Xcel Leadership Institute - Diversified Search Group

Preparing physicians of today to be the

LEADERS

of tomorrow

Are you positioned to leverage your clinical skills and transfer them into C-suite expertise?

We know you excel clinically to deliver excellent patient care, yet additional skills and expertise are needed for you to transition to and thrive in executive positions.

When you ascend to a leadership role, you will be required to utilize broader skillsets, including strategy, operations, finances, and communications. With longitudinal development of these skills, you will have the tools and strategies to transition from clinical expertise to executive influence and impact.

Xcel uniquely provides the instruction, network, and resources to bridge this gap for diverse physicians seeking to ascend to the health care C-suite.

Xcel is helping to create pathways for physicians of color to enter the C-suite with the skills, tools, and strategies specific to Persons of Color who have not traditionally been afforded equitable access and preparation. We are equipping our physician leaders with the knowledge, networks and resources to successfully enter, navigate, and ascend into executive ranks.

We recognize the huge opportunity for learning, growth and development, and are bringing information and resources and exposure to a group of people who have worked all their adult lives to become physicians and are now embarking on a path toward executive leadership. The outstanding faculty we’ve assembled is pouring into the next generation of executives in the C-Suite.

As an MIT Sloan Executive MBA student and participant in the Xcel Leadership Program for African-American Physicians, I have gained invaluable insights and skills to become a bold and transformative leader in healthcare. The program’s pragmatic approach and learning from renowned physician leaders that have walked in my shoes have equipped me with the necessary tools to overcome the hurdles and challenges that African-American physician leaders face in the U.S. healthcare system. I highly recommend this program to any Black physician seeking to enhance their leadership abilities and make a meaningful impact in healthcare.

A group of Black women and men pose for the camera. — The inaugural class of Xcel.

Xcel, a one-year executive physician leadership program, designed specifically for physicians of color, was established by Diversified Search Group, under the leadership of Neysa Dillon Brown, Managing Director in Diversified Search Group’s Healthcare Services and Education, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Nonprofit and Social Impact practices, and in partnership with Dr. Bonnie Simpson Mason, board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, experienced DEI leader, and Medical Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with the American College of Surgeons.

The program accepts physicians who meet specific requirements to participate in both in-person and virtual events. They receive sixteen (16) CME credits upon completion. Each participant has a mentor and will complete a project on an organizational issue they are grappling with.

Through a series of leadership development and peer engagement trainings and educational workshops, led by national healthcare leaders, Xcel:

Poises

physicians to navigate transitions from clinical to executive careers roles by providing the fundamentals of leadership education and skills building.

Prepares

physicians to understand and navigate challenges inherent to new leaders and current physician executives, especially physicians of color.

Positions

physician participants to be highly recruitable and successful based on their unique value proposition.

Provides

ongoing networking, mentoring and peer to peer advisory and longitudinal support towards meaningful engagement and sustainable success.

Xcel’s Mentors

Dr. Bonnie Simpson Mason earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Howard University (Washington, D.C.) and her medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta). She completed a general surgery internship at the University of California Los Angeles and returned to Howard University to complete her residency in orthopedic surgery. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery recognized her ongoing commitment to physician development by awarding her with the 2015 Diversity Award, one of the Academy’s highest recognitions.

Bonnie Simpson Mason

Medical Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with the American College of Surgeons

Neysa Dillon Brown’s track record of placing outstanding and impactful executive leaders stems from her diverse leadership experience with several leading healthcare and nonprofit organizations. Her focus has been on partnering with hospitals and healthcare systems on talent acquisition, executive and diversity recruitment, organizational assessments, and pipeline development.

Neysa is often asked to speak on approaches to developing diverse teams, as well as the value of diversity.

Neysa Dillon Brown

Managing Director, Diversified Search Group

Yele Aluko, MD, MBA is Chief Medical Officer in EY Americas Health Advisory practice. He advises health system C-suite and senior executives on strategy and business operations and provides insight on megatrends confronting the health industry. He is a proven physician executive and corporate leader with astute understanding of strategy that develops competitive advantage for healthcare organizations.

Yele Aluko

Chief Medical Officer, EY Americas

Nwando Anyaoku, MD, MPH, MBA, is Swiss Health Services inaugural Chief Health Equity Officer. In this new role, Dr. Anyaoku will direct the organization’s programs to measure equity in care delivery and outcomes, improve access for patients from all backgrounds, and promote culturally competent care. Together, Dr. Anyaoku and the future Chief DEI Officer will co-lead Swedish’s newly created Office of Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion that will drive initiatives to dismantle systemic racism, reduce barriers to health care access and improve health equity.

Nwando Anyaoku

Chief Health Equity Officer, Providence Swedish

Dr. Monique Butler has been in healthcare for 15 years and with HCA Healthcare 2.5 years. She will assume oversight for clinical quality, safety, and high reliability across HCA Healthcare North Florida Division’s 14 hospitals and other sites of care. In this role, she will work to advance the Division’s uncompromising commitment to quality care, patient safety, medical technology and developing programs that further clinical operational excellence.

Monique Butler

North Florida Division Chief Medical Officer, HCA Healthcare

LaTonya Washington, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAP, FACP, FHM is a native Mississippian. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Tougaloo College and her Doctorate of Medicine from University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Her residency training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics was completed at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences where she also served as Chief Resident in her final year. She obtained a Master’s of Business Administration from Auburn University. She is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.

LaTonya B. Washington

Chief Medical Officer/Vice President, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare

Dr. Yolanda Wimberly possesses a Doctor of Medicine from Meharry Medical College and a Master of Science in Epidemiology from the University of Cincinnati. She completed her pediatric residency at Northwestern and an adolescent medicine fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She was formerly with Morehouse School of Medicine where she had a clinical practice where she provides excellent care to adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12 and 26 at Morehouse Healthcare and was the Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education.

Yolanda Wimberly

Senior Vice President and Chief Health Equity Officer, Grady Memorial Hospital

Joseph L. Wright, MD, MPH is the inaugural Chief Health Equity Officer of the University of Maryland Medical System. He previously served as tenured Professor and Chair of Pediatrics at the Howard University College of Medicine, and as Senior Vice President within the Children’s National Health System. He maintains appointments as adjunct professor of emergency medicine and health policy at the George Washington University and teaches as professor of health policy and management at the University of Maryland School of Public Health.

Joseph Wright

Chief Health Equity Officer, University of Maryland Health System

Criteria for Enrollment

Xcel will enroll a hybrid cohort of 10-20 physician leaders who seek to transition into executive roles, specifically:

Preparing to Launch: Early career physicians with at least 3 years of departmental leadership/administrative experience in either academics, system or corporate leadership; require core leadership skills building and development.

Ready to Launch: Physicians with at least 3-5 years of leadership/administrative experience in either academics, system or corporate leadership who are actively seeking to transition into the C-suite.

Physician leaders are in high demand. Types of roles to transition into include:

President/CEO
Chief Medical Officer
Chief Medical Information Officer
Chief Quality Officer
Chief Experience Officer
Chief/Chair of medical specialty area
Deans/Vice Deans/Associate Deans
Vice Chair (Research, Quality, DEI, Education)
Medical Director
Residency/Program Leaders
Lab/Research Leaders (MD/PhD)
Clinical Service Line leaders

Upcoming Sessions

April 28 | Xcel as a Leader

This session will be held 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in Atlanta.

May 19 | Virtual Coaching and Mentoring

This is a virtual session.

Time: 4-6 p.m. EST

June 28 | Xcel as a Leader (Part Two)

This is a virtual session.

Time: 4-6 p.m. EST

July 29-30 | Capstone Presentations

This two-day, in-person event will be held in New Orleans. Each day will run 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

August 17 | Closing Session

This is a virtual session.

Time: 4-6 p.m. EST

How to Apply

Enrollment for the next session of Xcel has closed! Next open enrollment will start in summer 2023.

Want to be the first to Know? Sign up to get alerts about when enrollment opens.

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About Xcel

Poises

Prepares

Positions

Provides

Xcel’s Mentors

Bonnie Simpson Mason

Neysa Dillon Brown

Yele Aluko

Nwando Anyaoku

Monique Butler

LaTonya B. Washington

Yolanda Wimberly

Joseph Wright

Criteria for Enrollment

Upcoming Sessions

How to Apply

Want to Be the First To Know?