Blue Shield of California Foundation Announces Inaugural Class of Clinic Leadership Institute
26 Emerging Leaders Selected from throughout California
San Francisco, January 31, 2008 – Blue Shield of California Foundation (BSCF) today announced the selection of the first 26 participants in the inaugural class of its Clinic Leadership Institute, an innovative program designed to identify and galvanize the next generation of community clinic leaders. BSCF launched the institute last year with a pledge to spend up to $10 million in five years to help prepare these future leaders to meet the challenges of providing health care to some of the state’s most vulnerable residents.
California’s 800 community clinics provide medical care to nearly three million people annually, including 12 percent of the state’s children and 37 percent of those living below the poverty level. Clinic Leadership Institute will create a network of emerging leaders who will help steer the future of California’s community clinics.
“This extraordinary first class of Clinic Leadership Institute characterizes the commitment to care and innovation that will propel the next wave of the community health movement,” said Crystal Hayling, president and CEO of BSCF. “Through Clinic Leadership Institute, these emerging leaders will benefit from collaborating with each other to gain the skills and insights needed to effectively navigate our increasingly complex healthcare system.”
Beginning in March 2008, participants in the institute’s 18-month program will attend five intensive, three and four-day sessions focusing on finance, strategy, and leadership. The knowledge gained in the executive leadership sessions will be reinforced through outside special project work. The program will be conducted by the Center for the Health Professions at the University of California, San Francisco, and was developed with input from community clinic representatives, as well as regional and national experts in the field of leadership development.
The Clinic Leadership Institute is an outgrowth of BSCF’s longstanding commitment to supporting California’s healthcare safety net. Since 2003, BSCF has provided $29 million to support the work of community clinics statewide.
BSCF’s Clinic Leadership Institute Class of 2008:
Greater Fresno Area
Leslie Taylor, MD, Sequoia Community Health Center, Fresno
Greater Humboldt Area
Stacy Watkins, Open Door Community Health Centers, Arcata
Greater Mendocino Area
Michael Mabanglo, MSW, PhD, Mendocino Community Health Clinic, Inc., Ukiah
Lucresha Renteria, Mendocino Coast Clinics, Inc., Fort Bragg
Greater Merced Area
Ginger Smith, Golden Valley Health Centers, Merced
Greater Redding Area
Inder Wadhwa, MBA, Pit River Health Service Inc., Burney
Greater Sacramento Area
Theresa Anaya, Del Norte Clinics, Inc., Yuba City
Lynette Schwartz, Woodland Planned Parenthood Health Center, Woodland
Greater Santa Cruz Area
Amy Peeler, MPH, Santa Cruz Women's Health Center, Santa Cruz
Greater Santa Rosa Area
Stacey McCall, Community Health Clinic Ole, Napa
Claudia Urbina, Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, Sonoma
Los Angeles Area
Ana Zeledon Friendly, MPH, Venice Family Clinic, Venice
Teresa Seeley, Conejo Free Clinic, Thousand Oaks
Precious Stallworth, Los Angeles Gay& Lesbian Center, Los Angeles
Nina Vaccaro, MPH, South Central Family Health Center, Los Angeles
San Diego Area
Lourdes Acevedo, MHA, Vista Community Clinic, Vista
Elvira Ogletree, North County Health Services, Oceanside
Teresa Simms, MPH, St. Vincent de Paul Village, San Diego
Veronica Yap, Neighborhood Healthcare, Escondido
San Francisco Bay Area
Rosario Arreola, Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, Inc., Hayward
Anna Dorman, MPH, La Clinica de La Raza, Oakland
Carlina Hansen, Women's Community Clinic, San Francisco
Belinda Hernandez, MSW, Ravenswood Family Health Center, East Palo Alto
Natalie Hodgen, Gardner Family Health Network, San Jose
Jen Lee, MPH, Asian Health Services, Oakland
Brenda Shipp, LifeLong Medical Care, Berkeley
Blue Shield of California Foundation is one of the largest health care grant-making organizations in California. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.blueshieldcafoundation.org. The Foundation was formed by Blue Shield of California, a not-for-profit corporation with more than 3.2 million members, 4,300 employees and 20 offices throughout California. For more information about the company, please visit www.mylifepath.com.