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These Women, Who Embody the Best of Outside-the-Box Thinking, Will Receive the N.J. Chamber's 'Women Leaders in Innovation' Award

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce announced today that it is honoring two women who have used desire, hard work and innovative programs to create economic opportunities for marginalized New Jerseyans, and help make New Jersey a better and more equitable place to live and work. They are:

• DeAnna Minus-Vincent, executive vice president, chief social justice and accountability officer at RWJBarnabas Health, whose primary job responsibility calls for pursuing an “intentionally anti-racist, equitable culture” both within RJWB Health and outside its walls in its communities.

• Jill Johnson, co-founder and CEO of the Newark-based Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL), who is a thought leader and trailblazer working to foster an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem for people from historically excluded populations.

The women will be honored at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce's fifth Alice H. Parker Women Leaders in Innovation Awards event on Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. at the Westminster Hotel in Livingston.

“The award recipients selected by the N.J. Chamber have demonstrated that innovative thinking can lead to a more equitable New Jersey,” said Tom Bracken, president and CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. “Both DeAnna and Jill employ new ideas to break down old barriers and pave the way for historically marginalized people to gain access to the tools needed to succeed.”

DeAnna Minus-Vincent, executive vice president, chief social justice and accountability officer at RWJBarnabas Health, is the awardee for innovation in health care and social justice

Minus-Vincent’s primary job responsibility is to pursue an “intentionally anti-racist, equitable culture” within RJWB Health’s system and its communities.

She leads RWJB Health’s "Ending Racism Together” program and other initiatives that improve health outcomes and promote health equity. Overall, she is responsible for ensuring all RWJBarnabas patients and employees are afforded an equitable environment, free of discrimination.

Most recently, Minus-Vincent, a Trenton native, co-designed and launched RWJB Health’s ‘Health Beyond the Hospital’ initiative, which will allow physicians to identify social factors contributing to their patients’ health and streamline the process of connecting to resources when needed.

Minus-Vincent received a Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University, and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Morgan State University. Born and raised in Trenton, she is a native New Jerseyan and lives in Lumberton with her husband and daughter.

Jill Johnson, co-founder and CEO of Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL), is the awardee for innovation in finance and social advancement

In 2002, Johnson co-founded IFEL, an independent not-for-profit that paves the way for people from historically marginalized populations to have equal opportunity for success. IFEL does this by helping people of color access the knowledge, network and capital required for entrepreneurial success and wealth creation.

Johnson, who earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Harvard, has been a driving force in creating a number of IFEL programs including:

• ‘Women of Color Connecting,’ which leverages the power of relationship capital.
• ‘Making of Black Angels,’ designed to increase number of black angel investors.
• ‘Small Business Needs Us,’ a volunteer corps of business professionals ready to help small businesses.  

Johnson has nearly 30 years of experience as a business strategist with expertise in financial analysis, marketing, and business development. She is an advocate for community businesses and microenterprise, and is a leading authority in the area of minority inclusion.

To register for the 2022 Women in Innovation Awards event, click here.