Keynote Speaker
Dr. Pamela Oliver
Pam Oliver, MD is an Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Novant Health. Over the course of nearly two decades as a practicing OB-GYN and several leadership roles at Novant Health, Dr. Oliver identified three keys to transforming healthcare: creating access, providing remarkable experiences, and building relationships. These three principles, along with her commitment to always start from a place of gratitude and to empower others, govern her leadership of medical group operations, Care Connections, clinic quality and safety initiatives, provider education, and onboarding and engagement efforts.
Dr. Oliver is a board-certified OB-GYN and has been practicing at Novant Health WomanCare since 2005. Always a passionate problem solver, Dr. Oliver took every opportunity to partner with administrators to streamline workflows by serving as Lead Clinician in her practice. She has continued to gain responsibility through a variety of leadership roles, including the Submarket Leader for Specialty Practices in the greater Winston-Salem market, the Physician Service Line Leader of Women’s Services for the greater Winston-Salem market, and the senior physician executive for the Novant Health Physician Network.
Dr. Oliver received her undergraduate degree in biology and her medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead Scholar and Board of Governors’ scholarship recipient. She also earned her master’s degree in public health, with a concentration in maternal and child health, from the UNC School of Public Health while enrolled in medical school.
In addition to her work at Novant Health, Dr. Oliver currently serves as chair for the Forsyth County Infant Mortality Reduction Coalition. She is a member of the Morehead-Cain Scholarship Fund Board and the Summit School board of trustees. Previously, she served on the Board of Visitors for UNC, Chapel Hill.
Chief William Penn
Speaker
Chief William H. Penn, Jr. is a 26-year veteran of the Winston-Salem Police Department. He is a proud Winston-Salem native, having grown up on the city's east side.He began his career with the Winston-Salem Police Department in 1997 and has worked his way through the ranks until his most recent promotion to Chief of Police in January of this year, serving in various capacities throughout the department. Chief Penn is active in community service through Boy Scouts, HBCU Living Legends, Habitat for Humanity, and YMCA of Northwest NC. In addition, he is a recent inductee into Carver High School's Hall of Fame.He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Chief Penn continued his education at Winston-Salem State University, earning a master's degree in Business Administration
Speaker
Shenell McClurkin Thompson
Shenell McClurkin Thompson serves as senior program officer of Local Impact at Kate B Reynolds Charitable Trust. Since joining the Trust in May of 2020, Shenell works with local grantees and diverse partners focused on building an inclusive economy in Forsyth County, while managing the Trust’s Great Expectations Initiative to ensure all children in Forsyth County enter kindergarten ready to learn and leave set for success. Shenell joined the Trust with more than 15 years experience in the nonprofit sector working to address racial disparities and improve the economic mobility for residents in Forsyth County, while advocating on a state and national level. As Founder and Principal of Brick by Brick Consulting NC, an equity consultingfirm – Shenell holds a wealth of passion and knowledge to lead courageous conversations elevating theways institutional and structural racism impede the legacy of justice for all.
