Katherine Meese, PhD

Build Your Bouquet — Creating meaningful community (co-presentation with Dr. Geoffrey Silvera and Dr. Laurence Boitet)

Social isolation and loneliness is a growing problem. Recent research has found that chronic loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking approximately 15 cigarettes per day. As our work environments change from in-person to hybrid or remote, we have new challenges in creating a sense of community and connections. In this interactive session, we will discuss what kinds of people we need to intentionally add to our communities and social networks, and practical ways of doing so.

We will frame the discussion around building a bouquet of flowers—a diverse network of people that enrich our career journeys and lives. Collecting hydrangeas and air plants, and avoiding Venus fly traps!

About Dr. Meese:

Katherine A. Meese, Ph.D is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services Administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She also serves as the Director of Wellness Research in the UAB Medicine Office of Wellness. She earned her Ph.D in Health Services Administration with a specialization in health care strategic management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2019. Dr. Meese has several years of industry experience which encompassed work in ten countries on four continents, including management for a large academic medical center. Her work has been published in Anesthesia & Analgesia, Health Services Management Research, Journal of Health Administration Education, and various other journals. Her research interests are in well-being, burnout, team performance, quality and safety, and delivery models that enhance organizational learning.