Dr. Leroy Nunery II, president of Evolution Advisors, LLC and Our Community. Our Health. campaign ambassador, highlights the challenges African Americans face as a result of economic and societal inequities.
He also underscores the importance of access to care, information, and support. Learn more: ibx.com/ourhealth. -- Connect with Independence Blue Cross!
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Originally Published St. Louis American Tina Anderson is market head of Community Activation, Community Affairs at Aetna, a CVS Health business, working with the local markets of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, North and South Dakota and Southern Illinois. She has strategic accountability to activate the Aetna brand in the community and manage the external presence. Additionally, she also works alongside senior leadership to develop business strategies for success geared toward community engagement and the enhanced consumer experience. She is founder and chair of Aetna’s first St. Louis Chapter of the African-American Employee Resource Group. St. Louis American: Tell us about your current position, its responsibilities and challenges and how you are able to make a difference. Tina Anderson: I work with all lines of business which includes Commercial, Medicare and Medicaid in Kansas. I also work with all kinds of people both internally and externally. My role demands high level collaboration and cooperation and consultation on strategic community engagement. It also requires that I stay connected to our communities so I will be able to inform and recommend best practices. I would say the biggest challenge is striving for consistency across several states while also paying attention to the specific needs of each community. I’m able to make a difference because at the core of who I am is an advocate. Advocacy shows up whether I’m in the board room or the community and I make every effort to be honest with people and fair. Honesty in all settings is not always well received; however, it has served me well and I believe in the words of Harriet Beecher Stowe who shared: “The truth is the kindest thing we can give folks in the end.” I am also able to make a difference because I have a grassroots approach to business in that I get to know as many people as possible both internally and externally. I’m that person in the corporate office who will speak to everyone and see people for who they are without regard for their titles. St. Louis American: Business is a team sport. Tell us about your current team, how you fit into it, and who helps to support your work. Tina Anderson: I am a member of Aetna’s national My Community Affairs team with colleagues across the country. We operate as a family and lean on each other for support, encouragement, idea sharing and morale building. We also celebrate each other and have a ridiculous amount of fun doing it. We have an awesome leader, Floyd Green III, who is the Vice President of Community Affairs. He encourages creativity and excellence while frequently reminding us to “dream the impossible” when it comes to being impactful in our communities. His leadership – along with that of my current immediate supervisor, Miguel Centeno – has been nothing short of a blessing. Our St. Louis Local Market President Frank D’Antonio is another key supporter who has a heart for the community. He and I talk regularly about how we can increase our presence in the community and do the right thing for the right reasons. St. Louis American: Tell us about any previous positions you have held, in business or any other field, that contributed to your development and helped prepare you for your current role Tina Anderson: My professional career began as a community social worker here in St. Louis. For several years I worked with families in crisis as well as children in foster care and adults with mental illness. After over 15 years I was completely burned out. I witnessed several success stories of family empowerment and repair; however, I knew that it was time for me to go because I had no more to give. I advocated so hard for the families I worked with, and it often left me completely drained. Social work is a difficult job that renders few accolades and appreciation. I left the profession with respect for my fellow social workers and a continuous prayer for them as I know first-hand how helping to build people and putting families back together after tragedy and brokenness is such a heavy lift. Read more |
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