Whitney Hubbard MPH
Healthcare Policy and Strategy Leader
Can you share your journey into the work you do? What experiences, moments, or values led you here?
By day, I work in healthcare policy, mostly focused on ensuring access to therapies for Medicare beneficiaries. We all love and know someone who receives Medicare, so this work is particularly meaningful to me and has wide-ranging impact to the community at large, which makes it doubly fulfilling. While I initially planned to be a physician, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark while I was a student at Vanderbilt University, where I learned about universal healthcare. It became evident to me that access to medicine is such a critical first step in the healthcare continuum, that I needed to focus my energies there versus practicing medicine.
By evening, I am very involved in multiple civic, philanthropic and arts groups in the Washington, DC community. I love the arts as it's my opportunity to engage the cultural/creative side of my brain, after a day full of healthcare policy making!
Who or what has most influenced your leadership and commitment to this work? This could include mentors, community, lived experience, books, faith, or movements.
I have been blessed with resources and ability, so who am I to NOT be of service to my community in whatever way that I can. As a black woman descended from slaves, and ancestors of meager beginnings, my parents very much reminded me of the sacrifices of those who came before me. Further, as a legacy, 20-year member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, I have been anchored by the motto of my beloved sorority, of being "community conscious and action oriented" as well as a poem that we hold close to our hearts, about being a "house by the side of the road," a support system for our fellow man.
My love for the arts comes from my desire to highlight more young people of color in the patronage/business side of the arts, when it has been more of a older, white dominated space. I particularly like to support institutions that tell diverse stories, as I feel like we learn so much about other cultures and facilitate connection through the arts. During times such as this, where diversity and the arts are being assaulted - that connection and understanding is especially critical.
For those who feel called to doing this work, where would you suggest they begin? Is there a book, organization, practice, or resource that helped shape you?
For health policy, there are a wealth of resources out there. Search for relevant podcast episodes to learn about the current issues in the space. I would also suggest seeing what internships are out there. There are so many subdisciplines in health policy - the key is getting exposure to as many as possible to discover where you would like to best plug in.
Regarding greater patronage of the arts and philanthropy - Just start! Show up as authentically as you can. Both Arts board that I serve on came about because I was attending events I was genuinely interested in and people noticed me and offered me a seat at the table.
What wisdom or encouragement would you offer to the next generation of Black women leaders entering this space?
To whomever might be reading this, I don't know you, but I know that if you are a Black Woman you are made from resilience, strength, intelligence. You already have everything inside of you to show up in whatever rooms you desire. Don't let imposter syndrome or anyone tell you anything different.
How can people stay connected to and support your work? Please share your website, social media, current campaigns, or other ways to get involved.
Follow my LinkedIn where I update my community on my professional and philanthropic engagements.