AHN Appoints Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Veronica Villalobos Joins Network from U.S. Office of Personnel Management, will work with AHN’s new chief diversity officer to champion DEI efforts

PITTSBURGH, PA (December 10, 2020) – Allegheny Health Network (AHN) today announced the appointment of Veronica Villalobos, JD, as Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Ms. Villalobos will work closely with AHN’s newly hired Chief Clinical Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, to build a more diverse and inclusive workforce, to ensure clinical programs are accessible to all, and to address health disparities among patients and within communities across western Pennsylvania.

Prior to joining AHN, Ms. Villalobos served more than a decade within the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), most recently as Principal Deputy Associate Director, Employee Services division.  She previously led OPM’s government-wide diversity effort, where she helped to develop and implement strategies and initiatives designed to create a more diverse and inclusive federal workforce.

Previously, she was appointed one of the first Honor Program Attorneys for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). There, she served as the Chair of the Federal Hispanic Work Group, where she was tasked with examining the Hispanic community's systemic concerns about federal sector employment and executive development.

“Ms. Villalobos has spent decades opening doors for minoritized individuals by fighting institutional hiring biases, and by helping all voices to be heard and represented within the federal government,” said Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew. “We are thrilled she will now continue her work as a diversity champion at AHN, ensuring that we are a forward-thinking, culturally diverse and competent organization that seeks health equity for its patients, and treats its workforce and prospective employees with dignity at all times.”

Ms. Villalobos earned her juris doctorate from American University’s Washington College of Law and graduated from Saint Mary's College in South Bend, Indiana with a bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology. Following her undergraduate degree, she received a Telecommunications Fellowship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. Ms. Villalobos is a member of the Maryland and Michigan Bars.

“I am excited to be joining AHN, where we have the full support of leadership to continue to create an inclusive environment where each team member and patient is valued and experiences a sense of well-being and belonging,” said Ms. Villalobos. “Together, we will identify innovative ways to advance equity and cultural competency to further enable world class health care.”

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About the Allegheny Health Network

Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org), a Highmark Health company, is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 13 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, multiple employed physician organizations, home and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women’s health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more.  AHN employs approximately 21,000 people, has more than 2,500 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.