Leading the way in STEM initiatives – Chief People Innovation Officer Elaine Page honored as 100 Corporate Women Leaders in STEM

At Northwell Health, we aren’t satisfied with settling. We search for innovation in everything we do. That’s why we place such a high value on STEM education in achieving our goal of optimizing the health of our community.

Last week our Vice President of HR, Chief People Innovation Officer and leader of our Workforce Readiness Team, Elaine Page, was honored at the 2017 Million Women Mentors Summit & Awards as the 100 Corporate Women Leaders in STEM Honoree. Promoting innovation and growing our future workforce is one of Elaine’s passions and she understands that the future success depends upon growing and empowering tomorrow’s health care workforce to take an active interest in learning and innovation. With the changing healthcare landscape and a critical shortage of nurses and other skilled clinical professionals, educating our youth on the opportunities in health care and STEM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) take on a new and urgent priority.

“As I represent many women leaders receiving this honor, I’m reminded of that sage advice as I say thank you today and reflect on all those successful women who’ve helped me.  From my high school teacher who told me I could be anything I dreamed I could be, to my first horrible boss who taught me exactly what not to do when I became a leader…and to the countless women leaders I’ve known who have struggled to make a place in the world for their voice but yet have carried themselves with graceful patience, knowing their time would come. They were and are fierce and I’ve reveled in the lessons I’ve learned from these women and try to impart that wisdom to my own team every day.  So I thank you for recognizing the importance of women leaders in technology: for recognizing how we bring creativity and different thought to a traditionally male field. Thank you for highlighting the importance of women supporting other women, lifting each other up.  It feels good to know that our powerful voices are shaping our future.” Elaine Page, Vice President of Human Resources and Chief People Innovation Officer

Northwell Health collaborates with internal and external partners to host system-wide STEM career programs, providing teacher education opportunities and fostering transformational education through the creation and support of Career Academies – while our student programs promote the wide scope of STEM-focused career paths and opportunities available within health care. Take a look at some of our initiatives:

• Medical Marvels – In partnership with the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Medical Marvels hosts a competition for 9th & 10th grade students to engage educators and students in exploring, understanding and preparing students for the broad spectrum of STEM career paths.
• The Spark! Challenge – This is a system wide STEM career awareness program for 11th and 12th grade students. The program highlights high growth and less known careers in healthcare. The Spark! Challenge has hosted over 1,300 students at more than 50 Northwell Health sites.
• Top Minds Meet webinar series – This interactive webinar series introduces students to key Northwell Health leadership as it highlights various pathways to a successful career.
• Medical Scholars Pipeline Program – The Hofstra School of Medicine and Northwell Health’s Center for Learning and Innovation are preparing high school students for health care careers through hands-on training, rigorous academic classes, and mentorship.
• Annual Professional Development Day – In partnership with The Feinstein Institute, we’re engaging educators in the broad spectrum of career paths and the skills and education needed to work in tomorrow’s health care.
• Long Island STEM Hub – Northwell Health and Brookhaven National Lab are Co-Stewards of this regional effort focused on engaging and aligning business and educational communities to engage and develop students for STEM careers.
• International Internship Program – Northwell Health’s Center for Learning and Innovation and University College Cork in Ireland are opening exciting opportunities for undergraduates pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business information systems.

As we continue to push the boundaries we will focus on enhancing our STEM initiatives and try to understand how we can continue to build successful relationships with other companies who are driven by the same mission. For now, help us in congratulating Elaine Page on her prestigious award!