Andrés Gonzalez, M.Ed., CCDP/AP
Vice President, Community Engagement & Chief Diversity Officer
Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Andrés Gonzalez has successfully created and implemented community engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and supplier diversity programs for a number of the country’s most respected health care organizations. His teams have positively affected their organization by penetrating diverse markets and make a substantial impact on the communities they serve, ensuring patients receive culturally and linguistically competent care that can lead to better health outcomes. They proactively address community health needs through innovative programs and partnerships that improve population health and reduce disparities.

Gonzalez joined Froedtert Health in 2015. He currently serves as the Vice President for Community Engagement and Chief Diversity Officer for the health network, which includes 11 hospitals, over 2,000 physicians and more than 45 health centers and clinics in Wisconsin.

• In his role as Chief Diversity Officer, he leads diversity, equity and inclusion strategic initiatives including Business Resource Groups (BRGs), the Community Engagement team, Diversity Action Teams (DATs), diversity and cultural competence education, emerging markets initiative, health equity, language services, supplier diversity, leadership development, and diverse talent acquisition, development and retention efforts.
• As leader of Community Engagement, Gonzalez develops core principles to address community needs and minimize health disparities. He is responsible for expanding community collaborative governance, partnering with physician leaders to address population health, and improving access to care for those living in poverty. He facilitates community relationship development with stakeholders to grow the health system's reputation, business, and impact on health.

Gonzalez served from 2012 to 2015 as the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for Baystate Health in Springfield, Massachusetts. He supplied direction to the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, where he led broad strategic initiatives including Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs), diversity council, leadership development initiatives, diversity and cultural competence education, supplier diversity and New England’s premier diversity conference.

From 2007 to 2012, Gonzalez was the Director of Diversity & Community Outreach and Interim Supplier Diversity Director at Cleveland Clinic Health System. He designed and implemented initiatives across the health system such as Employee Resource Groups, diversity councils, language enrichment, supplier diversity programs and community outreach.

Gonzalez began his career as an alcohol and drug prevention specialist and was promoted to Executive Director of the community-based Hispanic Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP) in Cleveland. He also served as Executive Director of El Barrio, a workforce development agency in Cleveland.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education (M.Ed.) with a concentration on community agency counseling, both from Cleveland State University. He also completed the certification program at Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations Department and earned a Cornell Certified Diversity Practitioner/Advanced Practitioner (CCDP/AP) certification. He is a member of the faculty at Elevate, an education and career-development partnership with multiple universities, including the University of California Office of the President – MESA.

Gonzalez is a graduate of Cleveland Public Schools, is a German Marshall Fund Fellow, and a graduate of: Esperanza (Cleveland); Cleveland Bridge Builder’s Flagship Program; Leadership Cleveland; and Next Generation Executive Leadership Program (The Partnership Inc., Boston).

Gonzalez serves on the national boards of American Heart/Stroke Association’s Diversity Leadership Committee and Health Equity Taskforce, American Leadership Council for Diversity in Healthcare (ALCDH), American Hospital Association Institute for Diversity and Health Equity’s Equity of Care Committee, CDO PowerCircle, Institute for Corporate Productivity’s CDO Board and National Hispanic Corporate Council’s Latino DEI Collective.

He is a member of the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE). He also serves on the following local boards: Employ Milwaukee; Hispanic Collaborative; La Causa, Inc.; Milwaukee Repertory Theater; National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives Wisconsin Chapter; Nativity Jesuit Academy; Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers; YMCA Metro Milwaukee and Waukesha County Land Conservancy.

Betsy Silva, MBA, PCC

Betsy Silva is an Elevate faculty member, a multi-university partnership, along with Spectrum Knowledge and the University of California Office of the President—MESA, and a global consultant with a diverse background in organizational and operational disciplines. Known for her expertise in international inclusion, executive leadership coaching, talent management, and change management, Betsy's career spans numerous industries, including mining, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and hospitality, among others. Her motivation is to work across all organizational levels to identify approaches to build the organization’s capabilities, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and advance the company’s priorities.

Having been a direct member of a Senior Executive Leadership Team reporting directly to CEOs, Betsy draws on her leadership experience to guide her clients toward sustainable solutions that align with their core values and strategic objectives. She seeks to foster collaboration across all organizational levels, identify effective approaches to enhance capabilities, and strengthen stakeholder engagement.

Betsy boasts a distinguished career marked by impactful leadership roles in renowned organizations such as Newmont Mining, Gilead, Boehringer Ingelheim, Sodexo, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, American Express, Freddie Mac, and Sara Lee Branded Apparel Group. Her expertise is highly sought after, having served as a consultant for renowned institutions including New York-Presbyterian Hospital Chinatown, Medtronic, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Step Up For Students, Paychex, Inc, Colgate-Palmolive, Unilever, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and numerous others.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Betsy is deeply committed to community engagement. She has actively served as a former board member of the Council of Hispanic Business Professionals in Naples, Florida, and the Winston-Salem Urban League. Her contributions extend further as a former commissioner of The Winston-Salem Human Relations Commission and an advisor to Disability: IN.

A true trailblazer for inclusive initiatives, Betsy co-founded and chaired the Hispanic League of the Piedmont Triad (HLPT) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Under her visionary leadership, the HLPT collaborated with local authorities to organize groundbreaking public hearings addressing the health and social needs of the growing Hispanic-Latino community. The resounding success of these hearings has cemented the HLPT's 30- year history and strong partnership with community organizations.

Betsy holds a Bachelor of Arts and a master's degree in business administration from Inter-American University in Puerto Rico. As a 2005 National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI) Fellow, she successfully completed the Executive Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Furthermore, Betsy is certified in Leadership Coaching from Georgetown University, exemplifying her dedication to nurturing and empowering strong leaders.

In addition to her leadership coaching certification, Betsy is also qualified to administer the Emotional Intelligence Assessment, Myers-Briggs, the multi-rater 360-degree feedback, and the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), further enriching her expertise in driving positive change within organizations.