By Michelle Cioci Adams – Managing Editor, Buffalo Business First
Feb 16, 2024
For the fifth year in a row, Business First is celebrating the people and companies around Western New York who make inclusivity, diversity and equity pillars of their businesses. This year, we're proud to recognize 25 individuals in the 2024 IDEA Awards.
One of this year's winners is Francesca Mesiah of Kaleida Health.
Francesca Mesiah
Manager, workforce development, Kaleida Health | kaleidahealth.org
Joined company: 2004
Years in field: 19
Born in: Buffalo
Lives in: Buffalo, Parkside community
College: B.A., sociology, urban planning and African American studies, SUNY Albany; M.S., interdisciplinary urban planning, University at Buffalo
Community involvement: Executive director, Near East and West Side Task Force; executive committee and health chair, Buffalo Branch NAACP; NAACP NYS Conference health chair; Buffalo-Toronto Public Media board; Health Science Charter School board; AKG Advancement Committee; Crisis Services board; Every Person Influences Children board; committee member, WNY Women's Foundation, WUFO Black Radio Collective History board; Canopy of Neighbors board
Proudest professional accomplishment: During Covid through Zoom platform, responsible for organizing and collaborating with Kaleida Health, Buffalo NAACP, Buffalo Urban League, NEWS TF and other local not-for-profits to provide programs that addressed the following: vaccine hesitancy, behavioral health, maternal health and infant mortality, cancer and other topics.
Advice to make the workplace more inclusive: We have more in common than we think. Organizations should identify employees who are passionate about inclusivity and will put in the extra time and effort to realize vision of diversity. This newly formed diverse team begins to brainstorm, begins to identify where changes is needed, as well as decide who will lead the organization with this initiative. Throughout the process, team invites others with diverse backgrounds and builds on creating vision of what is doable in "present time" and what will take time. Part of being inclusive means respecting one's culture and weaving that into the mission, vision and values of the organization. It's not easy; however, change is doable!
Most people don’t know: I enjoy challenging myself with baking new things and sharing with friends and neighbors.
What keeps you up at night: The economy
Self-description: Inclusive