JD Hickey
President & CEO,
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
Ron Harris
VP, Corporate Workforce Diversity
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
April Lomax-Means
Director, Corporate Workforce Diversity
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
At BlueCross, diversity and inclusion is important to our business.
We value and respect all people for who they are. This commitment supports our employees as they deliver on our mission to provide peace of mind through better health to our members. It also gives us a competitive advantage by intentionally creating an inclusive workplace reflective of the individuals we serve.
We are a mature diversity and inclusion company. Guided by our leadership team and board of directors, diversity and inclusion have been a focus for more than 20 years.
We hold ourselves accountable by:
- Providing access to high quality health care services that meet members’ social, cultural, and linguistic needs
- Hiring, developing, and retaining a workforce representative of the communities we serve
- Developing cultural awareness and competence
- Fostering supplier relationships and partnerships with companies in the communities where we live and work
Diversity – like people – is always changing. That’s why we have made a long-term commitment to creating a culturally competent workplace where everyone is respected and part of the team. And it’s why our team is hard at work on a refreshed strategy so our diversity and inclusion efforts continue to benefit our employees, our members and our communities.
Our inclusive work culture
We’ve made a long-term commitment to creating a culturally competent workplace where everyone is valued, respected, trusted, communicated with and part of the team. Being intentionally inclusive is the right way to do business for our members. And it gives us a competitive advantage by purposefully creating a workforce that’s a reflection of the individuals we serve.
Celebrating our diverse workforce
We believe our differences are one of our greatest strengths and that learning about one another brings us closer together. That’s why we host cultural awareness sessions throughout the year – both in person and livestreamed so all interested employees can participate and hear inspiring stories. Featured sessions in 2023 included recognition of Black History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Veterans Day.
Project SEARCH
One meaningful way we encourage growth and development is through our support of Project SEARCH. The program gives high-functioning young adults with intellectual or learning disabilities the opportunity to earn immersive workforce experience and develop skills to seek competitive employment.
Hamilton County students took part in BlueCross internships on site at the company’s Chattanooga headquarters through Project SEARCH during the 2022-2023 school year.
Providing development opportunities for women
Earlier this year, Shawanna Grant celebrated a shift to manager in organizational development. Her story serves as an outstanding example of what it means to set and achieve big goals at BlueCross.
“With all the knowledge I’ve gained from my years here, I’m equipping myself to not just have a seat at the table, but to engage and even lead conversations with our executives to ensure BlueCross remains at the top of our game,” Shawanna says.
The 2023 Power of We Conference at Meharry Medical College
Our annual Power of We Workforce Diversity Conference brings together thought leaders from across the state to discuss workplace trends and developments in diversity and inclusion.
Our sixth conference was held at Nashville’s Meharry Medical College, where attendees heard a keynote from author Howard Ross, as well as sessions on supporting veterans and the impact of artificial intelligence on human resources.
Advancing health equity
BlueCross is committed to doing our part by investing in our communities and working alongside providers to help ensure all Tennesseans can reach their full health potential.
In 2023 we launched our annual health equity report to build awareness about health inequities in our communities. Our first report revealed what measures we should focus on and where we needed to work more closely with the community, our medical partners and our leaders to tackle some of these barriers to care.
Within this report, we identify the social risk factors we see that could be contributing to health disparities. Our objective is not just to create awareness. We’re demonstrating our commitment to health equity and bringing partners together to make a difference.
Using data to understand our members’ health care journey
Sagar Kapadia knows that data analysis helps us understand and improve the quality of care they receive. Part of his role includes working with our health equity dashboard. And it provides insights on ways BlueCross can help members with these needs.
“I enjoy having a positive impact. Knowing that data insights are used that way is extremely satisfying.”
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©2024 BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Community Trust and BlueCare Tennessee are Independent Licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is a Qualified Health Plan issuer in the Health Insurance Marketplace.
1 Cameron Hill Circle, Chattanooga, TN 37402-0001