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January 15, 2019/News Releases

Cleveland Clinic Welcomes Keynote Speaker Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley at 27th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Celebration

Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, former U.S. ambassador, to deliver keynote address

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Cleveland Clinic employees and community members will observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, as part of Cleveland Clinic’s 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Celebration.

The keynote speaker for the event will be Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, a former U.S. ambassador. She has been a steadfast proponent of achieving excellence through diversity in organizations and breaking down barriers for women and minorities.

Open seating begins at 7:30 a.m. in the InterContinental Hotel & Conference Center, 9801 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland. In the spirit of unity, seating will be open and available to all registered guests. Attendees may choose a seat next to any neighbor.

The program begins at 8 a.m. and combines the interfaith service, breakfast and keynote address. Tom Mihaljevic, M.D., CEO and president of Cleveland Clinic, will provide remarks and introduce the keynote speaker.

Abercrombie-Winstanley, a Cleveland native, has held many senior roles in world affairs throughout her 30-year career in international diplomacy. She was the longest-serving U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Malta. She also advised the commander of U.S. cyber forces on the country’s foreign policy priorities and expanded U.S. counterterrorism partners and programs as deputy coordinator for counterterrorism.

In another role as the Secretary of State’s special assistant for the Middle East and Africa, Abercrombie-Winstanley monitored the election in the Gaza strip and actively supported gender equality in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the first woman to lead a diplomatic mission there.

She also has held senior positions at the Defense Department and the National Security Council of the White House. Her work in diplomacy has garnered Abercrombie-Winstanley many notable accolades, including the Maltese Order of Merit and Department of State Meritorious and Superior Honor awards.

About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 52,000 employees are more than 3,600 full-time salaried physicians and researchers and 14,000 nurses, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic’s health system includes a 165-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 11 regional hospitals, more than 150 northern Ohio outpatient locations – including 18 full-service family health centers and three health and wellness centers – and locations in Weston, Fla.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2017, there were 7.6 million outpatient visits, 229,000 hospital admissions and 207,000 surgical cases throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/ClevelandClinic. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

Editor’s Note: Cleveland Clinic News Service is available to provide broadcast-quality interviews and B-roll upon request.

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