AHN appoints vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion

Allegheny Health Network on Thursday announced the appointment of a vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Veronica Villalobos will fill the position, working closely with AHN’s recently hired Chief Clinical Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew. Together, they’ll strive to build an inclusive workforce and address health disparities among patients and within the region.

“I’m really excited to work with Dr. Pettigrew and other parts of the leadership team at AHN to really improve health care for everyone and to improve the work environment for all the professionals that we have on staff,” Villalobos said. “When you create an environment where they feel valued and like they belong, they’re going to create a wonderful experience for the patients — and that really is the goal.”

Villalobos said working to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the health care sector is critical — especially during a time when social justice movements are sweeping across the country and the covid-19 pandemic has strongly impacted people of color and underserved communities.

“When we see what’s happened with covid and all of the health equity issues that have been brought to the forefront, it’s an important time to consider how we’re servicing folks,” she said.

Studying data analytics will help provide insight regarding why those inequities and biases exist — and how health systems like AHN can work to remedy them, Villalobos said. The ultimate goal, she said, is “to make sure that everyone gets the same level of quality treatment.”

Villalobos previously served over a decade within the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), most recently as Principal Deputy Associate Director of Employee Services division. Before that, she led OPM’s government-wide diversity effort. She was also appointed one of the first Honor Program Attorneys for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), where she served as the Chair of the Federal Hispanic Work Group.

“Ms. Villalobos has spent decades opening doors for minoritized individuals by fighting institutional hiring biases, and by helping all voices to be heard and represented within the federal government,” Larkins-Pettigrew said.

In her new position, Villalobos said she’s eager to create an inclusive, accepting environment for employees and patients.

“The more the patients see employees that look like themselves, the more comfortable they are. It’s just about being able to relate and know there are people like you in the service setting,” she said.

Villalobos holds a juris doctorate from American University’s Washington College of Law, as well as a bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology from Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana. She is a member of the Maryland and Michigan Bars.

“I think a key to everyone’s happiness really is their health,” Villalobos said. “You only do well when you feel well. That’s what I’m looking forward to about working in this area. Being able to do this in the health sector is really exciting, because it’s a building block of a good life.”