Date of Conferral

8-6-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.)

School

Health Sciences

Advisor

Suzanne Richins

Abstract

Despite women comprising a substantial portion of the U.S. health care workforce, they continue to be underrepresented in leadership across health service organizations. Mentorship and professional networking opportunities are commonly used to support women’s professional growth; however, inequities in leadership attainment remain prevalent, particularly among women from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds. The purpose of this quantitative archival comparative study was to examine associations across mentorship participation indicators, professional networking participation indicators, leadership classifications, and racial and ethnic classifications. The study was underpinned by intersectionality theory and social capital theory, which supported examination of how demographic identities and access to professional relationships may influence leadership classifications among women in health service organizations. Secondary archival data derived from American College of Healthcare Executives leadership reports were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses in SPSS Version 30. Results demonstrated a statistically significant association between mentorship participation indicators and race and ethnicity classifications (x2=38.895; p<.001). Findings did not provide evidence of a statistically significant association between professional networking participation indicators and race and ethnicity. The results may contribute to positive social change by informing organizational leaders and policymakers in developing equitable mentorship and leadership advancement practices for women in health service organizations.

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