Ani Koch and Vayong Moua both have a passion for health equity and working toward developing systems that allow all people to live their healthiest possible lives. For Ani, that work involves creating a national model to better serve the health needs of transgender people. Vayong envisions applying his own cultural history and background to modern day systems to better advance racial and health equity.

Ani and Vayong, both associates at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, will be able to further explore how to achieve those goals after being named 2020 Bush Fellows. The prestigious fellowship, offered by the Bush Foundation, recognizes 24 leaders who are “thinking big about how to solve problems and shape a better future for their communities.”

We talked with Ani, senior program manager on the community integration team, and Vayong, health equity advocacy director, about how they each plan to put their fellowships to use.

Talk about your early experiences and what inspired you to step up to be a leader in addressing inequities in your communities.

Ani: My earliest experiences of leadership were out of necessity.  I started one of the first gay-straight alliance groups in Iowa. Outside of school, I was part of a group that opened the area’s first LGBTQ youth centers. Later, I was named an honorary Matthew Shepard scholar, which recognizes LGBT high school students in Iowa working to combat homophobia. I continued to host social gatherings and meetings for LGBTQ students while I attended the University of Dubuque. Looking back, I believe we as youth knew what we needed and inherently understood the importance of social connectedness.

After relocating to Minneapolis in 2007, I volunteered for Rainbow Health Initiative, which is focused on improving the health of LGBTQ people. I went from being a volunteer to serving as the director of programs, gaining critical leadership training in that time. I joined Blue Cross in 2013. This work, my own negative experiences accessing healthcare, and seeing my family struggle with chronic health conditions all informed my pursuit of a career in public health.

Vayong: My mother worked in public health for 25 years as a bicultural liaison for the Hmong community and my father worked for the city manager in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Their fusion of public health and civic engagement exposed me to the gross inequities  across systems and issues. I saw early how interconnected and pervasive racial and health inequities were at the personal, interpersonal and structural level.  But my parents also showed me how transforming large systems could be done through self-definition, community engagement and ancestor affirmation.

At age 6, I was diagnosed with Perthes disease (hip joint disease) and visited with numerous physicians and shamans. I directly experienced the clash between traditional Hmong shamanism and the American healthcare system. The multiplicity of truths, power imbalances, and physical impact instilled me with an existential and anthropological orientation that remains core to my racial and health equity approach.

Why did you decide to apply to be a Bush Fellow? How did you believe this fellowship could help further advance your goals?

Ani: I had a conversation with Maria Regan Gonzalez, a 2019 Bush Fellow and my friend, mentor, and colleague. I told her I thought about applying but was worried about how competitive it was and if my ideas were too ‘out there.’ She convinced me to apply. I will be forever grateful for her gentle, yet convincing push!

This seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go deep on a few of those interests while taking a good hard look at myself and try to answer some important leadership questions.

"This seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go deep on a few of [my] interests while taking a good hard look at myself and try to answer some important leadership questions."

Vayong: My professional and personal life was at a crossroads about how to truly advance racial and health equity in durable and structural ways. My two children (4 years and 6 months) also motivated me to bridge life impact to both preceding and following generations – so this is for both them and all kids facing systemic racism.

I hope to fully define and harness my cultural roots and wings system during my fellowship.

How do you plan to use your fellowship in your work at Blue Cross?

Ani: I plan to study my own genealogy, continue my learning around anti-racism, connect with transgender leaders and focus on sustainability for long-term leadership. I will study alternative health care models where payment is not a barrier in the same way as can often be in the case in the U.S. Learning about the barriers and solutions to payment will help me think creatively and innovate in my current role. Ultimately, I hope to utilize these learnings to impact health disparities regionally and nationally.

Vayong: The crux of my fellowship is to strengthen my intercultural and structural equity fluency. This begins with deep cultural self-study and weaves in studies of anti-racism, integrative leadership and conflict competency.

"At Blue Cross, I plan to help us embed racial and health equity into our structure, strategy, culture and impact in community."

To evolve my leadership, I plan an odyssey to Laos to see my place of birth, cross the Mekong River, visit unmarked graves of grandfathers and visit family. I don’t want these key aspects of my life to be abstract cultural artifacts, but rather living memories to be conjured across my leadership charges.

At Blue Cross, I plan to help us embed racial and health equity into our structure, strategy, culture and impact in community.

Catching up with 2019 Bush Fellow Maria Regan Gonzalez

Maria Regan Gonzalez, a senior health improvement program manager at Blue Cross, was named a 2019 Bush Fellow. Maria has blazed a trail for her fellow colleagues to follow as she was the first Latina mayor elected in Minnesota, currently serving as the mayor of Richfield.

We caught up with her to hear about the experience and her words of advice for Ani and Vayong.

What are your goals for the fellowship?

Maria: I am doing a self-designed study of the intersection of cultural and personal identity, civic leadership and spirituality. As a young woman of color committed to leading from a place that is rooted in authenticity and equity,  I have found it crucial to intentionally think about, practice and solidify what strong civic leadership looks from a place that is rooted in who I am as a whole person.

I believe that I’m a part of the growing face of leadership and that I can set an example and model what is necessary to lead in such complex times where racial and other inequities are so deep and pervasive.

What have you learned in the past year?

Maria: The past year has been extremely challenging for our entire nation and world as we’ve faced two pandemics: the COVID-19 public health crisis and the health and racial inequities that are a direct result of pervasive and deeply rooted systemic and institutional racism. The fellowship has given me support and resources that I would not have had access to otherwise to help me really contemplate and respond to these unprecedented times. I’m extremely grateful to have such amazing support during such challenging times that also serve as watershed moments to lead boldly and make transformational change in our society.

What words of advice would you offer to Ani and Vayong?

Maria: I’m so excited for Vayong and Ani. I’d say to remember that the Bush Fellowship is a once-in-a-lifetime leadership opportunity and to dream big with it. There’s no right or wrong way to move ahead and to use it for what they really feel is right for them.

I’d also like to say that I am very proud to be on the team at Blue Cross as having three of our employees being awarded the Bush Fellowship in a two-year span speaks to the leadership we have within and across our company. I’m always happy to serve as a support to anyone who is interested in applying for the opportunity and highly encourage everyone to give it strong consideration.

Follow the Fellows

• Ani Ryan Koch’s Bush Fellowship Profile
• Vayong Moua’s Bush Fellowship Profile
• Maria Regan Gonzalez’s Bush Fellowship Profile