WOMEN IN HEALTH
A Master Guide to the Voices, Stories, and Strategies Shaping the Modern Office.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Women in Health captures a defining moment in the evolution of healthcare—one where women are at the forefront of transforming care delivery, shaping policy, and redefining organizational culture. This book celebrates the achievements of accomplished women healthcare executives and leaders, offering a compelling look into their professional journeys, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the impact they are making on the future of the industry.
Featuring senior leaders from healthcare systems, hospitals, and organizations, this collection highlights the visionary contributions of women who are driving meaningful change. Through their stories, readers will gain valuable insights into leadership, innovation, and the advancement of diversity and inclusion. The book also emphasizes the importance of mentorship and fostering strong communities among women in leadership roles.
ABOUT DIANE L. MARTIN
HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVE • ADVISOR • AUTHOR • SPEAKER • FOUNDER
Born in New York City and rooted in California for over two decades, Diane L. Martin is Founder of Macan & Co., a healthcare executive, strategic advisor, and author of Women in Health, set to launch in 2026 during Women’s History Month.
With more than 20 years of experience, she has led transformative marketing and communications initiatives across hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers, and health plans—helping organizations expand access, elevate reputation, and connect with the communities they serve. Diane’s notable leadership roles include guiding transformative initiatives at Dignity Health/CommonSpirit, Stanford Health Care, Emanate Health, and Hoag.
Her leadership has driven award-winning growth strategies, bold digital transformations, and enterprise-wide rebranding efforts. She has built and mentored high-performing teams, guided executive messaging, and partnered with boards and stakeholders to bring ambitious visions to life—from opening new cancer centers to academic medical institutions and equity-focused campaigns.
Diane’s work has been recognized nationally and regionally with honors such as Women Worth Watching in Leadership by Profiles in Diversity Journal, Women of Influence: Health Care in LA County by the Los Angeles Business Journal, Telly Awards for creativity and excellence in video, and multiple MarCom and Hermes Gold Awards for healthcare design and digital innovation. She has also earned American Advertising (ADDY) Awards, PRSA Polaris and Capella Awards, and distinctions from the Healthcare PR and Marketing Association of Southern California and the Aster Awards for medical marketing excellence.
She will be speaking at the ACHE26 Congress on governance and transformation, sharing insights that inspire innovation and leadership across the industry. As a board member of Women in Health Administration of Southern California, Diane champions inclusive leadership and mentorship that empowers the next generation of healthcare changemakers.
She continues to shape the future of healthcare with creativity, purpose, and vision, collaborating with forward-thinking leaders to build what’s next.
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS
Alina Moran
“Healthcare is not just about systems and strategy –it is about legacy, equity, and the lives we touch. Your lived experience is not a liability; it is your leadership advantage.”
Corina B. Clark
“The choreography of my life shifted, from pirouettes to strategy sessions, but the rhythm was unchanged: bring people together, help them grow, create something bigger than any one person.”
Debra Green Oliphant
“Every time I faced a closed door, I built a new one—not just for myself, but for the women who would walk through it after me.”
Diana Verilli
“The day of my diagnosis was the beginning not only of a journey to save my life, but also one that reinvigorated my commitment to work I had begun three decades ago.”
Este Geraghty
“Every setback in my life eventually revealed itself as a new direction —a map I hadn’t known I was meant to follow.”
Flo Di Benedetto
“My lack of self-worth created this dynamic where I was never satisfied with anything I achieved. The goal posts kept moving.”
Joanne Laguna-Kennedy
“Leadership is not found in titles, it is found in how we hold others through struggle, lift them through possibility, and leave behind a path wide enough for more to walk through.”
Johnese Spisso
“Impactful leadership is not about authority, it is about aligning vision with compassion to inspire teams to achieve their goals and drivelasting impact.”
Karen Walker-Johnson
“I often describe myself as a constructive disruptor. That phrase captures not only how I lead, but why I lead the way I do.”
Kemi Olugemo
“True success is measured by the impact you have on people as this is your legacy.”
Lara Khouri
“Leadership is not about being in charge—it’s about your responsibility for those in your charge, especially when the stakes are highest.”
Laurie Sewell
“When people imagine careers in healthcare, they rarely picture leading an environmental services team. They should.”
Margaret R. Peterson
“I took advantage of every opportunity that was before me, not always knowing where it would lead me.”
Martina Lee Strickland
“I lead from the same place I once felt invisible as an outsider. By owning my voice and my difference, I transformed them into my strength—and into the honor of leading with authenticity.”
Michelle Barry
“Women don’t just fix systems. We feel them first, carry them second, and rebuild them from the inside out.”
Tamara Thomas
“Embracing the journeyand trusting my voiceare the concepts that have guided me as a clinician and leader, and they continue to shape how I show up for patients, teams, and the mission of academic medicine.”
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