Dr. Nneka Sederstrom serves as Chief Health Equity Officer, Hennepin Healthcare System. She received her BA in Philosophy from George Washington University in 2001. She began her career at the Center for Ethics at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, the same year. She completed her Masters in Philosophy and Public Policy from Howard University in 2003 and began her PhD studies in Medical Sociology and Race, Class, and Gender Inequalities at the same university. After beginning her PhD studies, she was made Director of the Center for Ethics and Director of the Spiritual Care Department. She held these positions until she left to join Children’s Minnesota in March 2016 where she served as the Director of the Clinical Ethics Department for almost 5 years. She has recently joined the executive leadership team at Hennepin Healthcare System as the new Chief Health Equity Officer where she will lead efforts in addressing health disparities, equity, and antiracism in the institution and community.
Her PhD is in Sociology with concentrations in Medical Sociology and Race, Class, and Gender Inequality, MPH in Global Health Management, and MA in Philosophy. She is a member of several professional societies and holds a leadership position in CHEST Medicine and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. She is a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and a Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine. She is widely published in Equity and Clinical Ethics and speaks regularly at national and international meetings.
Dr. Sederstrom is the mother of two amazing children and married to an amazing husband. She loves to read (especially long epic fantasy series), dance, knit, bake and engage in all things crafty. Her favorite music is anything from before 2005, and her favorite quote is by Maya Angelou, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”