Robert DeJournett
Bio
Robert is passionate about creating and building programs encouraging culture change and helping organizations navigate change. A natural consensus-builder and connector, Robert is known for skillfully guiding teams to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, achieving a positive impact with initiatives.
Robert’s career began at Goodyear Research Interviewing Center in a part-time role. Simultaneously, he started his career at Summa Health, working in varying roles for 30 years. At Summa, Robert launched or contributed to countless programs, including an initiative overseeing Summa’s Diversity Advisory Council and helping design and implement Summa’s System Diversity Strategic Plan.
Robert’s next professional move was to the Greater Akron Chamber, where he served as the Vice President of Opportunity Inclusion. There, he led the work of Elevate Greater Akron’s Opportunity Akron strategy, a collaborative effort with the Chamber leadership, the City of Akron, the County of Summit, the GAR Foundation, and the local business community. Robert also organized and led the inaugural Inclusion Summit of Greater Akron.
Currently, Robert is the principal at DeJournett Consulting LLC. His mission is to assist businesses and organizations in furthering their missions by helping each to connect to appropriate resources, convene stakeholders and groups to attain their respective goals, and provide coaching in areas of business development with an emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Most recently, Robert is serving as the family spokesperson around the events and tragic death of Jayland Walker.
Robert is engaged in numerous leadership roles in the community. He assisted in developing the curriculum and served as an instructor for the 21st Century Healthcare module, part of a collaborative program of Georgetown University and the American Hospital Association’s Institute for Diversity in Health Management. He also currently serves or has served on several steering committees and boards. Those include the Mayor’s Racial Equity & Social Justice Taskforce Team; the Huntington Bank Regional Advisory Board; Leadership Akron Alumni Association; the Akron Zoo; the Akron Metro Transit Authority; the Love Akron Network; the American Heart Association Summit/Portage County; and the National American Heart Association Diversity Leadership Committee.
Robert has received numerous awards and recognition. He was one of three to receive the 2018 National BMeGenius Award for the city of Akron. Others of note are the 2016 Distinguished Leader Award and the 2015 Dorothy O. Jackson Society Community Leader Award from the United Way of Summit County; the 2015 Multicultural Leadership Award for outstanding contributions to the mission of the American Heart Association through the lens of Diversity and Inclusion; and many others through his work at Summa and other volunteer appointments.
A graduate of the University of Akron with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Media Communication, Robert also holds a Certificate in Diversity Management in Healthcare from Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Education and the Institute for Diversity of the American Hospital Association. He is a graduate of the inaugural class of the City of Barberton Community Leadership Institute and Leadership Akron’s Class of XXI.
Robert is married to Charlene, and their blended family consists of four daughters, one son, and five grandchildren. He received a calling into the ministry in 1997 and was ordained as a Minister in 1998. Since 2015, Robert has served the greater Akron community as the Senior Pastor at St. Ashworth Temple COGIC.