Providence Alaska: Care for the poor and vulnerable.

• Author: Anderson, Tasha
• Position: Corporate 100

Providence Health & Services Alaska set foot in Alaska in 1902 during the Gold Rush in Nome when the Sisters of Providence first brought healthcare to the Last Frontier. Since then Providence has grown, providing healthcare in six Alaska communities: Anchorage, Eagle River, Kodiak Island, Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Seward, and Valdez. In Alaska, Providence has 4,000 employees, led by Bruce Lamoureux, Senior VP/CEO of the Providence Alaska Region.

For the last nearly eleven years Lamoureux has been with Providence--all of those here in Alaska--after moving here from Los Angeles. He says moving to Alaska has been extremely positive. "I wish I would have come here as a young man. I just find my soul nourished being in Alaska; Alaskans are gracious and welcoming, so it's been not only an easy transition, but a welcome transition."

Workforce Diversity

Lamoureux says that Providence has a diverse workforce and that Providence's Alaska employees are predominantly women, approximately 73 percent. He continues, "We believe that diversity is an asset for the organization and for us to have a workforce that resembles communities we serve in allows us to better understand the needs of people that entrust their care to us." When injured, a person's needs are often not only physical but also cultural or psychosocial issues that may arise from different communities and upbringing.

Providence has intentionally developed diversity in its employee base. Lamoureux says diversity starts with the simplest thing, "and that is that we welcome people from all backgrounds." He says their diversity development also happens through school programs, career awareness fairs, and education/observation programs where Providence makes opportunities for youths to shadow Providence employees.

"We find our best ambassadors are in fact our own employees," he says. "If you are someone from a particular sector of Anchorage, chances are you are in conversations with people who share some qualities and attributes that you may have, and they are more likely to then learn about Providence, consider whether or not employment might be of interest and a fit, and then [are] more likely to apply," he explains.

He says that in some areas Providence is intentional in their workforce diversity and development. "As an example, our senior executive council is composed of nine people, five of whom are women," Lamoureux says. "We have programs to help develop people, develop their familiarity...