At the ACS, Dr. Simpson Mason will champion the importance and value of a diverse and inclusive environment and support the development of a vision and effective strategy to create a culture for DEI and ensure compliance with applicable laws. Her work will involve actively engaging leadership, members, volunteers, and staff to further behaviors, attitudes, and policies that support DEI. She will collaborate with ACS stakeholders to assess potential barriers, identify opportunities, and develop innovative strategies to recruit and retain a diverse workforce and membership. Dr. Simpson Mason also will work with College stakeholders to assess the need and recommend programs for collaboration and training initiatives on antiracism, cultural competency, gender differences, and other DEI issues.
“I am honored and excited about the opportunity to serve as the inaugural Medical Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the American College of Surgeons. I am optimistic that we can strategically align the substantial DEI and antiracism strides currently being made by a plethora of ACS stakeholders into meaningful and sustainable equity practices that permeate the house of surgery. It is through measured and strategic action that collective transformation toward a culture of equity for all occurs—a culture that secures the longevity of our specialty and ultimately, if not most importantly, serves to benefit our patients, their families, and all communities.”
As a nationally recognized educator and speaker, Dr. Simpson Mason is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery with private practice experience who comes to ACS from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), where she served as vice president, diversity and inclusion. During her time at the ACGME, Dr. Simpson Mason primarily led the design, development, and implementation of Equity Matters, a 10-year continuous learning and process-improvement initiative in DEI and antiracism. This program actively engaged a 1,000-member specialty society and GME community in education, peer-advising, and solutions development to address disparities, racism, and seek health equity in their respective environments.
About Dr. Bonnie Simpson Mason
Dr. Simpson Mason earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Howard University (Washington, D.C.) and her medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta). She completed a general surgery internship at the University of California Los Angeles and returned to Howard University to complete her residency in orthopaedic surgery. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery recognized her ongoing commitment to physician development by awarding her with the 2015 Diversity Award, one of the Academy’s highest recognitions.
