KC Health Collaborative Selects Prominent Attorney and Diversity and Equity Champion, Dan Cranshaw, as Executive Director
Kansas City, MO. [June 21, 2023] - The KC Health Collaborative (KCHC), a pioneering organization dedicated to driving healthcare innovation and transformation, is pleased to announce the selection of Dan Cranshaw as its new Executive Director. With a remarkable passion for advancing equity in community health, Dan brings a wealth of expertise to this critical role.
As Executive Director, Cranshaw will lead the strategic vision of the KC Health Collaborative, driving efforts to improve health outcomes throughout the Kansas City region. With a focus on fostering innovation, cultivating cross-sector partnerships, and promoting community engagement, Cranshaw will play a pivotal role in reshaping healthcare delivery and advancing health equity throughout the Kansas City community.
As a community advancement champion, Cranshaw has deep connections to leaders in business, government and the broader community. He is fiercely dedicated to building a legacy that has a lasting, positive impact by supporting and promoting education, economic empowerment and quality of life initiatives for the underrepresented citizens of Kansas City.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dan as the new Executive Director of the KC Health Collaborative," said Bruce Bagley, MD, chairman of the KC Health Collaborative Board of Directors. "Dan’s servant leadership demonstrates his passion for giving back to our community and supporting organizations whose missions promote diversity, equity and inclusion. His unwavering commitment to community service makes him the perfect leader to guide our organization into the future.”
After working in education for ten years, Cranshaw spent 20 years in the legal profession as a litigator, leader, and driver of diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2019, Cranshaw was honored by Missouri Lawyers Media with its Diversity and Inclusion Award. He serves as Co-Chair of the Greater Kansas City chapter of the Princeton Prize in Race Relations and was instrumental in creating the Kansas City chapter. The Princeton Prize in Race Relations supports and encourages high school students committed to fostering positive race relations within their communities. He was recently honored with the Greater Kansas City Chamber’s Bernard Powell Award for demonstrating outstanding leadership, a deep commitment to service, and a passion for improving the Greater Kansas City area.
Additionally, Cranshaw is a member Supreme Court of Missouri’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness (CREF). The Commission’s goal is to examine and review current practices, and to recommend measures to ensure fairness, impartiality, equal access, and full participation for racial and ethnic minorities in the judicial process and in the practice of law.
Throughout his career, Cranshaw has provided board leadership for a number of nonprofit organizations including SchoolSmartKC, the Urban Neighborhood Initiative, the American Jazz Museum, United WE, Cornerstones of Care, The Kansas & Western Missouri Salvation Army, Kansas City CARE Clinic, Don Bosco Community Centers, Swope Health Services, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and Deerfield Academy Alumni Association.
"It is a tremendous honor to join the KC Health Collaborative and work alongside dedicated professionals who are committed to transforming healthcare in our community," said Cranshaw. "I believe that by leveraging the power of collaboration and innovation, we can create a future where everyone has access to high-quality healthcare services. I am excited to lead the organization in driving positive change and improving health outcomes for all residents of the Kansas City region."
The KC Health Collaborative is a consortium of healthcare providers, insurers, employers, community organizations, and academic institutions working together to drive healthcare innovation and improve population health. By fostering cross-sector partnerships, the collaborative aims to break down silos, promote data-driven decision-making, and implement evidence-based practices that address the most pressing health challenges facing the community.
Cranshaw will play a key role in advancing health equity in Kansas City through The Kansas City Health Equity Learning and Action Network, a comprehensive, multi-sector strategy to address the conditions that create barriers to optimal health and well-being for all. The Health Forward Foundation and KC Health Collaborative, in partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and local thought leaders, brings together the region’s healthcare ecosystem to address the factors that lead to inequities in health access, treatment and outcomes.
“I am excited and assured about the impact of KCHC under the leadership of Dan Cranshaw,” said Qiana Thomason, president and CEO of the Health Forward Foundation. “Together, through our work on the Kansas City Health Equity Learning and Action Network, KCHC and Health Forward Foundation are creating a high-quality health ecosystem rooted in equity, humanity, and community by helping leaders address inequitable systems and practices that stifle good health outcomes in our region.”
With Cranshaw at the helm, the KC Health Collaborative is well-positioned to accelerate its impact and make significant strides in improving health outcomes, reducing disparities, and promoting wellness throughout the Kansas City region.
About the KC Health Collaborative
The KC Health Collaborative is a pioneering organization that brings together diverse stakeholders to drive healthcare innovation, improve population health, and promote health equity in the Kansas City region. By fostering collaboration, the collaborative aims to transform healthcare delivery and create a healthier future for all residents.