Danforth Dialogues with Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice

Danforth Dialogues is a leadership series focused on a range of topics connecting our community to experiences during the pandemic and then taking those experiences and relating them to a broader set of leadership lessons. Podcast episodes are provided below for your enjoyment. 

Episode 12: Policy, Leadership, and the Future of Healthcare | Part 1

Join Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice as she sits down with Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS). In this inspiring episode of the Danforth Dialogues, they delve into topics including the role of the public sector in helping to expand health equity in underserved communities in the post-covid era.

Episode 11: Pandemic Preparedness and Vaccine Equity with Dr. Barney Graham

Join Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice as she sits down with the esteemed Dr. Helene D. Gayle, a trailblazing leader in public health and the 11th president of Spelman College. In this captivating episode of the Danforth Dialogues, they delve into invaluable lessons on leadership and explore collaborative approaches to promote health equity and societal advancement across communities.

A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Helene D. Gayle for sharing her wisdom, experience, and dedication to advancing health equity and leadership.

Tune in for this inspiring conversation that will leave you with a renewed perspective on leadership and the pursuit of health equity and generational impact  in our communities.

Episode 10: Pandemic Preparedness and Vaccine Equity with Dr. Barney Graham

After over 20 years as an investigator at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Barney Graham, MD, Ph.D. retired in September 2021 as deputy director of the Vaccine Research Center and chief of the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory. He was recently elected into the National Academy of Sciences.

Earlier this year, Dr. Graham received the NAS 2022 John J. Carty Award for the Advancement of Science, which acknowledged his "groundbreaking work on a vaccine and monoclonal antibody development for COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, HIV, and other emerging viruses."

Dr. Graham has joined the MSM faculty as a Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunology (MBI) as of May 1, 2022. In addition, Dr. Graham will serve as Senior Advisor for Global Health Equity in the Office of the President and CEO.

Episode 09: Pioneering Health Equity For Generational Impact with Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH

Today’s episode features a conversation between Morehouse School of Medicine’s President and CEO Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice and Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the key missions of Danforth Dialogues is to look at the lessons learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic and there is perhaps no other person more qualified to bring us unique insights in how we have addressed this once in hundred years global healthcare crisis. Dr. Montgomery Rice and Dr. Walensky will also talk about the ongoing need to improve health equity particularly in underserved communities.

Dr. Walensky has had a long and distinguished career in medicine and public health and is one of the country’s foremost experts on HIV/AIDS. And prior to taking the helm of CDC, she conducted research on developing the best strategies for vaccine delivery to underserved communities.

Episode 08: Our Journey to Improve Healthcare

Today’s episode features a conversation between Morehouse School of Medicine’s President and CEO Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice and Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, in which the two leaders discuss lessons learned from the pandemic, as well as a shared commitment to improving health care and health equity, particularly in underserved communities.

Episode 07: How MSM is working to Fight Health Inequities

In today’s episode, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice sits down with Dr. Rick Kittles, Senior Vice President for Research, and Dr. Sandra Harris-Hooker, Senior Vice President of External Partnerships and Innovation at Morehouse School of Medicine. They discuss the research continuum at Morehouse, the importance of having people who look like you in the medical field and partnering to eliminate health inequities. 

Episode 06: The Power of Women to Influence Public Policy

In this episode of Danforth Dialogues, Laphonza Butler, President of EMILY’s List, sits down with Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice for a Conversation of Significance. They discuss the intersection between disparities in health equity amongst communities of color and the power of electing women who can influence public policy. This episode was recorded live from the 2022 Annual Convention of the National Medical Association in Atlanta.

Episode 04: Advancing Health for all People Through the More in Common Alliance

Lloyd Dean, CEO of CommonSpirit Health sits down with Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice in the historic Danforth Chapel to talk about lessons on his leadership journey, some of the greatest lessons learned, and the weight of the responsibility of the Common Alliance with Morehouse School of Medicine and CommonSpirit Health.

Part 1

Part 2

Episode 03: Leadership Beyond The Pandemic: Challenges And Opportunities

In today's episode, Dr. Montgomery Rice sits down with her fellow Atlanta University Presidents as they share intimate details about some of the hardest decisions they had to make during the pandemic - Challenges like the mental health crisis they still face on the road ahead, how they came together as a close knit community of leaders amid these challenges, and they are continuing to persevere to move the needle historically black colleagues and university systems and the stakeholder communities they serve. We hope you enjoy this inspiring episode of Danforth Dialogues.

Episode 02: The Historic $10 Billion Investment to Advance Racial Equity at Goldman Sachs

In this episode, Valerie Montgomery Rice, MD, FACOG sits down with David Solomon, Chairman & CEO of Goldman Sachs to unpack the stories and overarching purpose behind their $10 billion direct investment initiative called One Million Black Women.

Episode 01: In the Midst of Crisis

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, President and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine and Dr. Michelle Nichols, Medical Director - MSM/MHC COVID-19 Vaccination Program, discuss the early return. 
 
FUN FACT: Dr. Montgomery Rice has a personal tie to Danforth Chapel having her daughter, Jayne, christened there 27 years ago by former Morehouse College President Robert Franklin Jr.

Baptism Announcement Baptism

Learn More About the History of the Chapel