Diversity in Action: Honoring Rehab Medical's Black Leaders

At Rehab Medical, diversity is a driving force behind innovation and success. As the company continues its mission to improve lives through custom advanced mobility solutions, it recognizes that the strength of its leadership lies in the diversity of its voices.

In honor of Black History Month, Rehab Medical proudly honors the remarkable contributions of its Black leaders, whose vision, dedication, and resilience inspire positive change within the organization and the communities it serves.

By embracing diverse perspectives, the company reaffirms its commitment to fostering an inclusive culture where everyone has the opportunity to lead and thrive. This celebration of the company’s Black leadership also highlights employee achievements and the importance of representation and equity in the company’s quest to improve the lives of all those they serve.

Leaders from diverse backgrounds bring unique perspectives, experiences, and approaches to problem-solving. These varied viewpoints enable teams to develop creative solutions, anticipate challenges from multiple angles, and make more informed decisions. Moreover, diverse leaders serve as role models.

When individuals see leaders who share their backgrounds or experiences, it reinforces the belief that success is achievable—regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or other characteristics—inspiring individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue leadership roles themselves.

When it comes to the importance of having a diverse leadership team in the healthcare field, there are several key areas where this can be the most impactful.

Understanding Different Demographics and Their Needs: In healthcare, having leaders from varied backgrounds can offer insights into the unique needs of different communities. This ensures the proper healthcare services are more culturally competent and tailored to diverse populations.

Creating Awareness: Diverse leaders can shine a light on health disparities and ensure that efforts to improve healthcare accessibility and equity are prioritized. They are also more likely to advocate for the implementation of policies that address the needs of underserved groups.

Fostering Trust Between Healthcare Professionals and Patients: Patients are more likely to feel comfortable and trust healthcare providers who reflect their own experiences, cultural values, and backgrounds. By championing diverse leadership, healthcare organizations can build stronger patient-provider relationships, ensuring care is delivered with cultural understanding and greater trust.

By actively promoting diverse leadership, organizations contribute to a more just and equitable society, setting an example for others to follow.

Black leaders have shaped the world in profound ways, often overcoming systemic barriers to achieve extraordinary success—from historical figures like Harriet Tubman, who led enslaved people to freedom, to modern trailblazers like Mae Jemison, the first black woman astronaut to travel to space—black leaders have demonstrated resilience, innovation, and courage.

Due to these legendary black leaders, Rehab Medical has been inspired to cultivate its legacy of black leaders, beginning with the company’s pioneering black leaders: Keith Hawkins, chief sales officer, and Jarrad Rankin, vice president of operations. These two black leaders have contributed to the growth, success, and thriving culture of the company. They’ve paved the way for future generations of Rehab Medical leaders, fostering an environment where diversity is not just welcomed, but prioritized, ensuring there is representation in every aspect of the organization.

Now, hear from a few of Rehab Medical’s diverse leaders who have followed the path Keith and Jarrad created, building on their legacy to inspire the next generation.

Tamiko Utley

Insurance Collections Manager

Growing up, my parents always taught me to be myself and do my best in everything I do. This is why I strive to lead by example, but leadership isn't about me or my aspirations—it's about the people I work with, my team, and how I can inspire others to want to become leaders themselves.

I've encountered many leaders and challenges over the years, and I've seen some misuse their titles to mistreat others. To me, a title doesn’t define a leader—the leader defines the title. When you can bring more diversity into leadership, you’ll find that a variety of perspectives, experiences, and ideas are shared in the workplace, allowing organizations to become better equipped to understand and address the needs of employees, customers, and the community.

As I live by the golden rule of ‘treat people the way you want to be treated, no matter the circumstances’, I aim to encourage everyone on my team to be their best, both at work and at home. This mindset has been key to my success as a leader.

Kiara Blunt

Sales Manager

Diversity in leadership is invaluable. Representation brings fresh perspectives, fosters innovation, and creates a more inclusive environment. The company's commitment to diversity and inclusion across ethnicity, gender, and creed creates a supportive and empowering environment for all.

I tend to lead through mentorship and development because there's immense fulfillment in seeing others grow and reach their potential—it impacts not just the individual but the entire team and organization. The excitement of witnessing my team members' growth is a powerful motivator and a core aspect of effective leadership. I’ve personally experienced the encouragement to 'beat the boys,' turning challenges into exciting opportunities.

It’s inspiring to see organizations empowering individuals, especially women and underrepresented groups, to break barriers and excel. Leadership isn’t about gender or any characteristic—it’s about capability, resilience, empathy, patience, and a commitment to creating an environment where people can thrive. I believe leaders who empower others leave a lasting, meaningful impact.

Anton Chase

Compliance Manager

Diversity in healthcare is vital to ensuring that the unique health challenges affecting underrepresented communities are represented, driving meaningful research, development, and solutions.

At some point in time, a leader was once an individual contributor with aspirations of leading. I truly believe those experiences during that time shape how you will be as a leader. With time and experience being the best teacher, this holds true being a diverse leader.

My leadership drive comes from the ability to positively impact lives through guidance, support, and wisdom that fosters personal and career growth. Seeing someone in leadership who represents a minority group can inspire others to aim high and achieve their goals. Those life lessons, career obstacles, and leveraging mentors all have aided in my success.

Terrel Brown

Quality Assurance Manager

The challenges I’ve faced as a diverse leader have shaped my success by helping me become more adaptable and better able to connect with others. It’s also helped me promote more diversity by creating opportunities for individuals who may not traditionally be seen as leaders, offering them the support, resources, and guidance they need to grow.

I’m passionate about creating environments where people feel supported, valued, and inspired to contribute their best. Overcoming barriers has given me the confidence to navigate complex situations where others might see limitations. These experiences have also honed my ability to communicate effectively with diverse groups. In essence, I’ve gained unique insights that enable me to drive change, build strong relationships, and be recognized as a vital contributor to success. 

Dejon Gary

Regional Sales Director

I believe diverse leadership in healthcare is essential. It enables organizations to understand how different communities view healthcare. For instance, in my community, men tend to avoid seeing a doctor until it's too late, while this may not be the case in other communities.

As a leader, my understanding of this allows me to offer valuable insights that can guide our company’s decisions and improve the care we provide to our patients.  

Diverse leadership is important in any organization because it provides multiple perspectives when it comes to decision-making. It allows leaders from different backgrounds to provide information/guidance from their point of view. It allows the organization to better connect with employees and relate to all employees. 

With how I view diverse leadership as a means of representing all viewpoints, I'm certain my leadership journey encourages other individuals in and outside of our company to strive for their goals. When they see me winning numerous awards and consistently getting promotions, they start to believe/understand that it's possible for them to achieve this same success. I also believe the most successful companies have diverse leadership, and I’m proud that our organization embraces this diversity. I’m convinced that this is one of the key reasons for our success.  

Rehab Medical is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where employees from all backgrounds feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. By celebrating and supporting Black leaders, Rehab Medical not only acknowledges their contributions but also strengthens its collective progress.

As we honor Black History Month, let us celebrate the importance of diversity in leadership and reaffirm our commitment to fostering inclusivity. This month serves as a powerful reminder that true leadership knows no bounds and that embracing diversity continues to strengthen and enrich organizations and communities worldwide.