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Bogalusa, LA – Our Lady of the Angels Health hosted its annual Diversity Walk on April 17 at Goodyear Fitness Park. The event brought team members together to celebrate diversity and promote unity.

The Diversity Walk featured colorful signs prompting thoughtful conversation. Participants were encouraged to take a walk with a colleague that they may not have known that well or who comes from a different background than them.

“As an organization, we understand that our strength comes from our differences, and we strive to create a workplace where every team member feels valued, respected and supported,” said Tina Schaffer, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System Vice President of Talent Strategy and Chief Diversity Officer. “We are committed to continuing to make progress in this area and to championing diversity and inclusion as a core tenet of our organization.”

Provided with question prompts, team members were allowed an opportunity to connect and learn more about each other during the Diversity Walk. The organizational culture of inclusion and belonging sets up team members for success as they work together to serve our community.

“Our team relies on each other every day to meet people where they are, often in difficult circumstances. We are intentional about cultivating a culture of respect and support. We are a family, and events like this help to ensure that everyone knows they belong,” said Ralph Serpas III, VP, Chief Operating Officer, Our Lady of the Angels Health.

Our Lady of the Angels Health, as part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, is committed to creating an inclusive workplace and promoting diversity and inclusion in the community.

To learn more about Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and its commitment to diversity and inclusion, please visit fmolhs.org/dei.

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About Our Lady of the Angels Health

Our Lady of the Angels Health in Bogalusa, Louisiana, has a team of more than 450 employees committed to building a healthier community through excellence in patient care and community education. With a full-service acute care hospital, more than a dozen primary and specialty clinics, extended primary care and pediatric hours, and a team of more than 300 credentialed providers, Our Lady of the Angels provides comprehensive Catholic healthcare services for the people of Washington Parish and the surrounding areas. Our Lady of the Angels is a teaching site for graduate medical education, in partnership with LSU Health—operating the only rurally located rural family medicine residency program in Louisiana and one of only 55 in the nation. Our Lady of the Angels is part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and is driven by its mission to serve all of God’s people, especially those most in need. For more information, visit www.oloah.org.

About the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System

The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System is one of the largest healthcare systems based in Louisiana and is the leading healthcare provider for more than half the state’s population. The health system is a non-profit, Catholic organization sponsored by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the ministry serves patients in Louisiana and Mississippi through a network of hospitals, clinics, physicians and integrated health systems. The health system’s unified physician organization is comprised of more than 1,100 adult and pediatric primary care physicians and specialists. The system’s nine main campus hospitals include St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge and Gonzales, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, Heart Hospital, and Women’s & Children’s Hospital in Lafayette, Our Lady of the Angels in Bogalusa, and St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. For more information, visit fmolhs.org.