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Listen to this articleIf you were to sit down with Oz Mondejar, you’d realize very quickly that he’s one of the humblest people you’ve ever met. He’ll tell you that he’s spent many years working in the public and private sectors, but he might not tell you that he’s the Senior Vice President of Mission and Advocacy at Spaulding Rehabilitation Network and Partners HealthCare. The work Mondejar does for different communities could be described as nothing less than admirable.
Among other recognitions around diversity and inclusion, Oz Mondejar was honored as a “Champion of Change in Disability Employment” by the White House for his work in developing the first public-private partnership between the Spaulding Rehabilitation Network and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission.
“That was quite an honor,” says Mondejar. “We brought in state agency representatives to work within our business in healthcare. This was key to the recruitment and retention process.”
Mondejar’s main goal as the Senior Vice President is to be a good community contributor. He focuses on breaking assumptions about what people can and cannot do based on their abilities, gender, and/or race.
“I’m committed to opening doors,” says Mondejar. “Seeing people come in, work hard, and be rewarded.”
He works to break down barriers for those who don’t usually have a voice by reaching out to the community. Cultural competence and community outreach are important to the overall business strategy of Spaulding Rehabilitation Network and Partners HealthCare.
When it comes to recruitment, Mondejar is invested in connecting employers with a diverse pool of candidates to select from. As a business imperative, he’s focused on retaining talent by engaging leadership at all levels.
Mondejar believes that everyone has something different to bring to the table. Inclusion, to him, means bringing in the right behaviors, perspectives, and experiences to help drive better business decisions.
As Mondejar spoke about the work he does, he also shared what inspired him to help those with disabilities. He was born with a disability and he said that as a kid people would say, “No, you can’t do that,” and “No, you won’t do that.” He challenged them by simply asking, “Why not?”
“There’s still so much to be done,” says Mondejar. “And while I’m still around, I’ll continue to think of new and creative inclusive partnerships that increase employment opportunities for all.”
Aside from his work in demystifying disabilities, Mondejar also invests in the future workforce by mentoring. He’s invested in youth development and in learning what they value as well as helping them to move forward with job training and exposure. He offers career coaching for entry level professionals.
Mondejar also sits on several boards and does work for a few different organizations such as the Latino Legacy Fund, Conexion, and Perkins School for the Blind. He explained how the general theme of the work he does with these allies is to bring “folks to the table who aren’t always invited.”
“We have to be creative in order to be competitive,” says Mondejar. “There’s always an open window, but at times a closed door. I’m trying to open that door.”
