The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) proudly announced that Karen P. West, DMD, MPH, president and CEO, has been selected by Nonprofit HR as a 2023 Social Impact Women to Watch finalist. The award names outstanding women who exhibit extraordinary leadership and significant contributions to the organizations and the communities they serve.
ADEA’s chief diversity officer, Sonya G. Smith, EdD, JD, MEd, MA, congratulated Dr. West on the accomplishment noting, “Dr. West is a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging trailblazer among dental education, the academic health professions, oral health, and health care. Her tireless leadership efforts to ensure equitable treatment and health and human rights for all has resulted in historic, lasting change.”
A longtime advocate for women’s health and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in dental education, Dr. West was nominated for her DEIB leadership in combatting the crisis of the lack of men of color in the health professions, and for creating a culture of transparency, compassion, and professional growth for ADEA employees.
In 2022, for the first time in the history of the academic health professions, Dr. West convened more than 300 representatives at an ADEA President’s Symposium on Men of Color in the Health Professions. She also gathered more than 80 invited representatives from the health professions, including the distinguished 16th Surgeon General of the United States, David Satcher, MD, PhD, at an ADEA Men of Color in the Health Professions Summit to develop strategies and form a coalition to increase the number of historically underrepresented men of color entering and graduating from the academic health professions.
Dr. West secured a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support these critical efforts.
“I am honored to join the ranks of these inspirational women that Nonprofit HR has recognized for our leadership, unwavering dedication and impactful achievements in our communities,” Dr. West said. “ADEA’s efforts to advance a diverse, equitable, inclusive, welcoming and humanistic health care landscape will continue through our Men of Color in the Health Professions work and new ADEA DEIB initiatives on the horizon.”
For several years during Women’s History Month, Nonprofit HR has proudly identified women across North America who have made significant contributions to nonprofits, associations, foundations, social enterprises and the communities they serve. This year, they also expanded to recognize outstanding women who accomplish the seemingly impossible against all odds.
A profile for Dr. West and more details for each finalist may be seen in the official announcement here.
About ADEA
The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is the voice of dental education. Our mission is to lead and support the health professions community in preparing future-ready oral health professionals. Our members include all 80 U.S. and Canadian dental schools, more than 800 allied and advanced dental education programs, more than 55 corporations and approximately 15,000 individuals.
Our activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty development, meetings, and communications, including the esteemed Journal of Dental Education, as well as the dental school application services ADEA AADSAS, ADEA PASS, ADEA DHCAS, and ADEA CAAPID.
For more information, visit adea.org.
About Nonprofit HR
Nonprofit HR is the country’s leading and oldest firm focused exclusively on the talent management needs of the social sector, including nonprofits, associations, social enterprises and other mission-driven organizations. We focus our consulting efforts on the following practice areas: strategy & advisory, HR outsourcing, total rewards, equity, diversity, inclusion & justice, and search.
Nonprofit HR also offers customized learning and development in addition to research and events, all with the objective of strengthening the people management capacity of the workforce. Nonprofit HR was listed as one of the nation’s fastest-growing firms by Inc. 5000. Since 2000, our staff of credentialed experts has advanced the impact of some of the world’s most influential brands in the sector.
Learn more at www.nonprofithr.com.
