At the 2025 Black Health Connect Conference, the Women’s Leadership and Achievement in Healthcare panel wasn’t your typical professional talk. It was honest. It was healing. It was real. This discussion cut past polished résumés and dove straight into the power, pain, and purpose behind Black women’s leadership in medicine, policy, and public health.
Panel at a Glance: Who’s Leading This Change?
Moderator:
- Dr. Osose Oboh, Physician, Public Health Expert, and Founder of Be The Plug
Speakers:
- Dr. M. Sandra Severe, DrPH – CEO, Jackson North Medical Center
- Dr. Camille Campbell, PharmD – Principal, Bella Peek Consulting
- Joy D. Calloway, MPH – Executive Director, National Medical Association
Together, these powerhouse women shared a rich, unfiltered conversation on what it takes to thrive in systems that weren’t built with them in mind.
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Key Themes and Takeaways
1. Progression Is Not a Straight Line
Forget the myth of the smooth climb. These women broke down the complexity of career advancement through grief, bias, burnout, and breakthroughs. Whether transitioning between cities or stepping into new leadership roles, their stories showed that purpose and persistence often grow from the most difficult times.
“Your story isn’t about where you work. It’s about why you keep going.”
2. Competence Is Built, Not Assumed
Confidence came from focused learning—grinding through new roles, studying up, and bridging knowledge gaps. These leaders didn’t pretend to know it all. They worked for it.
“I didn’t wait to be ready. I made myself ready.”
3. Communication Is the Real Power Skill
Whether advocating for patients or navigating leadership spaces, the ability to explain clearly and communicate with care emerged as a non-negotiable. Being heard wasn’t just about speaking louder—it was about being precise, strategic, and human.
4. Wellness Isn’t Optional—It’s a Strategy
These women led through epidemics, caregiving roles, and crushing workloads. They made it clear: well-being is not a luxury for leaders—it’s the foundation. From self-care routines to Sabbath rest, they emphasized choosing rest as an act of resilience.
“You can’t pour into others from an empty body.”
5. Giftedness and Purpose Are Connected
Each panelist acknowledged the weight of their giftedness, not just as a talent, but a responsibility. They spoke of the tension between striving and stillness, comparison and confidence. Ultimately, they urged the audience to trust their path and honor their purpose, even when it looks different from others.
“Just because it’s quiet doesn’t mean you’re not growing.”
6. Affiliations Matter—but Community Is Everything
From academia to community-based organizations, the conversation highlighted the importance of affiliations that align with values. But more than that, they underscored the grounding power of community—the friends, mentors, and kin who make the work possible.
7. Authenticity Is Not a Liability
Each woman shared the challenge of staying true to herself in environments that reward conformity. But it’s that authenticity—that refusal to shrink—that made their leadership magnetic and effective.
“I stopped asking for permission to be myself.”
8. Institutional Change Starts from the Inside
Panelists spoke about reshaping institutions from within—building cultures that respect both culture and religion, hiring equitably, and measuring success by community impact, not just prestige.
9. Finding Joy Is Revolutionary
In a field that glorifies overwork, the panel reminded everyone to find joy—to laugh, to play, to rest. They shared stories of dance breaks during 18-hour shifts, of affirming each other in meetings, of checking in instead of checking boxes.
Call to Action: What You Can Do Right Now
- Prioritize your wellness—even if the system won’t
- Say what needs to be said, even if your voice shakes
- Build community with women who get it
- Support Black women in healthcare—donate, mentor, amplify
- Lead with competence, compassion, and clarity
Final Word: Lead Loud, Love Hard, Rest Often
This panel made one thing clear: Black women in healthcare are not just surviving—they’re redesigning the entire playbook. Their leadership is rooted in experience, driven by truth, and fueled by community.
They don’t just hold doors open—they’re building new ones entirely.
“You don’t have to be perfect. Just be present. That’s where the real power lives.”
