All posts by Nicole Brown Chyela Rowe

Nicole Brown joined CHI Memorial Hospital, Chattanooga, TN in January 2021 as the Manager of Community Benefits and Diversity. Her responsibilities include strategic collaborative partnerships that support community health improvement programs. Brown has a Master’s in public administration and has a vast range of experience with community engagement. She served 25 years in higher education at UTC. Her roles included Coordinator of Equity and Diversity, adjunct professor and academic advisor. Brown also worked at Brewer Broadcasting for 15 years as on-air personality Khole Brown. She currently serves on the board for ArtsBuild and volunteers with the Hunter Museum of American Art.   Chyela Rowe, MA, RDT leads the Arts Therapies and Well-Being Program at CHI Memorial Hospital, Chattanooga, TN with over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of arts and health in community and clinical settings. She holds a Master’s in mental health counseling and expressive therapies and is a registered drama therapist with the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA.org). She is a member of the NADTA research committee and is pursuing a PhD in Expressive Therapies from Lesley University with a research focus on stress and burnout in healthcare.

Arts in Health Inspire Women – by Nicole Brown and Chyela Rowe

Arts in Health Program

Why create an Arts in Health program for Mother’s Day? According to the CDC, women caregivers have a greater risk for poor physical and mental health, including depression and anxiety. Mothers have held such heavy weights this last year: from grieving losses to taking on more responsibilities such as managing work from home, additional hours for childcare, homeschooling, at-home nursing, coaching, offering tech support and much more. The presence of art and music in healthcare enhances the overall experience. It allows us to remove ourselves from whatever we’re battling to be motivated and inspired. 

Diverse partners joined together in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to inspire and support women and female artists for Mother’s Day and, most importantly, promote health and well-being through the Arts. The program included artwork by Alex Paul Loza, music by Shane Morrow and a presentation of new work from poet Erika Roberts in partnership with multiple organizations that will resonate with communities across the country.

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