In addition to her role as senior vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Advocate Aurora Health, Erickajoy Daniels is a lifelong learner, mentor and community advocate, according to colleagues.
“What makes her truly exceptional is her relentless commitment to connecting BIPOC community members with opportunities to improve their lives and personal agency. Her goal is not to be a leader, but to create leaders who can then connect to maximize opportunities for others,” said colleague and friend Bridget Butch, who works as a user experience and website architecture consultant.
Daniels, who is also an author, educator and speaker, leads AAH’s DEI team in identifying and serving neighborhoods with the greatest gaps in health care access and life expectancy. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic the team created dozens of initiatives to provide COVID-19 education and vaccines in Black and Latino communities. After George Floyd’s murder, it conducted “REAL Talk” listening sessions to have uncomfortable conversations about race in a safe environment. The team also created now-mandatory unconscious-bias training for all AAH staff members.
