The Office of Healthcare Equity is looking forward to continuing to feature ‘OHCE Stars in Our Midst’, our recently launched spotlight series that highlights the connectivity of our staff and the value of their work to improve the health of the public. This month’s focus highlights the hidden strengths and talents our colleagues bring to their work including their strategies to recharge and refocus by nourishing their lives outside of work. Malavika Arun, Dan Olson, and Jennifer Harris offer their tips on how their unique approaches to work enhance the collective mission at UW Medicine to improve the health of the public. Learn more about each of them below and how they stay motivated in health equity work.

Jennifer Harris (she, her) – Program Manager – WIHSE

Strength – Innovation = Creativity

“Coming from humble origins, I learned quickly how to be innovative and ingenuitive with the limited resources at my disposal. Sparking my creativity in anything I’m involved in. I look for a different approach to the challenge.”

Through creative expression including dance and art, and immersing herself in nature through hikes, kayaking, or swimming , Jennifer, uses these wellness practices to expand her perspective and engage in lifelong learning.

What Makes You Shine?

“My creativity and desire to learn are my “Special Sauce”. Being open to being a lifelong learner, I expose myself to the world, not just my neighborhood. I believe using that part of your brain responsible for creativity helps bring perspective to life. When you see a bunch of paint become a beautiful work of art or clay turn into a beautiful sculpture, it proves that anything is possible.”

Dan Olson (he/him) – Research Analyst – WIHSE

Dan Olson has been with the Office of Healthcare Equity for over 20 years and is a Research Analyst with our Center for Workforce Inclusion and Healthcare System Equity (WIHSE) team. His keen attention to detail and streamlined thinking allows for our numerous K-12 programs to run without a hitch. Students in our programs often refer to Dan as ‘Dan the Man’, as his commitment to their growth and success is apparent in his work. He manages and simplifies data for hundreds of students each year and has designed and implemented numerous systems to house this information. There is a method to the madness of data management with credit due to Dan for crafting the nuts and bolts of WIHSE which allows the team to advance their mission to liberate all our communities’ brilliant potential to be future healthcare leaders at the highest level. Learn more about Dan below!

Strength – Systems and Simplicity

Dan utilizes his background in data analytics to build efficient tracking systems that simplify the mass amount of information behind our numerous programs.

What Makes You Shine?

Dan shared that he “Build[s] it to make sense!” His expertise allows for OHCE to more efficiently deliver quality programs to our hundreds of students each year that participate in our WIHSE programs including Doctor for a Day, UDOC, and Bright Up.

“Been here a while, seen a lot of things. :)”

Malavika Arun (she/they) – EDI Training Specialist

Malavika Arun has been with the Office of Healthcare Equity for over 2 years and is an EDI Training Specialist on our Healthcare Equity and Education team. They grew up in a small town in India and moved to the US at 18 where she found the strength of community through moving across the world. About her work, they shared — “As an EDI trainer, especially in the current climate, I think that confidence allows me to keep doing this work with all the passion and energy I always have. I’m excited by the aspect of having difficult conversations and understanding why people do and say the things they do.”

Strength – The Art of Humor in learning environments

Malavika uses humor to uplift colleagues’ spirits and reminds us that while the work can be challenging, we can still create space for connection and laughter.

What Makes you Shine?

“I think what makes me shine is how much of myself I bring into every room I walk into. I believe in coming in with joy and humor and my heart on my sleeve because I think this helps me connect with people and diffuse tension at times. I also believe we are all whole human beings going through all the different things in our lives and that we should see each other for the whole selves that we are. This involves being vulnerable with each other when safe to do so and making it safe to do so. I pride myself on being a safe and soft place for people to land and model that through my own vulnerability and authenticity.”

Reflection Activity – Restorative Reps for Wellness

Bonus: Mark time in your schedule to create space for your restorative practice.