By Dr. Sharon H. Porter | Tuesday, November 14, 2023 | 6:00 AM ET
Today's Divine Nine Member Spotlight is sponsored by the Prospective Doctor Podcast.
Join Vision & Purpose LifeStyle Magazine in celebrating the incredible influence of the members of the Divine Nine! Discover the rich legacy and vibrant impact of these exceptional members in our special Divine Nine Spotlight!
From Alpha to Omega, we're shining a spotlight on the trailblazers, scholars, leaders, and community advocates who make up the Divine Nine. Get ready to dive into the history, achievements, and empowering stories of the members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations that continue to shape our society.
Stay tuned for the exclusive interviews, captivating profiles, and extraordinary journeys of the Divine Nine members on the Vision & Purpose Podcast and upcoming print issues.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts on the incredible impact of these inspiring individuals. Stay tuned for an issue you don't want to miss!
Who or what inspired you to become a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc?
"It is with immense pride that I count myself among the sisterhood of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. The journey began during my high school days under the guidance of an incredible mentor, Sandra Gasaway, who introduced me to the organization through the Delteens. The experience was transformative, exposing me to a cadre of formidable women dedicated to uplifting society through community service. As I observed the landscape of influential leadership, a pattern emerged: many of the powerful, effective, and amazing leaders that I admired were members of this sorority.
History's pages, too, are filled with members who have left an indelible mark on my consciousness and the kind of legacy I aspire to contribute to. It became clear that my ambitions resonated with the sorority’s pillars of sisterhood, scholarship, service, and social action.
Although my journey to be initiated into the sorority was not linear, as I was initiated through an alumnae chapter—THE Prince George's County Alumnae Chapter, to be exact. I am honored to be among some of the most brilliant, service-oriented women who have changed and will continue to impact the world."
About Dr. Erkeda DeRouen
At the forefront of healthcare innovation, Dr. Erkeda DeRouen seamlessly blends her expertise as a triple-board certified Family, Diversity, and Lifestyle Medicine physician with her passion for technological advancement. She possesses a deep understanding of the symbiotic relationship between the human aspect of medicine and the evolving digital landscape.
In her distinguished career, Dr. DeRouen has demonstrated an exceptional capability for scaling businesses. Notably, she has played pivotal roles in collaborations with unicorn founders, and has been a key contributor to the development and growth of technologies that now amass valuations exceeding $1 billion.
Today, Dr. DeRouen's commitment extends to her role as a healthcare consultant, where she champions initiatives that emphasize quality compliance, risk management, and health equity. This endeavor is embodied in her firm, which works to help organizations keep patients healthy while making sure that they are following the standards of the industry. Another passion is health equity. Throughout her life she has witnessed firsthand how inequity seeps through the health system, regardless of socioeconomic status and impacting historically marginalized groups. Her organization, The Pace Makerz was founded with a vision to create an ecosystem that directly tackles the social determinants of health, The Pace Makerz is strategically positioned to reshape the healthcare sector, promoting both technological optimization and health equity.
Beyond her entrepreneurial endeavors, Dr. DeRouen is the esteemed host of "The Prospective Doctor" podcast, where she and her guests discuss Hot topics in medicine, geared towards premedical and medical students. Her influential positions on various reputable boards amplify her commitment to enacting positive change within the industry.
A published author, Dr. DeRouen's literary contributions include co-authoring two best-selling titles, Medicine Women and Taking Care of You . One of her standout moments was her inspiring TEDx presentation titled "Did Disney Just Save Healthcare?!? Imagine This." Through it, she shared a captivating vision of using Disney's Imagineering method to transform healthcare to be more collaborative, innovative, and inclusive.
Recognized as a changemaker in healthcare, Dr. DeRouen's mission resonates powerfully: to intertwine the tenets of humanism in medical care with technological brilliance, crafting a legacy that promises a brighter, more equitable future for all.
About Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated was founded on January 13, 1913, by 22 young women studying at Howard University. They sought to create an organization rooted in sisterhood, scholarship, service, and social action. Today, we have blossomed into more than courageous women could have imagined, with over 350,000 initiated women and over 1,000 chapters located worldwide.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. is a private, not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world. The sorority currently has 1,000 collegiate and alumnae chapters located in the United States, Canada, Japan (Tokyo and Okinawa), Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica, West Africa, Southern African, United Arab Emirates, and the Republic of Korea.
About the Divine Nine
The Divine Nine, formally known as, the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a collaborative umbrella council composed of nine historically African American fraternities and sororities, and also referred to as Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs). The NPHC was formed as a permanent organization on May 10, 1930, on the campus of Howard University, in Washington, D.C., with Matthew W. Bullock as the active Chairman and B. Beatrix Scott as Vice-Chairman. NPHC was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois in 1937.
The council promotes interaction through forums, meetings, and other media for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions.
Each constituent member organization determines its own strategic direction and program agenda. Today, the primary purpose and focus of member organizations remains camaraderie and academic excellence for its members and service to the communities they serve. Each promotes community awareness and action through educational, economic, and cultural service activities.
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