics:
Health Equity

In this episode, Jess Évora discusses the strategic communication necessary for healthcare leaders to advance health equity amidst changing legislation. The conversation emphasizes the importance of aligning health equity initiatives with organizational priorities, understanding stakeholder needs, and the role of influence in driving change. Jess highlights the significance of executive buy-in while cautioning against relying solely on it, and stresses the need for a robust communication strategy to effectively convey the importance of health equity in healthcare systems.

Key Takeaways

This episode explores how healthcare leaders can use strategic communication to advance health equity in 2025, focusing on aligning equity initiatives with system priorities, influencing without authority, and building trust to drive sustainable impact.

  1. Alignment with system-wide priorities is essential to gain stakeholder buy-in.

  2. Executive buy-in is important, but lasting change requires broader support and governance.

  3. Health equity must be framed in terms of access, cost, efficiency, and growth.

  4. Leaders must influence without relying on positional power.

  5. Trust is built through clear, credible communication and demonstrating results.

  6. Tailoring language to stakeholder priorities increases impact and understanding.

  7. Social proof and pilot programs can strengthen support for equity work.

  8. National C-suite priorities include access, workforce, efficiency, AI, and cost.

  9. Health equity connects directly to top strategic priorities and is a business imperative.

  10. Embedding equity into organizational culture and governance ensures accountability.

The full transcript of our conversation is also available to read. Show the Transcript.

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About Our Host

Jess Évora Director, Health Impact Alliance

Jess discusses the strategic communication necessary for healthcare leaders to advance health equity amidst changing legislation.