Building a More Diverse Workforce with the Global Health Equity Network

Iris P. Frye, M.S., MBA, CPHIMS serves as a Director at Optum Advisory Services. Ms. Frye has spearheaded and implemented multiple initiatives to achieve health equity among our most at-risk populations through better use of data, provider engagement, and building conceptual frameworks. She has played an instrumental role in ensuring the health information technology industry’s top priority is decreasing health disparities in the community by utilizing innovative health technologies. Ms. Frye has a robust clinical, consulting, operations, and administrative healthcare background spanning over 20 years.

Currently, Iris Frye is a member of the HIMSS Government Relations Roundtable. She is also the co-founder and past chair of the HIMSS African-American SIG, now a community under the HIMSS Global Health Equity Network. Ms. Frye has served as a moderator and featured speaker on various discussion panels, roundtable sessions and conference events in healthcare technology.

Ms. Frye holds a M.S. in Pharmacy Administration from the University of Florida, a MBA in General Management from Stetson University, and she is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Northcentral University. Additionally, she maintains several certifications in the use of electronic health records, their security, development, and aligning IT services with the needs of the business.

Anne Park, MPH, MSMIS, CPHQ, FHIMSS is a goal-driven performer specializing in organizational assessment and initiatives involving members of the executive team, physicians/clinicians, and department directors as a passionate change agent motivating others to improve performance outcomes and overall strategic leadership at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

In addition, Anne led initiatives that promoted an inclusive environment that actively values diversity among the employees as Chair of the Organization for Multicultural Employees Network and the member of Diversity Council for the institution. These included specific diversity initiatives in such areas as mentoring, coaching, and education by partnering with Office of Institutional Diversity and other Employee Networks.

Our Network’s overarching goals are to provide guidance on systems, culture and leadership practices that encourage effective diversity management as well as serve as the institution's governance body on institutional administrative policies and procedures with a diversity-focused considerations. With the strong collaboration to recognize diversity in its broadest and most inclusive sense for employees, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has been selected on the Forbes America's Best Employers List for the past two years.

Analogously, Anne actively participated in HIMSS at the national level as part of the Clinical and Business Intelligence Committee and the Chapter Task Force, as well as serving as a Conference Reviewer. At the local Houston Chapter level, Anne developed a strategic framework that promotes and maintains a wide range of volunteer opportunities and methods for committee formation since 2014. Anne also served in a leadership role in the Scholarship Selection Committee to create, promote, judge, and award HIMSS Houston Chapter scholarships by expanding the scholarship program and broadening the eligibility criteria. Currently, Anne is serving as the member of Global Conference Education Committee and Treasurer of HIMSS Houston Chapter.