Tukea Talbert

Chief Diversity Officer at UK HealthCare

Dr. Tukea Talbert (she/her) is the Chief Diversity Officer at UK HealthCare. An important component of Dr. Talbert's position is connecting UK HealthCare's DEI efforts with those of the university, and connecting those teams to the community: 

Throughout my life, I have been driven to lead even in times when titles, positions, and organizational charts were not a part of my existence.  I became a registered nurse at the age of 20, and the need to be responsible, accountable, and adaptable came with my choice of a career.  As I matured chronologically, clinically, and professionally, I broadened my scope and boundaries beyond the patient’s bedside.  I desired to impact the care environment from a more macroscopic vantage point …through leadership. 

I have served in numerous leadership capacities in diverse settings totaling more than 20 years of clinical operations leadership experience.  I have managed clinical specialty areas including orthopedics, general medicine, trauma step-down unit, and oncology in an academic healthcare organization. Other senior executive roles have included Chief Nurse Executive of a community hospital, Enterprise Director for Accreditation & Regulatory Compliance, Enterprise Director of the Office of Quality & Safety, Assistant Operations Executive and Interim Assistant Chief Nurse Executive for the development of a contract with the state to manage the local mental health facility, Eastern State Hospital.  All of the previous roles have been in an academic medical center facility. 

Currently, I serve as the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) at UK HealthCare.  In this role, I lead and oversee all tactics and strategies to support the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Strategic Plan and its execution. As recognized by others, I believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not solely important from a moral lens but also imperative from a social justice and economic perspective.  My success has been through the development, support, and engagement of team members from all backgrounds who continually demonstrate the power of inclusive excellence and togetherness.  

I have the honor and privilege to serve as an adjunct faculty at the University Of Kentucky’s College Of Nursing teaching nurses seeking their Doctorate of Nursing Practices Degree.  In this role, I am consistently reminded of the power of curiosity and the impact of education on the development of critical thinking. 

I continue to be a principle-centered leader who is constantly curious, growing, and seeking new knowledge and ways to promote growth, development, and equity for all patients, staff, faculty, and students. I understand that success is how you leverage those around you to exceed expectations and produce extraordinary outcomes through transformational leadership to activate change.