United for Impact: Building Healthcare Coalitions that Last
When healthcare leaders, advocates, and community partners gathered in Boston this year, something special happened. The TIE Summit became more than a conference—it became a space where genuine connections sparked real solutions.
The 2025 TIE (Trust, Inclusion and Equity) Summit brought together passionate people united by a common goal: making healthcare work better for everyone. Under the theme "United for Impact," the day unfolded as a blend of inspiring stories, practical strategies, and honest conversations about how we can close health gaps together.
Setting the Stage for Collaboration
Diana Blankman, Head of U.S. Corporate Social Responsibility, and Subarna Malakar, North America Inclusion Lead at Sanofi, opened the day with warmth and purpose. They framed the summit's theme not as a lofty idea, but as something tangible—a way of working that anyone can embrace.
United for Impact reflects our shared belief that real, lasting progress comes when organizations, communities, and individuals lead together in solidarity. Diana Blankman, Head of U.S. Corporate Social Responsibility
Their words set a welcoming tone for the day ahead, reminding everyone that meaningful change happens when we work side by side.
Partnership in Action: A Story of Expanding Access
One of the day's most compelling examples came from Sanofi's ongoing partnership with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). Dr. Jeff Auletta, Senior Vice President at NMDP, walked attendees through how focused collaboration can open doors for patients who've historically faced longer odds in finding bone marrow matches.
The numbers tell an important story: only about half of Hispanic patients find suitable matches, with even lower rates for other ethnic groups. But here's where it gets encouraging—through initiatives like their Historically Black College and University (HBCU) campus program, more than 5,000 new donors have joined the registry, each one representing new hope for patients in need.
Every three minutes someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with life-threatening blood cancer. Finding a donor for all patients is now a reality, but equity requires more than matching biology…Closing the access gap is where Sanofi's partnership is helping.
Dr. Jeff Auletta, NMDP Senior Vice President, CIBMTR & Clinical Services
It's a powerful reminder that when organizations pool their resources and expertise, they can create pathways that didn't exist before.
The Foundation of Everything: Building Trust
The summit is part of Sanofi's global "A Million Conversations" initiative, which focuses on strengthening trust in healthcare with communities that have been historically under-supported. Throughout the day, speakers returned to this essential theme: trust isn't automatic—it's earned through genuine engagement and consistent follow-through.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, former Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shared thoughtful reflections from her time leading public health efforts.
We don't appreciate all the ways public health reaches us when we take it for granted. I couldn't do the vital work I need to in public health without being trusted. To gain that trust, our healthcare systems need to talk to the public with one singular voice. And the work to rebuild trust is going to come from people hearing from members of their communities where they are. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, former Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The 2025 Trust, Inclusion and Equity Summit brought together passionate people united by a common goal: making healthcare work better for everyone.
Learning to Navigate Difficult Conversations
The Art of Dialogue session, led by Lewis Iwu and Tanisha Sullivan, gave participants something practical to take home: tools for having tough conversations with grace and effectiveness. Rather than avoiding disagreement, they explored how to recognize shared values and find common ground even when perspectives differ.
It was a refreshing reminder that building coalitions doesn't mean everyone has to agree on everything—it means learning to work together despite our differences.
From Strategy to Sustainability
The afternoon shifted into hands-on mode with a coalition-building workshop where participants tackled real-world challenges. Conversations ranged from navigating power dynamics to maintaining equitable engagement over time—the kind of practical considerations that determine whether partnerships thrive or fizzle out.
Athlete and polio survivor Minda Dentler brought a personal perspective on what keeps us going when the work gets hard. Her journey offered a powerful parallel to the work of sustaining coalitions.
Believe in yourself, even when it's hard. And when you get knocked down, get back up, adjust, retool, and keep going. I believe everyone has what it takes to succeed. Minda Dentler
Her message resonated because it captured something essential: resilience isn't just about individual determination—it's what keeps collaborative efforts alive through challenges and setbacks.
A Moment to Reflect and Reconnect
As the day drew to a close, poet and author Saeed Jones offered a reading that brought a sense of stillness to the room. His reflection on empathy and human connection reminded everyone that beneath all the strategy and planning, this work is fundamentally about people caring for people.
His observation that "we are connected more than we realize" captured the heart of what made the day meaningful—the recognition that we're all in this together.
Carrying the Momentum Forward
The summit concluded with the launch of the TIE 2025 Communiqué—a collective commitment from all participants to continue the work begun that day. It's a promise to listen to patient and community voices, to deepen existing partnerships while building new ones, and to keep working toward accessible, quality healthcare for everyone.
Participants left feeling energized and connected, carrying with them new relationships, fresh ideas, and a renewed sense of what's possible when we unite for impact.