Commonwealth Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School is pleased to announce Jorge Sanchez, MEd, has been named the inaugural program director of Diversity and Inclusion.
In this newly created position, Sanchez will provide vision and leadership to effectively integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into the strategic planning process for Commonwealth Medicine (CWM) and contribute to the efforts that will ensure the organization meets the DEI goals and milestones within UMass Chan’s Impact 2025 strategic plan.
“Jorge has been a driving force behind our commitment to DEI,” said Commonwealth Medicine’s Executive Vice Chancellor Lisa M. Colombo, DNP, MHA, RN. “Over the years, as co-chair of CWM’s Cultural Diversity Committee, he has helped solidify our investment and approach to integrate DEI across the organization. I know his new role will provide the opportunity to engage and educate an even wider audience and impact our UMass Chan community at large.”
Last spring, Sanchez helped lead the 21-Day Anti-Racism Challenge pilot program for Commonwealth Medicine’s senior leadership team. The lessons learned in those three weeks led to the decision to create the program director position to accelerate and elevate DEI across the organization in scalable and sustainable ways.
“Jorge’s leadership was immeasurable in understanding the need for a more defined approach to integrating DEI in all our work,” commented Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion Marlina Duncan, EdD, UMass Chan. “I know he will play an integral and meaningful role in developing strategies to keep diversity and inclusion at the forefront of our efforts going forward.”
Sanchez is also a member of UMass Chan Medical School’s Committee on Equal Opportunity and Diversity as well as the LGBTA committee. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from the University of Pittsburgh.
“It is with great excitement and humility that I take on this new and exciting role,” said Sanchez. “I am grateful for the opportunity to partner with diversity leaders across the UMass Chan community to help create a culture of respect, safety, civility, and inclusion for our staff, faculty, and students. I know together we can challenge ourselves as individuals and as an organization to do better.”
About Commonwealth Medicine
Commonwealth Medicine is the consulting and operations division of UMass Chan Medical School. It draws on the academic knowledge and public health service expertise of Massachusetts’ only public medical school to provide comprehensive, innovative healthcare, and policy solutions. Commonwealth Medicine is guided by a mission to empower its partners – in-state and out-of-state agencies and healthcare organizations – to transform lives by optimizing the effectiveness of healthcare initiatives that assist the underserved in their communities.