OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Marylandian -- Today, the National Minority Health Association (NMHA) announced the appointment of Disney executive Angelica McKinley to its board of directors. She most recently served as Art Director at Google and comes to NMHA in her new role as a Creative Director at The Walt Disney Company.

"As I embark on my new professional and creative role at The Walt Disney Company, I felt a need to use my Silicon Valley art and tech experience to add focus and help address one of the most challenging health issues facing people of color," said McKinley. "I want to use my passion for art to flip the script and break the code— as one's zip code is the most important determinant of health for people of color."

For example, fibroids are a common problem, particularly among Black women. While there is an array of treatments, including medications and myomectomy, physicians often recommend surgery that removes fibroids and preserves the uterus. After going through the process of getting a myomectomy in 2019, McKinley realized how many of her friends and other Black women were suffering in silence from fibroids.

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"There are many different illnesses affecting specific ethnic groups and not enough research and care is going into developing treatments, cures, and insurance coverage for these illnesses," said McKinley.

McKinley is a creative leader who thrives at the intersection of storytelling and technology. Most recently, she expanded art direction and visual expression on the world's most visited website through highly impactful, emotionally resonant iterations of Google's logo, centering on globally diverse artists, cultural nuance, and nostalgia. Previously, McKinley created visuals at Apple News, Slack, and The New York Times.

In the "Technically Speaking" podcast with Harrison Wheeler, McKinley speaks of telling stories about the Black experience in an elevated way. This derives from her shared experience of having to live through implicit bias and a lack of health equity. McKinley says that health equity needs the same level of visual storytelling that big brands enjoy in order to create awareness, foster education, and ultimately impact the change we want to see.

"As a board and organization, we are excited to welcome Angelica and leverage her expertise in technology and storytelling through art to help advance our mission to create a more equitable healthcare system for all," said Burgess Harrison, NMHA Executive Director. "Angelica will amplify our message that a lack of health equity equates to shorter life expectancy for people of color and underserved communities and that we must fight until these groups have access to quality care."

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About NMHA. The National Minority Health Association, founded in 1988 by Dr. David L. Dalton, Chairman & CEO of UNIVEC Conglomerate, Inc. (UNVC), achieved its initial mission of ensuring the establishment of Offices of Minority Health in all 50 states. Today, NMHA is adding to its mission, administering an $11.1M HRSA grant to reduce vaccine hesitancy, and deploying new programs that utilize patient-centered, value-based care and new ways of enhancing care to patients where they are –  lowering costs and improving outcomes for minority and underserved communities.

To find out more, please visit www.theNMHA.org. Become a member of the NMHA Health Equity Action Leaders network (HEAL) and join the fight for health equity – https://www.thenmha.org/donation.