Bold Voices, Real Talk, and a Call for Equity That Delivers

By Office of the President | Apr 8, 2025

In honor of Women’s History Month, Downstate hosted Equity at the Table: Women Leaders in Healthcare, Research & Education, an energizing and thought-provoking panel discussion co-sponsored by the Office of the President and the Office of Communications & Marketing. The event brought together extraordinary women leaders across Downstate to speak candidly about their journeys and discuss women’s leadership progress.

Moderated by Diahann Billings-Burford, CEO of the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), and Andrea Shapiro Davis, Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Director of Public Service Engagement, the discussion moved beyond celebration into truth-telling. Panelists shared stories of resilience and challenge, illuminating what it truly means to lead as a woman in healthcare, research, and academia. The event celebrated progress and a powerful blueprint for the future. Because when women are supported and empowered, institutions transform.

These leaders spoke openly about being asked to lead during moments of crisis, often without adequate support or resources—a dynamic known as the “glass cliff.” They described the double standards they encounter daily: where confidence is misread as aggression and compassion as weakness. Often invisible to others, these burdens are part of the complex reality women navigate in pursuit of meaningful leadership.

Yet, despite these inequities, there was no shortage of optimism. Panelists highlighted the strength of shared experience, powerful strategic collaboration, and the transformative impact of mentorship that opens doors rather than guards them. Their stories reminded us that solidarity among women leaders is affirming and essential.

One message rang loud and clear: representation alone is not enough. Accurate equity demands more than a seat at the table. It requires intention, investment, and follow-through. It means creating space for women to lead authentically, rewarding them fairly, and recognizing their impact at every level of the institution—not just in moments of crisis but in the day-to-day decisions that shape the future.

Our dynamic Downstate panel leadership included: Aimee Afable, Ph.D., MPH – Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health; Amal Amar-Alattaby, DM, CNM, LM, OBGYN NP – Clinical Assistant Professor and Clinical Coordinator, Midwifery, School of Health Professions; Denise M. Bruno, M.D., MPH – Program Chair, Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health; Marlene Camacho-Rivera, ScD, MS, MPH – Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, School of Public Health; Shushawna DeOliveira, DHA, MPA – Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Program Operations and Quality, School of Health Professions; Teresa Y. Smith-Bellille, M.D., MSEd, FACEP – Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education and Affiliations and Interim Chair of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine; and Shannon (Shay) Walter, DNP, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CPHQ – Director of Quality and Performance Improvement, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD).

We extend a heartfelt to the remarkable moderators, Diahann Billings-Burford and Andrea Shapiro Davis, for guiding such a rich and impactful conversation, to Cheryl Rolston, DMP, MA, RN, NE-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, who delivered remarks on behalf of Patricia Winston, DNP, MS, RN, Interim CEO of University Hospital at Downstate, and to Dawn S. Walker, MPA, Vice President of Communications and Marketing and the OC&M team for organizing and hosting the event on behalf of the President’s Office. Watch the entire event here.

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Tags: Diversity, Commemorative Months