Worcester Business Journal

12 Worcester Business Journal | May 2, 2022 | wbjournal.com P O W E R 5 0 H E A L T H C A R E DR. MATILDE CASTIEL COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CITY OF WORCESTER Residence: Holden College: University California San Francisco Castiel has been on the front lines in the battle against not only COVID-19, but other problems plaguing the region, such as opioid addiction and hepatitis A. Castiel's main passion in fighting these problems is making sure underserved and marginalized populations get equal access to care, as she is driven to change the structural and systemic racism that causes poor outcomes. A native to Cuba who emigrated to the U.S. via Operation Peter Pan, Castiel is one of two people of color – and the only woman of color – in the 17-member Worcester city manager's cabinet, and she sees a big part of her role as providing a voice for underrepresented communities. These efforts have paid off in a number of ways, as Castiel helped Worcester to be selected as one of 10 Massachusetts cities to provide equity vaccines, and she and her team went into communities with lower vaccination rates to provide education, treatment, and boosters. She runs or helps run the mayor's mental health task force, the COVID-19 health equity task force, and the Task Force for Sustaining Housing First Solutions. n What sets the Central Mass. business community apart from the rest of the world? Our partnerships are incredibly important. We have all come together, in an unprecedented manner, to provide support and talent, along with financial assistance to improve the quality of life for all groups in our community. We truly are a model for the state. n Family first: I am a first-time grandmother to 3-month-old Owen. I enjoy spending time with him and hopefully will get a chance to really teach him Spanish, which I didn't get to do much with my own kids. My youngest son will be presenting his thesis for his Ph.D. in April in cellular Biology, and my daughter at the same time matched in OB-GYN. EDWARD KELLY PRESIDENT & CEO MILFORD REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER Residence: Mansfield Colleges: Babson College, Bentley University As the head of one of the few independent hospitals remaining in Central Massachusetts, Kelly oversees service to more than 20 towns with more than 300 primary care and specialty physicians and 149 beds. As a smaller community-based hospital with $235 million in annual revenues, Milford Regional has faced significant challenges, but Kelly has pulled the hospital through each one. The healthcare system faced a significant deficit in 2016, but managed to offset the $7 million in operating losses with a balanced budget in 2017, thanks in large part to Kelly's leadership. A couple years later, while treating COVID-19 patients, Milford Regional began taking on an increased number of patients in June 2020 when Norwood Hospital was forced to close due to flash flooding. Through these challenges, Milford continued high-quality care and was the only Central Mass. hospital to receive a five- star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2021. In February, the Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded Milford Regional $1.6 million to reimburse it for the additional costs of increased patient loads. n What sets the Central Mass. business community apart from the rest of the world? Our geographic location offers a balanced intersection of urban vitality, suburban conveniences/accessibility, and rural charm. Our region's affordable cost of living and lifestyle attracts a wide range of customers. Central Massachusetts organizations drive local economies and have considerable flexibility in providing cost- competitive services without prohibiting access based on socioeconomic factors. n Big family: I am the oldest of six children, and I grew up in West Roxbury. CAROLYN JACKSON CEO SAINT VINCENT HOSPITAL, IN WORCESTER Residence: Hopkinton Colleges: University of Delaware, Harvard University Over the course of 2021, the Saint Vincent Hospital nurses strike picked up 300 days of traction, garnering national coverage as the longest nurses strike in Massachusetts history. The face of opposition to the strike, often called out by name in pro-union sloganeering, was Jackson. Jackson successfully negotiated a hard-won contract with the powerful Massachusetts Nurses Association union on issues regarding staffing ratios and hiring back striking nurses. All the while, Central Massachusetts was facing a tremendous shortage of healthcare workers and beds, as COVID-19 cases surged during Delta and Omicron variants at varying points throughout the year. Now, Jackson has set to work establishing a healthy work culture among union nurses who have returned from the strike, those who crossed the picket line, and non-union nurses, some of whom were replacements for the striking nurses. Saint Vincent, whose parent company Tenet Healthcare is based in Texas, is the second-largest hospital in Central Massachusetts in terms of employees, with 840 registered nurses and 625 physicians. n What sets the Central Mass. business community apart from the rest of the world? Central Massachusetts is home to a dynamic and innovative business community where people work collaboratively together for the greater good. It's been a pleasure getting to know leaders from a range of industries, and the combination of such diverse and prominent voices is one of the area's greatest strengths. n On guard: I was a lifeguard and pool manager in my hometown during the summers after my freshman and sophomore years in college. PHOTO | COURTESY OF MILFORD REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

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