Leadership Message: Employee Resource Groups offer connections, support, belonging

Dear Friends,

I want to take a moment to share some exciting milestones for our Employee Resource Group (ERG) program and to thank you for your continued commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace.

Especially one that showcases our UC Davis Health values – “kindness, trust and inclusion.”

Our ERG program recently surpassed 3,000 members – about 20% of our 15,000 employees. From 2024 to 2025 alone, participation grew by 32%, with our new Interfaith and Intercultural ERG and Muslim Faculty and Staff Association joining our other ERGs and quickly gaining momentum. We now have eight ERGs at UC Davis Health. These numbers reflect more than growth – they represent thousands of moments where employees have found connection, support, and belonging. They’ve seen themselves within our organization’s beating heart – our community of staff, faculty, learners, providers – with all of us coming together to serve our patients.

Belonging is at the heart of what makes our UC Davis Health community strong. It’s found in the everyday moments – how we welcome new colleagues, support one another through challenges, celebrate successes, and create spaces where everyone feels valued. Our ERGs help make that possible by offering a place to connect, to be seen, and to contribute to something bigger than ourselves.

Examples of these moments include our Principles of Community event last February – where over 600 of you watched 11 cultural performances, had foods from around the world and learned about different cultures – which is coming back as our Principles of Community showcase on March 4, 2026. Others include our annual Friendsgiving, taking place again this November, where all employees come together to celebrate each other. Many special moments occurred during Sacramento Pride, where 1,100 of you and your families marched together, representing our Believe in Better campaign and UC Davis Health’s theme of “We All Belong.”

In addition to these experiences, we’re inspired, as always, by the many shared moments we come together for life-saving care, such as transplanting vital organs, discovering breakthrough scientific discoveries and therapies, or celebrating being Sacramento's #1 hospital for the past 14 years. We meet and embrace all of these moments and celebrate them together.

Our work is grounded in the UC Davis Principles of Community: dignity, respect, compassion, and inclusion. These aren’t just ideals – they guide how we work with one another, care for our patients, and serve our communities. They remind us that each of us has a role in creating a culture where everyone feels they belong.

Thank you for being part of this effort, and for all you do to strengthen our UC Davis Health community.

Yours in health,

Matthew St. Amant
Program Manager, Culture and Community
Finance and Operations Analyst

Learn more about all our UC Davis Health Employee Resource Groups. These groups are open to anyone, regardless of background, who wishes to support, participate, or be educated in the many cultures and communities at UC Davis Health. Membership and participation in Employee Resource Group activities are not dependent on race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, or any protected category under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.