July 2016 Alumni Spotlight
July Alumni Spotlight with Elizabeth Keith, MPA ’91
An MPA can be a robust tool that propels aspiring and experienced professionals to the next level in their careers. It can also provide valuable lessons in morals, ethics, and social expectations in our complex, multi-faceted world. Alumna, Elizabeth Keith discusses her new role at Dignity Health, the challenges of our healthcare system through the lens of religion, and what her MPA provided for her life and career.
Congratulations on your recent appointment as executive vice president, sponsorship and mission integration at Dignity Health. Can you tell us about the mission you’ll be working toward, integrating, and sustaining?
Dignity Health’s mission statement is:
We are committed to furthering the healing ministry of Jesus. We dedicate our resources to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health services; serving and advocating for our sisters and brothers who are poor and disenfranchised; partnering with others in the community to improve the quality of life.
I desire to make a positive and lasting impact at Dignity Health by remaining faithful to the mission and values and yet, preparing for the future, a time of rapid change and corresponding challenges in health care delivery.
What challenges do you expect to face?
The business of health care has become more complex as has the complexity of integrating Catholic mission and values into health care operations. This reality calls for a broader range of competencies that enable us to influence organizations at every level and in every business decision.
What do you bring to the table?
I bring over 18 years of Catholic healthcare experience, theology, business acumen, strategic direction, guidance, as well as a collaborative spirit to ensure that the organization is faithful to its purpose, identity and values.
What changed in terms of career outlook and professional strengths during and upon graduating with your MPA at Baruch College?
I have always chosen career paths that brought me purpose and are life-giving; what has changed is that I have become more focused and intentional. My MPA at Baruch College has provided me the education and skills to demonstrate a grasp of both the complexities of health care as a business and the unique moral, ethical and social expectations placed on a health care provider that claims Catholic identity, support of the organization’s strategy, goals and priorities, integrate the mission throughout the culture of the organization using a systems approach, work collaboratively with other executives through changing times, and empower and support the human potential of colleagues.
