Search Site close Close
Alonzo Kenniebrew, MD
News

Kenniebrew events on February 8-9 to encourage health equity

Published Date:

Each February, SIU School of Medicine hosts a series of events to honor Dr. Alonzo Kenniebrew, the first Black physician in the United States to build and operate a private surgical hospital. In 2023 the Kenniebrew Lecture and Forum was expanded to include an all-day medical conference. This year, that gathering is being renamed to honor the late Dr. Wesley Robinson-McNeese, the former SIU System executive director for diversity initiatives and a pioneer at SIU School of Medicine. The Kenniebrew-McNeese Conference will conclude the two days of events on February 9.

“Both Dr. Kenniebrew and Dr. McNeese were trailblazers and humanitarians in central Illinois,” said Dr. Wendi Wills El-Amin, associate dean for equity, diversity and inclusion at SIU School of Medicine. “We need to continue to co-create strategies with our communities so that they can thrive.”

Dr. Gloria Richard-Davis will be the featured speaker and visiting professor for the week. She is executive director of the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences (UAMS) Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She is also a tenured professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (UAMS) and division director for reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Dr. Richard-Davis will deliver the Kenniebrew Lecture at 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, February 8, at the Memorial Learning Center (MLC), 228 West Miller St., Springfield, IL.

The Community Forum will be held at the MLC on Thursday morning, February 8. The forum provides an opportunity for community members to have an open conversation about trust, race and health. The gathering begins at 8 a.m. with a continental breakfast in the Nelson Family Auditorium. The program starts at 9 a.m. Area activists, social service providers and the general public are invited to attend.

The Kenniebrew-McNeese Medical Conference will be held from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Friday, February 9, also at the MLC. It is designed for medical professionals and community members, with the theme ‘On the Shoulders of Giants.’ Opening and closing plenary speakers, a panel lunch discussion and numerous breakout sessions will offer information and insights on ways to make health care more accessible and improve outcomes for underserved populations. Conference registration and details can be found here. Guests should register by February 5.

The lecture and community forum are open to the general public. HSHS St. John’s Hospital, Memorial Health System and the SIU Foundation are underwriting the cost of the annual Kenniebrew events. 
 

More from SIU News

801

SIU Medicine launches national search for next dean, provost and CEO

Southern Illinois University Medicine has launched a national search for its next dean, provost and CEO. The search will be conducted in partnership with Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm specializing in academic medicine and higher education leadership.
Ginger Meyer and Allison Jackson

Ginger Meyer honored for leadership in trauma recovery

Ginger Meyer has spent more than twenty years helping children and families in southern Illinois heal from trauma, and her steady leadership recently earned national recognition from the Academy on Violence and Abuse. As clinical director of SIU School of Medicine’s Children’s Medical and Mental Health Resource Network, she has expanded access to trauma-informed care across rural communities, supported partners who serve children affected by abuse and violence, and trained hundreds of graduate students in evidence-based treatment. Her service with AVA strengthened national efforts to integrate trauma-informed practices into health care, and colleagues praise her ability to unite teams, guide change and keep families at the center of the work. Through her leadership, more children across central and southern Illinois can find safety, support and hope close to home.
Moy Clinic Building in winter

AFSCME, SIU School of Medicine ink 3-year agreement

SIU School of Medicine and AFSCME Local 370 have finalized and ratified a new collective bargaining agreement, effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. The union represents more than 800 school employees across its campuses.