Worcester Business Journal

8 Worcester Business Journal | June 7, 2021 | wbjournal.com T o better represent its patient population, the board of directors at the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center has made an effort during the past three years to diversify and include a greater variety of perspectives under the leadership of chair Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham. e healthcare nonprofit, based in Worcester and providing healthcare mostly for underserved groups, is part of a growing trend of businesses attempting to reflect consumer demographics more closely in their leadership. In an era of massive social upheaval and calls to meet demands for diversity and inclusion, the center's concentrated efforts to reshape the culture of its leadership board and generate structural shis within the organization attest to the increasing need to align organizational goals with operational realities. "When I became chair, I thought it was really important that as opportunities opened up for us to be able to add board members, we do that in a way that would ensure that the board represented the populations that we serve," said Zolezzi-Wyndham. Creating the right board e Kennedy Community Health Center serves about 28,000 patients per year on $35 million in annual income and is led by President & CEO Steve Kerrigan, who is appointed by the board, which sets the tone of the organization. Kennedy's patient population is 90% low-income, 71% person of color, and 30% without health insurance. A quarter of its patients are children. During the board member search process, the center emphasizes asking candidates how their lived experiences and perspectives could contribute to thoughtfully managing the center's operations. e board requires 51% of its 11 members to be patients at the center. As a result, one third of board members are from outside the U.S., and another third have parents or family who are immigrants. Two board members grew up in the Greater Brook Valley public housing complex, which is where the Kennedy health center started. "A power dynamic has changed," said Zolezzi-Wyndham. "At the same time as we were building numbers, we also really worked to make sure that every board member felt that they could bring their voice to the table and felt that their opinions mattered. So we have very lively conversations, and I would absolutely say that the decisions we are making are stronger." Kennedy board members now include: • Raul Porras - a patient board member who founded the Boston nonprofit Latino STEM Alliance and is originally from Venezuela. • Emmanuel Larbi – A researcher at Tus Medical Center in Boston in ophthalmology and cancer, who works at Worcester State University and owns a restaurant. • Sue Seppa – a certified public accountant, who worked for Great Brook Valley • AiVi Nguyen – a lawyer at Worcester law firm Bowditch & Dewey, a former resident of the Great Brook Valley public housing complex, and the former chair of United Way of Central e Kennedy Community Health Center has purposefully remade its board to be more reflective of its patient population Changing power dynamics PHOTOS/MATTHEW WRIGHT, BOWDITCH & DEWEY BY DEVAN GREEVY Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer (From left) Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham, board chair of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, with new board members Emmanuel Larbi and AiVi Nguyen Main operating revenues Patient services $23.5M Grants & contracts $9.5M Donated goods & services $1M Interest & management fees $618K Main operating expenses Salaries & wages $19.2M Medical & pharmaceutical supplies $4.3M Payroll taxes & employee benefits $3.5M Purchased services $1.8M Finances of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, fiscal 2020 Source: Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center annual report

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