Advancing Health Equity: Inside the Institute of Medicine of Chicago’s 2026 Leadership Awards
Healthcare disparities remain a pressing challenge across many communities. Ensuring equitable access to quality care requires coordinated effort and sustained focus. As the medical landscape evolves, overcoming systemic hurdles demands innovative leadership, strong community partnerships, and a resolute commitment to public health. Recognizing the professionals who drive these initiatives is essential for improving population health outcomes.
The Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC) serves as a collaborative hub for health leaders dedicated to reducing these disparities. We are speaking with IOMC leadership, outgoing President Dr. Lorenzo Pence, and incoming President Dr. Archana Chatterjee, to discuss the 2026 Annual Leadership Awards. This interview explores how the Institute honors healthcare excellence and leverages academic partnerships to build healthier communities.
Q: The IOMC has been a cornerstone of public health since 1915. How do the 2026 Annual Leadership Awards reflect the Institute’s ongoing mission to advance health equity?
Dr. Lorenzo Pence: The 2026 Leadership Awards represent our mission by highlighting
leaders who are actively reducing health disparities through innovation and collaboration. IOMC reinforces the importance of partnerships in achieving health equity, and each of the awardees demonstrates a commitment to advancing equitable access to care and
improving outcomes across communities.
Q: This year’s honorees span fields from global humanitarian health to preventive health, or disease prevention and behavioral health. What specific qualities do you look for when selecting these leaders?
Dr. Lorenzo Pence: We prioritize leaders and their initiatives who combine vision with execution—individuals who are not only addressing systemic barriers but delivering improvements in population health. Key qualities include a commitment to underserved communities, the ability to build partnerships, and to develop workable solutions.
Q: Dr. Aron Sousa’s keynote focuses on universities as engines for community health. How vital are academic institutions and student-run clinics in driving community-centered healthcare solutions?
Dr. Lorenzo Pence: Academic institutions are essential for community health innovation.
They bring together research, education, and service in a way that can directly impact local communities. Student-run clinics provide care while training the next generation of physicians to prioritize equity, cultural competence, and community engagement.
Q: Programs like Rx Kids use universal cash allowances to improve maternal and newborn health. How can innovative philanthropic partnerships reshape public health interventions?
Dr. Lorenzo Pence: Innovative philanthropic partnerships allow us to rethink traditional public health models by introducing flexible, community-centered interventions. Programs like Rx Kids utilize universal cash support initiatives addressing social determinants of health can produce
improvements in maternal and child health outcomes.
Q: As the Institute transitions leadership to Dr. Archana Chatterjee, what are the primary goals for the new Board of Governors over the next year?
Dr. Lorenzo Pence: The next phase of leadership will focus on expanding the Institute’s
impact through partnerships and increased visibility of successful health equity models. Strengthening engagement across academic, clinical, and community stakeholders will be pivotal to our strategy.
Q: Dr. Chatterjee, as you step into the role of President for the 2026-2027 term, what are the primary strategic goals for the incoming Board of Governors?
Dr. Archana Chatterjee: IOMC’s mission of advancing health equity by reducing healthcare disparities is our guiding light, and the Board’s job is to make it actionable. As President, I see three priorities for us to focus on. First, expand on the initiatives confirmed at our State of Health of Chicago convening: maternal and child health, behavioral health, access to care, and the social determinants that drive our worst health outcomes. Second, strengthen the IOMC’s voice as a trusted, independent source of evidence at a time when our communities are navigating hard questions about vaccines and other types of preventive care. Third, invest in our future—a workforce that reflects the people it serves is a prerequisite for closing disparities. Underlying all three: give our Fellows meaningful ways to contribute their expertise.
Q: Dr. Chatterjee, the keynote highlights innovative community-centered initiatives like Rx Kids for maternal health. How do you plan to leverage these types of collaborative partnerships among public health, philanthropy, and government during your tenure?
Dr. Archana Chatterjee: Rx Kids is an exemplary program that braids together academic leadership, government funding, and philanthropic investment around a single, measurable goal of improving maternal and child health. The results of the program are impressive, from fewer preterm births to lower rates of maternal depression. The IOMC’s focus on maternal and child health is well-aligned with a program like this. As a convener of professionals from diverse backgrounds, we are well-positioned to bring public health leaders, health systems, foundations, policymakers, and community organizations together to translate strong evidence into action that fits Chicago and Illinois. I want us to play that connective role deliberately—identifying proven models, examining them rigorously, and helping local partners adapt what works.
Q: Dr. Chatterjee, looking ahead, how will the IOMC expand its interdisciplinary programs and services to address emerging healthcare disparities across Chicago and the state of Illinois?
Dr. Archana Chatterjee: IOMC’s entire premise is to work collaboratively with leaders across medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, public health, law, and policy, accomplishing together what none of us can alone. I want to grow the work already underway, turning our Maternal and Child Health and Behavioral Health workgroups into engines for durable programs and partnerships. Our symposia, webinars, and the State of Health of Chicago process let us respond to emerging issues in a timely fashion. I also want to expand the education programs that open doors to the health professions, because a more representative workforce and more equitable care are two halves of the same effort. Finally, although we are based in Chicago, our efforts must reach the entire state. Health disparities and access to care may look very different in rural Illinois than in urban areas, and our programs should address the needs of all communities.
The 2026 Annual Leadership Awards highlight the impact that dedicated professionals have on public health and disease prevention. By celebrating these accomplishments, the IOMC reinforces the collaborative spirit needed to tackle systemic health challenges. The focus on academic partnerships and innovative community programs provides a strong blueprint for achieving health equity.
As healthcare needs shift, the role of independent, collaborative organizations like the IOMC becomes increasingly important. Uniting universities, philanthropic groups, and medical professionals creates a powerful engine for change. By setting a forward-looking agenda, the Institute positions itself to make meaningful strides in reducing healthcare disparities for all.
To learn more, visit https://www.iomc.org/