2Flo Ventures Health Equity Pitch Competition
We are excited to welcome you to 2Flo Ventures' first Annual Health Equity Pitch Competition located in the Illinois Medical District.
Five idea stage founders will present their companies and judges will select the top 3 novel ideas to advance health equity. More than just a pitch competition, we are seeking to support early-stage founders from non-traditional backgrounds and to get them the support they need to advance them to their next milestone. As a part of the award, we have leaders donating their time to support the finalists and our hope is to corral the community to help these individuals in their journey to advance health equity. If you'd like to support, upon registering you can choose to donate your time and expertise if you wish to get more involved!
After we hear from the finalists, we have a world-class fireside chat with Dr. Ngozi Ezike, President and CEO of Sinai Chicago, and Delia Jervier, Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Association, moderated by Dr. Angela James, VP and Head of Clinical Pharmacology at MacroGenics and 2Flo Ventures Senior Advisor.
Thank You to Our Judges:
Dr. Peter McCauley
Zach Selch
James Gillespie
Melissa Hamilton
Billy Ndizeye
Zaineb Al-Kalby
Olivia Matongo
Agenda:
5:30 pm | Open Registration and Mixer
6:00 pm | Pitch Presentations Begin
7:00 pm | Health Equity Fireside Chat
7:45 pm | Awards Announced and Networking Begins
8:30 pm | End of Event
Keynote Speaker Backgrounds:
Dr. Ngozi Ezike is the President and CEO of Sinai Chicago, the state’s largest private safety net health system. She began serving in June 2022. She is the immediate past Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), where she valiantly navigated the state through the most difficult waves of the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Ezike is a board-certified internist and pediatrician. An advocate for promoting self-care and healthy living, particularly in challenging times, Dr. Ezike is an avid tennis player and enjoys reading the Bible and traveling with her husband and four children.
At Sinai, Dr. Ezike has worked to develop community partnerships and collaboration to address equity issues by improving access to care through the opening of a new outpatient center in North Lawndale, providing new patient transportation options, investment in housing projects, expansion of community health worker programs and investment in state-of-the-art technology for robotic surgery and 3D imaging services. She led a successful digital transformation effort to transition Sinai Chicago to Epic, one of the very best Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems in the industry. This game-changing solution puts Sinai on the same level as the top health systems in the country by modernizing Sinai’s capabilities and truly transforming its work -- allowing Sinai caregivers to work better and faster, providing better care and service for the people they serve.
Under Dr. Ezike’s leadership, Sinai Chicago’s ongoing commitment to uncompensated charity care --nearly 9% of its budget in 2022 -- has been cited in the Wall Street Journal as being in the top 10 percentile nationwide of safety net providers offering such care. The Lown Institute, an independent healthcare think tank, has also recognized Sinai Chicago as one of the top “fair share” contributors in the U.S. for its commitment to charity care and community investment.
Dr. Ezike has also placed high priority on diversity, equity and inclusion. She has led the development of a diverse and talented leadership group at both administrative and clinical levels. Over 48% of Sinai leaders are minorities and 60% of senior leadership are women.
She is a nationally recognized public health leader. In addition to her degrees from Harvard University and the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Dr Ezike holds honorary doctorates from Knox College, Southern Illinois University, and Rosalind Franklin School of Medicine. She earned a business management certificate from Harvard Business School. Dr. Ezike is a sought after speaker, delivering university commencement addresses and other keynote presentations. She has been featured regularly on all local and cable TV outlets as well as NPR and BBC.
She is the recipient of dozens of awards and accolades including Crain’s Chicago Business 2024 Women of Note as well as Crain’s Notable Leaders in Healthcare 2023. She was the recipient of the GirlForward 2023 Accomplice Award, the Lester H. McKeever Individual Service Award from the Chicago Urban League, Motorola Civic Service Award, the Jane Addams Medal of Freedom, and USA Today's Inaugural Women of the Year Award for the State of Illinois.
Dr. Ezike has also worked at Cook County Health, serving for more than 15 years in various direct patient care and administrative roles, including medical directorships at the Austin Health Center and Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. She also delivered inpatient care at Stroger Hospital and primary and preventive care in community and school-based clinics.
Delia Jervier, is the Region 9 Leader and Illinois Chapter Executive of the Alzheimer’s Association, the global leader in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, support, and research.
Since joining the Alzheimer’s Association back in 2013, Delia has held several roles, highlighting her increasing leadership within the organization and the cause. As director of chapter operations, she successfully managed a portfolio of chapters ahead of the merger. She moved to Texas in 2017, to become the executive director of the Capital of Texas Chapter. Under her leadership, the chapter’s overall revenue increased by 400% and the board of the newly emerged chapter was rebuilt. To expand community engagement Delia worked diligently to secure relationships with organizations to support D&I goals, including the Austin Urban League and the Mexican Consulate.
Delia Joined the Illinois chapter as Executive Director in 2020 and has been instrumental in elevating the visibility and reach of the organization in the Chicagoland community. In 2021, Delia was named one of Crain’s 2021 Notable Black Leaders and Executives for reaching a prominent place in nonprofits and lifting her community.
Prior to joining the Association, Delia held various leadership positions in the nonprofit sector. Launching her career as executive director of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida before joining the American Diabetes Association in 1996. Over the next 17 years, Delia served in various leadership roles, including executive director of Central Florida.
More information on our website here: https://www.2floventures.com/B/hepc24