ERG Summit Highlights Professional Growth and Connection Across CUIMC

This year’s CUIMC Employee Resource Group (ERG) Summit, with a theme of "CUIMC EnERGize: Connect. Learn. Thrive," brought together 96 staff and faculty from across the medical center and offered opportunities for both inspiration and collaboration.

“ERGs are voluntary groups of employees who come together to nurture employee well-being and engagement," says Ashley Boyce, manager of staff engagement in the CUIMC Office of Human Resources. “Employee engagement is vital to CUIMC’s ability to grow and innovate in a fast-changing environment.”

The annual summit encourages ERG leaders and participants to deepen their understanding of CUIMC ERGs, build new connections across departments and communities, and exchange ideas about supporting professional and personal growth through community.

The event’s keynote speaker, Hitendra Wadhwa, PhD, adjunct professor of business in the Columbia Business School, set the tone with his talk "Purpose that Builds Community: Turning Connection into Engagement at CUIMC."

Ian Rottenberg, dean of religious life at Columbia University, expanded on the theme of connection, reminding the audience that “We all bring our own narratives and meanings to any objective reality. To begin to appreciate another person’s narrative and meaning is the first step toward making a connection with someone who might view the world through a different lens.”

Then, following Rottenberg’s prompts, attendees engaged in two rounds of "Community Conversations: Connection, Meaning, & Shared Impact at Work." These were an opportunity to create space for reflection, dialogue, and shared learning across groups. “The conversations I had were stimulating,” says Andrew Vagelos, reporter for CUIMC News and an ERG Summit participant. “The exercise gave me an opportunity to make connections with staff I would not ordinarily encounter in my day-to-day work.”

One of the highlights of the summit was hearing, in person and on video, from several members of senior CUIMC administration about why ERGs matter. In person, Ross Frommer, vice president for government affairs, Neil McClure, chief human resources officer, William McCoy, chief operating officer, Dionida Ryce, assistant vice president for academic appointments, and Henry Lee, assistant dean, finance and administration, Columbia School of Nursing, offered their unique perspectives on the vital role played by ERGs. On video, Rudina Odeh-Ramadan, vice dean for finance and administration, Clara Lapiner, assistant vice president, faculty professional development, and Mary Ann Carlese, executive director, labor relations, each commented on what ERGs mean to them.

The summit wrapped up with an ERG World Tour, a networking opportunity for all summit attendees to visit tables from each of the 12 CUIMC ERGs. “Some of the attendees were learning about ERGs for the first time,” says Boyce. “We want everyone to understand the work and impact of ERGs. They say a lot about who we are at CUIMC.”