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 University of California-San Diego Rady School of Management.

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 Hospital Association’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity Executive Diversity Management Program (Dean/Faculty), and American Hospital Association Institute for Diversity and Health Equity’s Equity of Care Committee; Institute; CDO PowerCircle Advisory Member; Corporate Productivity (i4cp) CDO Roundtable; and Getting to We.

He is a member of the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE). He also serves on the following local boards: Employ Milwaukee; Milwaukee Repertory Theater; National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives Wisconsin Chapter; Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers; and YMCA Metro Milwaukee.