Follow The Brand Podcast with Host Grant McGaugh

Transforming Maternal Health and Personal Branding with Dr. Alexandria Evans

• Grant McGaugh CEO 5 STAR BDM

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Discover the transformative journey of Dr. Alexandria Evans, a passionate advocate for healthcare reform, as she shares her compelling experiences from the front lines of the emergency room. This episode promises to enlighten you on the critical issues plaguing maternal health in the United States, with a focus on the staggering reality that 80% of maternal deaths are preventable. Dr. Evans, driven by her desire to enact systemic change, reveals her decision to pursue a PhD in public health to tackle these pressing issues head-on, particularly for marginalized communities.

Our conversation ventures deep into the challenges faced by those advocating for maternal health equity, spotlighting the vital role of community-based interventions. We uncover the barriers such as transportation and resource accessibility that significantly affect maternal health outcomes. Through insights from community interviews and an emphasis on understanding social determinants of health, the discussion illustrates the power of listening and collaboration in fostering effective healthcare advocacy and leadership.

In addition to healthcare reform, Dr. Evans brings her expertise in career mentorship and personal branding to the table. Learn how having a network of diverse mentors can broaden your perspective and support your career goals. Dr. Evans shares valuable strategies for articulating career paths through a structured brand blueprint, encouraging authenticity in building your personal brand. With resources from Five-Star BDM at your disposal, seize the opportunity to gain actionable advice for making a meaningful impact in your professional journey.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest marketing trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates from us, be sure to follow us at 5starbdm.com. See you next time on Follow The Brand!

Speaker 1:

Welcome everybody to the Final Brand Podcast. This is Grant McGaughan. I'm going to take it all the way out west. I love Vegas. Everybody knows things about Vegas. They go out there, they do a little gambling, they get out in the sun, lots of good shows out there, plenty to eat. But there is something else going on in the desert and I found out a lot of what's going on from the people who live it, the people who live there. We're going to talk to Dr Alexandria Evans. She recently graduated. She is a phenomenal person and she brought to my attention because everyone knows I'm into healthcare, I love healthcare. I think it's a challenge for us to really hone in on healthcare from a human-centric perspective. For us to really hone in on healthcare from a human-centric perspective. She owns this space. We're going to have a candid conversation with her about why she chose this as a profession and what is her goal for her career as she moves forward. So, alexandria, would you like to introduce yourself?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, hi, thank you for having me. Hi everyone, I'm Dr Alexandria Evans.

Speaker 1:

No-transcript in my zone of genius right, so you're starting to share some of your personal journey. I want to know if you can share some of that journey and how your experiences in the emergency room shaped your passion for maternal health equity.

Speaker 2:

That was such. Of all the jobs I've had, working in the ER was probably the most exciting. I've always loved healthcare. Since I was a kid I was like I want to be a doctor, but I've also loved policy, so working in the ER I saw like a good mix.

Speaker 2:

One thing that really frustrated me and just brought up a lot of emotion for myself, working in the ER is just seeing all of the people that had no resources and then being forced to go to the ER to receive care, and it wasn't necessarily the best location or the best option for them.

Speaker 2:

For example, if you, because of EMTALA, that's the only place you can go if you don't have health insurance. So oftentimes I would see, you know, families, women, young children in there simply because they couldn't get an appointment with their pediatrician or they had a quick question and because our health system is so complicated, the quickest way that they could get care or to get an answer or to resolve whatever issue was to go to the ER, and, while they deserve to have their needs met, it was the inappropriate place, and so at that time I was like you know, I don't know if the ER and like being in medical, going to medical school is the best route for me. I became more interested in policy and the systems that kind of force people into uncomfortable and unequitable situations, and so that's really what shifted my lens from ER to looking at policy and systemic change.

Speaker 1:

And seeing what's taking place, like what's causing that to happen. I understand that Now we're getting to your zone of genius about what inspired you to pursue a PhD in public health. You've had this experience. Now you're telling us hey, you pursued this PhD, you want to make a difference in healthcare policy and systemic reform. Can you talk to us more around those particular pursuits?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, ultimately I decided to get a PhD because I don't think that change can really happen unless you have policies and systems that really uphold institutions and make them implement certain practices, and so I got my PhD. Because I wanted to work in a think tank and there you get to use your brain in whatever way and come up with innovative and creative solutions to address and meet the needs of the people in a real way. I also really enjoy community building and talking with people, and so I felt that was a better way for me to really touch people, meet their needs and come up with just ways that they can live just better lives, have better access. No one should have to struggle to just have their basic needs met.

Speaker 1:

This is important. I just want to double down on that just a little bit, because there are some alarming statistics when it comes to maternal health and outcomes and with you know, specifically women that are giving birth and specifically women of color that are getting birth, that the numbers just aren't very good. You know African Americans make up maybe 13, 14% of the population, but there's some stats out there that kind of alarm. Can you just tell us a little bit more about what? What you see is the big challenge in maternal health that you want to champion?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so 80% of maternal deaths are actually preventable. So I think that's like the most alarming thing, like these deaths should not be happening. People should not be having disparities in maternal health and maternal and child health outcomes. So, first, that's the main point that I like to drive home. But the real root and the real cause is systemic inequities, racism. It really distributes and impacts the flow of resources. So, for example, communities that have less resources, they are more likely to go to urban hospitals and urban facilities that perform worse on the maternal and child health indicators. They have higher C-sections, they have higher infant mortality rates. What else? Just the complications are insane. I mean, it doesn't have to be that way.

Speaker 2:

I think also it's important to tap into implicit bias and knowing that not a lot of providers look like us. And so there's tons of stories you can talk about Beyonce, serena Williams, shalon Irving Tori Bowie, vaughn Irving Tori Bowie. They've all passed away or have had issues while giving birth to their child because they didn't feel heard or respected by their care team. And so those are the real inequities, just on the surface level, when you're actually in labor and delivery and trying to access prenatal care. But deeper than that, the world that we live in right now is very interesting.

Speaker 2:

Reproductive rights, women's health, is under attack. Abortions are no longer legal in a lot of different places, and tied up and wrapped up in that is just reproductive health in general, and abortion and reproductive health is essential for a woman to be able to live a healthy life. Not only is it helpful for the woman, but they also have families, and so the family is also impacted. And so, just looking at those systemic inequities, disparities and access to care, those are major, major flaws in our system that can be addressed if we really put our heads together and work more closely and not operate in silos and start from the top to bottom, from policy, working with community-based organizations, repping in practitioners, whether it's a pediatrician, an OBGYN, high maternal, what is it Shoot, high risk health centers there's there's just tons of there's tons of opportunity, and so just bridging and bringing everyone together is the goal.

Speaker 1:

That is a great goal. You identified some of the problems in the health equity landscape. I want to know this because now you've done your dissertation, you've gotten your academic accomplishments, you know you've got your graduate. If you were in a position of power, someone that could make change, what changes do you think would be practical that you would take on and you would make a change in the community?

Speaker 2:

Ooh, I actually really love that question.

Speaker 2:

I have done some like fundraising and philanthropic work, so I think, connecting funders to legislators in a real way, in a meaningful way, not just brief interactions like brief meetings, but really getting them to understand the community and then training up actual community members so that way we have providers that look like us, serving those that are, you know, in need of maternal health care, developing like community-based interventions like that is something that I'm very, very, very much interested in. Whether it is increasing funding so that way we can have doulas assist and be present, they do improve like maternal and child health outcomes. So, whether it's having doulas more present and having them increasing their funding and reimbursement rates for Medicare, that is something that I would do. Having more lactation consultants, just increasing the diversity in the workforce I think it's extremely important and then finding funding that supports those goals and then kind of like making them a family. I feel like, again, a lot of times things operate in silos and everyone's competing for the same amount of money, but the goal is the same, so just building better relationships.

Speaker 1:

That's so important building better relationships. I like how you just said that you shared with me a couple of different people you look up to in the industry and you said that's who I want to be in the next five and 10 years, so that you have a platform that you can make change happen, so you're not just talking about these things. First of all, share with us who are your mentors and why do you look up to them, and secondly, can you then elaborate on the role of policy and legislation, like the Momnibus Act, in driving systemic health reform, if you were in one of these positions of authority?

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So one of my, a person that I look up to quite a bit, is Monica McLemore. She is a brilliant researcher. She's also a nurse. She was in the Bay Area and for some reason, I want to say she's in Washington right now. I'm not 100% for sure, but I've been following her work for a very, very long time. Dr Jory Creary as well I cited her in my dissertation and there's also tons of legislators like Lauren Underwood. She was part of the Momnibus Act and essentially what that did it recognized the maternal health crisis as being an actual crisis. The United States has one of the worst maternal health crisis in the world and we are an industrialized country, so that's very, very alarming, and what that did really is increase awareness, but also provided funding opportunities. So back to your previous question where you asked about what I would do one of the things it did was open up funding for community-based interventions to really dig deep into the root of the issue and provide specific communities communities that experience the most disparities more resources to combat poor maternal health outcomes.

Speaker 1:

You see that as a big problem now, given the current political landscape? Do you feel? This is how I feel it's just not enough awareness and that people just don't know where, how monies are allocated. And then the effect what is the ultimate outcome? Or the root cause analysis, as you would do, like on a community, so you know, why are these people ending up in er, let's just say, or why are these maternal deaths happening at such an alarming rate in a country like ours? Are we misappropriating our resources in a way?

Speaker 1:

Because, no matter how you want to look at it, it affects the whole community, right? No matter how you look at that, because that the most expensive care you can get is in the ER yeah, it's, then it's not. It's the most expensive and then it's the less effective. You know, because you could be there for things that aren't what you call critical. They're not urgent care, they're just care, you know, and that's it. So my question to you is around, because you just graduated, you probably are, and they know on a lot of these things, what advice would you give to other emerging leaders that are seeking this niche in healthcare advocacy?

Speaker 2:

Get connected with your community. They can tell you better than anything what it is that they need, and I think that's a common misconception and bad practice in most cases in research and the medical space. We tend to often assume and put what we want on people and the solutions that we want. But part of my dissertation actually was really doing a community-based approach to understanding how people utilize perinatal care, and the responses were interesting. So I did a survey, but my favorite part was doing interviews, and so I really spent about an hour with 10 different moms from a specific area here in West Las Vegas and they shared with me what their experiences were, and a lot of times it was the basic social determinants of health that prevented them from being able to access resources. So maybe they didn't have a car. They were struggling to even put food on the table. So they have to pick between going to work and not getting paid for that day. To go to a doctor's appointment where they're sitting in the waiting room for three, four hours to have a 10 minute visit, you know they're not going. Or if they have to take their child to a pediatric visit, they have to take the bus, and that in itself takes a long time. Now their child's dysregulated because they missed nap time, and it's a plethora of things. So the social determinants of health and really understanding the social determinants of health and understanding the communities and what unique things impact them specifically A lot of times I would say nonprofits and organizations it's blanket funding and the ways that people are able to utilize those resources are very specific and it doesn't maximize the impact for the individual.

Speaker 2:

And so, for one example, I interviewed a lady and she was actually from Jamaica and she never got her driver's license out here and so she had to take the bus. But one thing is, this is very unique, but she said I just need to learn how to drive. Like I can afford a car, I just need to learn how to drive. And so those little things bus passes are here, for example are something that are very helpful. If you have a driver's license, you can get a bus pass for 45 days, and it was just more convenient than going to just other nonprofit organizations to get just very like bandaid type solutions.

Speaker 2:

So, really, speaking with the people that have done the work, that live it every day, they know what they need, and so touching base with them and then also I would tell them to know your community so you know what resources are available. It should be a one-stop shop. People shouldn't have to go hunt and pick and scavenger to find what they need. They shouldn't have. It shouldn't be that much work. If we're a community and we want the best for everyone, we should make our resources and things known and available. I think that's a part of capacity building.

Speaker 1:

I like that capacity building. You have a unique leadership style and we have worked together, you know, for the last three or four weeks just building out and really focusing on what you want to accomplish, which has been phenomenal. I would like for you to share a little bit about your leadership style and how you want to utilize that style to position yourself for success.

Speaker 2:

That's a good question. I am very much a. I like to listen, I like to observe, I don't like to assume. One thing I've learned in my life is that you don't know everything, so I like to sit back and listen to others. I don't think that I'm the know-it-all, and so I like to surround myself with people that are able to fill in the gaps and are able to be the strengths where maybe I'm a little bit weaker. Um, I think that makes us a well-rounded team. Um, so I like to surround myself with other brilliant, brilliant minds, um, to help just develop and create, have just meaningful conversations, to challenge me, to push each other. There is no one single solution, and so one mind isn't going to get the job done, and so, yeah, that is how I like to lead, I like to listen, I like to support.

Speaker 2:

I also like people are not there's, we're so complex. We have our own personal lives too, and this is actually very challenging work. I find myself kind of down sometimes because the statistics aren't the best, and when you see people struggling, like it just it doesn't feel good. So, also just using a lens that you also have to take care of yourself, like you can't if you're, if you're not, if your cup isn't full, you can't help anybody else. You can't pour from an empty cup. So I really like to surround myself with other strong individuals. I like to surround myself with people that know more than me, that can teach me, that can help me grow as well. We're a team, we're a unit, and that's how I like to lead in a very balanced space.

Speaker 1:

Very good, very good, and you are very balanced.

Speaker 1:

One of the things that we, you know, I always pride myself when I'm working with individuals, I want to walk in their shoes, and you allowed me to walk a little bit in your shoes, and so take me back in time five years ago, what you were doing, maybe even 10 years ago, as you went across your academic path and how your awareness has changed and how you've looked at different things and you begin to see a world that, at one point, you have certain viewpoints, everybody has a certain viewpoint, as you alluded to but as you begin to go deeper into it, that vision changes, and it changes over time with more information and the more stories about what you're really trying to accomplish with your skill set.

Speaker 1:

So you have a skill set, you have a tool set, you have a very good. Your mindset is what's going to help you to traverse forward. I want you to help and talk to that student right now who's a rebel, right? Maybe this is their first year and they're coming on campus and they maybe they've gone through their first semester. What advice would you give to them if they were on a similar coursework as yourself?

Speaker 2:

Find a mentor. Literally, look up what professors it doesn't have to be in your exact school For example, I was in the School of Public Health. Look at sociology, look at public policy, look anywhere but someone that has similar interests as you and ask them to mentor you. They will. They're more than happy to bring you on and to help you learn and to help you grow. I think it's always important to have like two to three mentors one that has done exactly what it is that you aspire to accomplish, one that is has a similar goal but has taken a bit of a different route, and that way, you're able to have like-minded people supporting you, but you're able to have all of your options available. If you're just starting out, there's no limits. There's no limits, so just don't limit yourself. Be as open, ask questions, talk to people, don't be shy. That's my, that's my advice.

Speaker 1:

I love that, don't be shy. Go ahead and go for it. You know not, you don't have much to lose, uh, except you don't live your full potential. That's the thing I want you to talk to the audience a little bit about, before you met me and when you went through the program, through the brand blueprint strategy and what you feel you got the most out of at this point to help others.

Speaker 2:

Before I met you, I big picture knew what I wanted to do, but what that actually looked like, like the how, I had no idea and it was a bit overwhelming. Especially fresh out of graduation. I'm like I have to have my life figured out right now, and so I just had a lot of pressure on myself. But, working with you, you helped me conceptualize the things that had been in my head and helped me put it to paper. So now I feel like I have a solid foundation and a framework to succeed. When it was in my head it didn't feel digestible. I didn't know the steps, it didn't feel as doable, and now I'm like, okay, I can do this. There's a plan I can move forward and I can move forward confidently. So I helped me understand my career goals better. It helped me articulate my career goals better and it also helped me understand myself better of your career trajectory so that it's more unified, there's more clarity in everything.

Speaker 1:

And then now, as you stated, you have a physical blueprint that you can look at and then you can hold yourself accountable. Like I said, if I haven't accomplished a certain task, or wherever it may be, in a certain period of time, I have to only look at myself, like what did I do, or what didn't I do, or what didn't I do, or then what did I learn out of this? As we went through the entire framework and I love the fact that you really understood this one particular point was. That was relationships. You've got to have the right relationships. It's not about having thousands of followers and thousands of connections. You need 25 to 50 of the right connections, people that really believe in you.

Speaker 1:

As you started to start, it alluded to earlier about mentorships and people that advocate for you, someone that says, hey, we've got a particular issue or a problem. Who can we bring into this equation that's going to help solve it? Also, you want your name to come up Dr Alexandria Evans. Whoa, who is she? And then you've got your whole way of telling that story. That's authentic. It's about being authentic, and that's another thing I got from working with you as we got through this is that we weren't building a personal brand for you that was outside of yourself. It was just filling in the clarity and the vividness of who you are as an individual as you move forward and you can speak confidently to anyone else?

Speaker 1:

about what it is that you want to accomplish. I really, really like that about you and I want you to continue, continue on that journey, for sure, for sure. What parting words would you leave with our audience that you feel that you know what I want? To make sure I tell this part of the story because it means so much to you.

Speaker 2:

I would say it's unrelated to maternal health but always use your voice, be an advocate. We're here to make the world a better place, to leave it better than what we found it. And you can't do so if you don't use your voice and know yourself, know your core values and your core beliefs. So, really getting in touch with yourself and using your voice to go forth and go out into the world and just make it so much better than the way you found it.

Speaker 1:

I love that Great statement. Great statement you are on your way. Watch out Las Vegas. We got a new player in town. She's going to make some major, major changes in what you do. The audience needs to know how to contact you, so what is the best way?

Speaker 2:

My email or LinkedIn. My email is alexandriasevans at gmailcom, and then you can also find me on LinkedIn, alexandria S Evans at gmailcom, and then you can also find me on LinkedIn Alexandria Evans. I think it's PhD in PA. I could, if possible, drop the link somewhere somehow. But yeah, that's where you can find me. That's where I'm.

Speaker 1:

Well, we'll definitely have it in the show notes. You've done a wonderful job. Love working with you, Love your mission. Anything I can do going forward to help you, I would certainly never hesitate to reach out, especially your fellow rebels. No, they. It was like hey, I see where Dr Alexandra Evans is of the track that she's on. How do I get all that track? And I say, hey, go to five-star BDM. That's number five. That star is B for brand, B for development. Infomasterscom. You can view all the episodes and follow around there. You'll pick up the golden nuggets of how you can begin to build up your own personal brand for career development and business development going forward. So I want to thank you again for being on the show.

Speaker 2:

Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

Speaker 1:

You're welcome.