Lynn Todman
Lynn Todman, PhD, is the vice president of health equity at Spectrum Health Lakeland in St. Joseph, Michigan where she leads efforts to advance health equity. She is also the catalyst behind Community Grand Rounds, which aims to educate and share the impact of structural racism on health in addition to stimulate community and health system action to address racial health inequities.
Prior to her role at Spectrum Health System, Dr. Todman was vice president for leadership in social justice and the executive director of the Institute on Social Exclusion at the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Todman has also held teaching and research positions at the University of Milan, Politicnico di Milano, Western Michigan University, University of Notre Dame and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dr. Todman earned a B.A. from Wellesley College, a Master’s in City Planning and a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a city commissioner for the city of St. Joseph, MI, and a Robert Wood Johnson Culture of Health Leader working to advance health equity through cross-sector and cross professional collaborations.
Ovell Barbee
Ovell Barbee is senior vice president, human resources, and chief diversity officer of Spectrum Health. Mr. Barbee leads and directs various workplace strategies at Spectrum Health, including talent acquisition; diversity, equity and inclusion; and employee relations.
Prior to joining Spectrum Health in 2016, Mr. Barbee developed and led innovative human resource initiatives in diverse industries, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Motorola, OnStar and General Motors. He is a member of the Society of Human Resource Managers, the National Black MBA Association and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. In 2020, he was honored as one of the Top 50 Human Resources Professionals in the U.S. by Oncon Icon Awards, awarded a prestigious community GIANT Award by Grand Rapids Community College and recognized by Corp! Magazine as a Diversity Business Leader and was recently named a Top 100 Chief Diversity Officer in the nation.
Mr. Barbee earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, a master’s degree in human resources and labor management from Michigan State University, and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan.
He currently serves as a board member for the Heart of West Michigan United Way, the GRCC Foundation, and is on the Board of Directors for the National Coalition for Racial Justice & Equity (an initiative established by the National Diversity Council).