By Joy King, 2025 TRUST President
March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the trailblazing women who have forged pathways of progress in various fields, advocating for equity and justice. This year, the theme “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations” deeply resonates as we spotlight Dr. Rachel R. Hardeman, our distinguished keynote at the TRUST Forum on May 8 and the deserving recipient of our 2025 Pinnacle Leader Award.
Dr. Hardeman is not just a tenured professor at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health; she is a vanguard in the fight against racial inequities in health care. As the Blue Cross Endowed Professor in Health and Racial Equity and the Founding Director of the Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity (CARHE), her work is revolutionary, centering on how systemic racism shapes health outcomes and access to care. Dr. Hardeman also serves as a member of the Advisory Committee to the Director of the CDC, and she was named one of TIME‘s 100 most influential people in the world in 2024.
Her research is a call to address the deep-seated racial disparities that persist in our health care industry. By focusing on the experiences of Black birthing individuals and their babies, Dr. Hardeman highlights the urgent need for culturally-centered care. Her partnership with Roots Community Birth Center exemplifies how community-based approaches can transform maternal and infant health care, providing safe, affirming and effective medical and social support in one of only five Black-owned freestanding birth centers in the United States.
Dr. Hardeman’s studies extend beyond maternal health. She has explored the mental health impacts of racial violence on Black communities and her work, published in prestigious journals like the New England Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Public Health, advances academic knowledge and fosters critical discussions on police brutality and structural racism as fundamental causes of health inequities.
Since establishing CARHE in 2021, Dr. Hardeman has broadened her scope to include areas like adolescent and child health, older adult health and the intersections of economy, labor and criminal justice with public health. CARHE is dedicated to narrative change, actively engaging with media, policymakers and community members to reshape conversations about racial equity in health care both in Minnesota and nationally.
Dr. Hardeman’s leadership exemplifies the spirit of education and inspiration. Her profound impact on public health is evident through her many accolades, including the Dr. Josie R. Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice Award and McKnight Presidential Fellow award.
This Women’s History Month, we are honored to celebrate Dr. Hardeman as our Pinnacle Leader award winner and TRUST Forum keynote. Her relentless pursuit of justice and equity in health care continues to light the way for future generations, proving we can envision a more just and healthy world for everyone when we lift the voices of those most affected by inequity.
We hope you’ll join us at the TRUST Forum on May 8 to be inspired by Dr. Hardeman! Registration is available for individuals and tables. Sponsorship opportunities are available at all levels. Your support helps women in health care advance, create new possibilities and elevate the needs of the community.
Joy King serves as the 2025 TRUST President and is the CEO of the Animal Humane Society (AHS), one of the nation’s leading animal welfare organizations. Prior to AHS, Joy spent nine years at NMDP (formerly the National Marrow Donor Program and Be the Match), where she was Chief Advancement Officer and Executive Director of the NMDP Foundation. Joy spent 16 years in leadership roles at the American Cancer Society, ultimately serving as Senior Vice President of Operations for the organization’s Midwest division. Joy has served on the board of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Inc.’s Emerald Foundation and Jeremiah Program. She has been recognized by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal as a 2015 Women in Business, Twin Cities Business Magazine’s Best In Class Healthcare Executives, Greenspring’s 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders in Minnesota, and Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives.