University Hospitals Chief Diversity, Equity & Belonging Officer Celina Cunanan Appointed Vice Chair of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health

CLEVELAND – The Board of Ohio Commission on Minority Health has appointed Celina Cunanan, MSN, APRN-CNM, Chief Diversity, Equity & Belonging Officer for UH, as Vice Chair of the Commission’s board of directors.
 
As Vice Chair, Celina will help guide the Commission’s goal of eliminating health disparities and promoting health and the prevention of disease among members of racial and ethnic populations in Ohio. She has served as a member of the Commission since 2020 when she was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine and helped champion many of the Commission’s grant distributions to community-based health groups. The Governor re-appointed her in September 2022 for another two-year term.

Established in 1987, the Commission was the first concerted effort in the nation by a state to address the disparities in health status between majority and minority populations. The Commission is an autonomous state agency, funded by a biennial appropriation, and predated the Federal Health & Human Services’ Office on Minority Health.

“Celina’s appointment is a sign of the valuable contributions she has brought to the Commission as a health professional and through her role as a strong advocate for health equity in the many diverse communities that UH serves throughout the region,” said University Hospitals CEO Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair.

The Commission’s governing body comprises 19 members. Nine members from among health researchers, health planners and health professionals are appointed by the Governor. The Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives appoints two House members, and the President of the Ohio Senate appoints two Senate members. Six Cabinet Directors participate on the Commission representing the Departments of Health, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Developmental Disabilities, Education, Job and Family Services, and Medicaid.

“I am excited about the new leadership for the Commission as we continue to work collaboratively with state agencies and health systems to seek opportunities to eliminate systemic inequities and improve health outcomes in racial and ethnic populations and achieve health equity in Ohio,” stated Angela Dawson, Executive Director, Ohio Commission of Minority Health.

###