Susan W. Plaster, Director of Diversity, Fairview Health Services, guides Fairview’s system-wide diversity change initiative, focused in three strategic areas:
- culturally competent care,
- workforce diversity
- welcoming environment.
Her work affects Fairview patients, employees and communities. She guides policy, vision, strategy and practice related to inclusion and cultural responsiveness, whether it is at the bedside or in the office environment. She works with leadership, individuals and groups to help advance their learning, and take appropriate actions to address diversity issues and opportunities. Besides leadership commitment, a major asset of Fairview’s Diversity Initiative is the Fairview Diversity Council, more than 40 empowered and informed diversity advocates who support diversity change in the three strategic areas of the initiative.
Previously, Ms. Plaster was the Director of Leadership, Mobility, and Succession Planning for Honeywell Inc. Her staff of 12 led global programs to develop Honeywell’s current and future leaders. She managed worldwide talent review, leadership recognition, rotational candidate slates, and development/succession planning for key positions as well as human resources services for more than 160 international assignees. In addition to Human Resources, her Honeywell career included several leadership positions, including Director of Worldwide Employee Communications from 1990 to 1997.
Before joining Honeywell, Ms. Platers was Corporate Communications Manager for the company that is now Guidant. She holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Minnesota, focused on leadership development. Her bachelor’s degree is in English, education and speech from the College of St. Catherine. She has served as an instructor for the University of St. Thomas in their master’s program in business communications.
Ms. Plaster is a board member for the nonprofit agency, HIRED. She is also on the Diversity Council for the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center. She is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management, the Twin Cities Diversity Roundtable, and the Multicultural Forum Planning Committee.