From DEI to Health Equity: Navigating Language, Risk, and Impact in Biomedical Research Funding

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Description:

As biomedical research funders continue to advance equity in science, many are grappling with how to sustain meaningful work amid shifting legal, political, and organizational landscapes. This webinar offers a timely exploration of the evolving language and strategy—from traditional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) frameworks to a more targeted focus on Health Equity.

This session will provide both foundational grounding and practical insights. Participants will hear from peers who are actively navigating these challenges, including how they’ve adapted language, built internal buy-in, and maintained impact while addressing risk aversion and board-level concerns.

Whether your organization is just beginning to explore Health Equity or looking to refine its approach, this webinar will offer tools, examples, and space for reflection to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Define Health Equity in the context of biomedical research funding and explain how it aligns with—and differs from—traditional DEI frameworks.
• Explore real-world examples from peer organizations navigating equity work under shifting constraints, including how they’ve adapted language, built internal buy-in, and sustained impact.
• Reflect on their own organization’s capacity and readiness to engage in Health Equity work, and identify one actionable step they can take to move forward, while recognizing legal and organizational considerations (e.g., risk aversion and board-level concerns)

Speakers:

Patricia Frustace, Senior Director of Career Advancement and Population Health, ASH

Valeria Polletta, Managing Director, Community and Culture Transformation, HRiA

Sheldon Watts, Senior Program Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation