Orleans Community Health announces members of new diversity, equity and inclusion committee

Provided photo: Members of the new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee formed by Orleans Community Health are, standing from left, Angie Doval, Emily Stavange, Nadine Wright-Johnson, Kim Gray, Freddrica Fuentes and Leighann VanAuker . In front is Victor Doval. Members not shown are Jessica Marciano, Jessica Dittly and Scott Robinson.

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 25 January 2023 at 8:18 pm

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced the launch of a new committee to better serve members of the community.

Scott Robinson, director of Marketing at Medina Memorial Hospital, released information explaining the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee will bring individuals from the public together with team members of Orleans Community Health to serve all members of the community.

“Building an inclusive environment both internally and with our neighbors is our commitment,” said Marc Shurtz, CEO of Orleans Community Health. “As we continue to expand the services we provide to our community, we want all people to feel welcome and proud that we are their health care provider. The DE&I steering committee began meeting in 2022 to determine goals that would guide future planning. I’m happy with the direction things are going and the input we’ve received from those in the community.”

The list of current objectives for the committee include:

To define diversity, equity and inclusion and how each relates to Orleans Community Health.
To cultivate a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in the facility and community.
To identify, share and facilitate opportunities for learning and self-growth within the facility and community.

“I think it’s great that we were able to get this committee off the ground and immediately work on ways that OCH can serve and represent everyone,” said Freddrica Fuentes, director of Nutritional Services at Orleans Community Health and one of the founders of the committee. “That means everyone, whether you’re a veteran, disabled, part of the LGBTQ community, or of a certain age, religious group or ethnic background. This committee represents a way that we can work with our partners in the community to better represent everyone, which is what we should always strive for.”

Current members of the committee are Emily Stavange, Angie Doval, Jessica Marciano and Jessica Dittly from the community; and Leighann VanAuker, Victor Doval, Freddrica Fuentes, Nadine Wright-Johnson, Scott Robinson and Kim Gray from Orleans Community Health.