This article originally appeared in our Winter 2025 Newsletter. Read the full newsletter here.
In this edition of our Leadership Spotlight, we feature an inspiring conversation with Dr. Renee Rodriguez-Goodemote, a family physician and medical director of the Saratoga Community Health Center in Saratoga Springs, NY. Renee also serves as a COE board member. As a dedicated leader in the Saratoga County Communities of Excellence (COE) initiative, Renee shares their journey, the challenges and rewards of fostering cross-sector collaboration, and the impact of the COE Framework on addressing critical community challenges. Through their vision and leadership, Saratoga County is building a future where every resident can live well, be well, and thrive.
Can you share a little about your background and what led you to take on a leadership role in the Saratoga County Communities of Excellence effort?
I am a family physician and medical director of the Saratoga Community Health Center in Saratoga Springs, NY. Our community health center is mission driven to provide care to anyone independent of ability to pay. We started participating in the Saratoga Hospital community needs assessment due to our community medicine model. We realized that true community health requires a shared understanding of the drivers of health equity and a shared framework for community action. We did not want our community needs assessment to just be a required activity we wanted it to help drive community collaboration. As a physician leader, I feel obligated to leverage my position to elevate the stories of those I serve. Our Saratoga County “Thrive Together” Community of Excellence vision is a county where every resident can live well, be well and thrive. The framework enables us to address health through building trusting and collaborative relationships with community partners.
Why do you think cross-sector community leadership is essential for driving positive change, and what role does it play in Saratoga County’s efforts?
Cross sector community leadership is essential for collaborative efforts to endure. We have health equities focus and many of the obstacles impacting health are not related to physical health. The framework really prompts communities to consider economic, education, quality of life drivers as well as health. One of the most valuable things that I have observed in our community of excellence group is the fact that our participating organizations represent varying sectors, and they continue to attend even when leadership changes in their organization. I think participation is valued because it provides us with a productive way to align and magnify our efforts.
What have been some of the biggest challenges and rewards of leading this initiative?
One of the biggest challenges has been time. We are all tasked with individual organizational tasks. One of the largest challenges that we have had to address is the notion that COE work is not “in addition to” usual workplace activities. COE is “a part of” what each of our organizations do. One reward from our work together is our annual Impact Sector summit. This started in 2023 and is led by our COE participating organizations. We convene varied sectors and tackle difficult topics like homelessness, transportation and mental health. We have enough trust to openly dialogue as a community. These annual summits have helped to introduce the COE framework as our structured approach for community design thinking and collaborative action.
How has the Communities of Excellence Framework influenced the way Saratoga County collaborates and addresses its key challenges?
The framework has been effective in getting community partners to learn from each other. No single organization has the resources or capacity to improve complex problems such as homelessness or food security. One of the most valuable aspects of the framework has been the prompting questions in each of the categories. These categories provide subjects for consideration and discussion which ultimately lay the groundwork for capacity building.
Can you provide an example of a significant outcome or success story from this effort?
One example of a success is our work in transportation initially supported though funding from our United Way. They were one of our first foundations who granted funds to address a community problem not programs. The funding supported the operational needs of implementing the framework. Subsequently, our transportation taskforce has been effective in increasing public transportation routes, adding a pilot scooter program and engaging one of our largest employers in helping to fund transportation options for employees. These early multi-sectoral successes are the result of valuing a shared community vision, community capacity building and community leadership.
What lessons have you learned about fostering cross-sector collaboration and engaging stakeholders?
One essential lesson is going slow in order to go fast. Trust building cannot be rushed. The speed of our work needs to go at the pace of engagement. True engagement takes time by listening and understanding varying perspectives. Even though our community of excellence has a health equity focus, many of our participants represent non healthcare related sectors. Many times, community solutions require us to leave our organizational mental models to come together and be brave enough to innovate together.
Are there any insights or strategies you would share with other community leaders looking to drive excellence in their communities?
Listen and Learn first then we can Think Together for solutions. Community leadership does require some bravery in openly discussing community problems, seeking opportunities for capacity building for collective action. Communities of Excellence learning collaborative, and framework allows us to be brave together.
What are your hopes for the future of Saratoga County’s Communities of Excellence effort?
My hope for the future of our community of excellence is that the processes and collaborative thinking will become even more integrated into organizations within varied sectors. This integration will keep us poised to be agile as a community and better able to address community challenges.
How do you see the role of community leadership evolving in the next five years?
The beauty of the learning collaborative is that I have been able to see varied approaches for community leadership. Leaning upon our COE network allows us to learn from others and this sparks new approaches within our community. Leading has many forms. When our community of excellence started much of the work was fueled but the backbone. Now our backbone leadership has shifted to providing facilitation for innovation and much of the action is led by community partners. I anticipate that this will provide a more diversified approach for leadership in the next five years.
What would you like to share with readers about the importance of getting involved in their communities?
The Baldrige Framework has proven effective in improving systems within organizations. There is tremendous opportunity in sharing the framework on a communities level. Organizational activities should be influenced by a commitment to community benefit. When strategic objectives are aligned with community priorities, all residents have opportunities to live well, be well and thrive.
