Our 2023-2024 Racial Equity series is back with the third of four Collaborative Café events centered on racial equity in research. Panelists will discuss multisector community-academic engagement to move racial equity work forward. Speakers with community-based, academic, government, and business perspectives will explore how collaborating across sectors can move forward work that addresses racial inequities.

Attendees will:  

• Understand what “multisector engagement” means
• Explore how engagement across academic, community, government, for profit, and other areas can improve equity-centered research and programs
• Hear about unique multisector collaborations in the St. Louis area
• Hear practical advice for creating, developing, and sustaining multisector partnerships that address racial and other inequities

The Collaborative for Community-Centered Conversations ⁠— “Collaborative Café” ⁠— is hosted by the Center for Community Health Partnership & Research at the Institute for Public Health and Institute of Clinical & Translational Sciences. Collaborative Café offers opportunities for researchers and community partners to network, share experiences, and learn from each other.

This event series is a collaboration with the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Equity (CRE2).

Attendance

This event is open to all faculty, students, researchers, community members, and organizations dedicated to advancing equity through community-engaged research. This event will take place in person in the Community Room at Delmar DivINe.

Registration is strongly encouraged. Light refreshments will be provided.

Panelists

Christine O’Brien, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Professor O’Brien is passionate about developing translational optical technologies that can improve women’s health care. The O’Brien lab will develop optical tools that tackle important challenges spanning maternal health, reproductive cancers, and women’s global health, using optical spectroscopy, optical imaging and simulation techniques that can be translated to impact patient care.

Jesse Davis, MD

Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Strategy, Integrated Health Network (IHN)

In addition to his roles at IHN, Jesse A. Davis is a newborn hospitalist in the Division of Pediatric Hospitalist Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine and Senior Clinical Advisor for BJC Healthcare’s community health improvement team. He uses implementation science, health economics and policy, and social entrepreneurship to maximize social impact and achieve more equitable health outcomes. He truly believes in breaking down silos across sectors to build dynamic, impact-driven, collaborations. He is uniquely qualified for this work given his training in both medicine and business.

Kate McKearn

Executive Director, Eye Thrive

Prior to joining Eye Thrive in 2016, Kate McKearn spent 12 years as an inner-city classroom teacher and school leader. Her deep personal sense of responsibility to create a more equitable public school system was solidified during her experience in Chicago Public Schools with Teach for America.

While her role has shifted from the classroom, Kate’s career goals have remained consistent. Ultimately, She is dedicated to ensuring all children, regardless of race, gender, culture or need, have equal opportunities for success. Eye Thrive’s mission is to give children the ability to thrive through access to essential vision services.