Elevating and expanding diversity, equality and inclusion (DE&I) efforts is gaining prominence for many organizations, including those in Minnesota’s Medical Alley.Medical Alley companies are not only undertaking internal DE&I reflection and initiatives, but they’re also looking externally to help their communities achieve better equities in health. To ensure this DE&I work is successful and meaningful, Alexis Kochanski, of the Medical Alley Association, says employees at all levels must buy in to the work.Kochanski is the association’s director of member engagement – working with members and learning about their DE&I efforts. The association has about 600 member organizations of all sizes, with the Medical Alley representing the highest concentration of medical technology workers in the nation.This month, the association launched a slate of DE&I resources at medicalalley.org. Here, member organizations like 3M and Ecolab detail and discuss their DE&I efforts.Prior to working with the Medical Alley Association, Kochanski worked in a legislative affairs position for the state of Minnesota and for an organization in Washington, D.C., that specialized in forestry. She holds a master’s degree in public health with an emphasis in public policy and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Minnesota. She speaks with reporter Kelly Busche.