Paula A. Gutierrez, MHA, Director, Diversity & Inclusion and Babs Siperstein PROUD Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset (RWJUH Somerset), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, has been named to the 2021 “Top 15 Women in Power Impacting Diversity” by DiversityPlus Magazine. This recognition honors women across industries who have achieved success in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) space. Gutierrez will be featured in a special issue of DiversityPlus this month.
Gutierrez drives the diversity, equity and inclusion strategy for RWJUH Somerset and has over 10 years of experience in health care administration. She has designed and implemented programs and strategies that foster diversity, health equity and inclusion such as addressing health inequities and social determinants of health in marginalized communities, mitigating unconscious bias in hiring and promotion, mentoring, employee resource groups, diversity target setting and other inclusion practices. Gutierrez has overseen the growth of the Babs Siperstein PROUD Center, which was the first in New Jersey to offer specialized primary care services for the LGBTQ+ community and is now a model that the New Jersey Department of Health and other hospitals around the state look to emulate. Additionally, Gutierrez led the formation of six Business Resource Groups at RWJUH Somerset to bring together employees with similar interests and backgrounds to foster greater teamwork and employee satisfaction, which has helped to improve the care and services provided to patients.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Gutierrez led outreach efforts to the Hispanic community in collaboration with the hospital’s Community Health Department, coordinating events with local schools, churches, food banks, health departments and municipalities to distribute thousands of masks, hand sanitizers, soaps and Spanish-language educational materials which led to a measurable decrease in COVID-19 cases among Hispanics in the area. She also serves as chair of the hospital’s newly-formed Latino Advisory Council and launched a new online health education series in Spanish.
“This recognition of Paula is a testament to the far-reaching impacts of her work with the RWJUH Somerset community and beyond. She is committed to making sure all patients are recognized, respected and cared for at our facility,” said Anthony Cava, President and Chief Executive Officer of RWJUH Somerset. “Paula is a dedicated advocate for health equity and traditionally underserved populations. Her steady leadership is an asset to our team at the hospital and to all of the patients we serve.”
Gutierrez has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from New Jersey Institute of Technology and a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Seton Hall University. She serves as a Civil Rights Commissioner for Bloomfield Township, NJ, and sits on the NJ Governor’s LGBTQ+ Taskforce. She is also an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University’s School of Health and Medical Sciences.
