Advancing Health Equity: Inside the Institute of Medicine of Chicago’s 2026 Leadership Awards

Healthcare disparities remain a pressing challenge across many communities. Equitable access to quality care takes coordinated effort and sustained focus. As medicine changes, clearing systemic hurdles calls for steady leadership, strong community partnerships, and a firm commitment to public health. Recognizing the professionals who drive that work matters for improving population health.

The Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC) works as a collaborative hub for health leaders set on reducing those disparities. We spoke with IOMC leadership, outgoing President Dr. Lorenzo Pence and incoming President Dr. Archana Chatterjee, about the 2026 Annual Leadership Awards. The conversation looks at how the Institute honors healthcare excellence and draws on 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 reflect our mission by spotlighting leaders who are actively reducing health disparities through fresh ideas and collaboration. IOMC stands behind the value of partnerships in reaching health equity, and each awardee shows a commitment to widening equitable access to care and improving outcomes across communities.

Q: This year’s honorees work across global humanitarian health, preventive health and disease prevention, and behavioral health. What specific qualities do you look for when selecting these leaders?

Dr. Lorenzo Pence: We look for leaders and initiatives that pair vision with execution. These are people who tackle systemic barriers and also deliver real improvements in population health. The qualities that matter most are a commitment to underserved communities, the ability to build partnerships, and a knack for workable solutions.

Q: Dr. Aron Sousa’s keynote focuses on universities as engines for community health. How important are universities and student-run clinics in driving community-centered healthcare solutions?

Dr. Lorenzo Pence: Universities are essential for community health. They bring research, education, and service together in a way that reaches local communities directly. Student-run clinics provide care while training the next generation of physicians to put equity, cultural competence, and community engagement first.

Q: Programs like Rx Kids use universal cash allowances to improve maternal and newborn health. How can fresh philanthropic partnerships reshape public health work?

Dr. Lorenzo Pence: Fresh philanthropic partnerships let us rethink older public health models by adding flexible, community-centered approaches. Programs like Rx Kids use universal cash support to address the social determinants of health, and that can produce real 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 will focus on widening the Institute’s impact through partnerships and giving successful health equity models more visibility. Stronger engagement across academic, clinical, and community stakeholders will be central 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. 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 preventive care. Third, invest in our future. A workforce that reflects the people it serves is a prerequisite for closing disparities. Beneath all three sits one more priority: give our Fellows meaningful ways to contribute their expertise.

Q: Dr. Chatterjee, the keynote highlights community-centered programs like Rx Kids for maternal health. How do you plan to draw on these collaborative partnerships across public health, philanthropy, and government during your tenure?

Dr. Archana Chatterjee: Rx Kids is a model program that braids together academic leadership, government funding, and philanthropic investment around a single, measurable goal of improving maternal and child health. The results are impressive, including fewer preterm births and lower rates of maternal depression. The IOMC’s focus on maternal and child health fits well with a program like this. As a convener of professionals from many backgrounds, we are well-placed to bring public health leaders, health systems, foundations, policymakers, and community organizations together, turning strong evidence into action that fits Chicago and Illinois. I want us to play that connective role on purpose, 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 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 good time. 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. Although we are based in Chicago, our efforts must reach the entire state. Health disparities and access to care can look very different in rural Illinois than in urban areas, and our programs should meet the needs of all communities.

The 2026 Annual Leadership Awards point to the impact that dedicated professionals have on public health and disease prevention. By celebrating that work, the IOMC reinforces the collaborative spirit needed to take on systemic health challenges. Its focus on academic partnerships and community programs offers a strong blueprint for health equity.

As healthcare needs shift, the role of independent, collaborative organizations like the IOMC grows more important. Uniting universities, philanthropic groups, and medical professionals creates a powerful engine for change. With a forward-looking agenda, the Institute is set to make meaningful strides in reducing healthca