Farewell and Thank You

Dear friends,

I would like to share that I will be leaving the Saint Francis Foundation June 8th. Ann Lazarus, who knows the Foundation well, will serve as our Interim President. Ann was recently at the helm of the Metta Fund, which became a major donor to the Tenderloin Health Improvement Partnership (TLHIP), an initiative of the Foundation.

I will continue working in community health as the new President of the Montage Health Foundation in Monterey, California.

While I am excited by this new opportunity, I will miss my friends and colleagues at the Saint Francis Foundation and at the Hospital. I am proud of our collective accomplishments and know the legacy we created together will be long lasting.

In particular, I’m very proud of launching TLHIP. This initiative put Saint Francis on the national and international map. We developed a new construct for community hospitals and their foundations to serve as the cornerstone of the revitalization of distressed communities. The impact we made in the Tenderloin community will have a life-changing impact for generations to come.

I am extraordinarily proud of our other accomplishments during my tenure. In four-and-a-half years, this strong, committed group of compassionate professionals has:

• Raised nearly $15 million;
• Lead the effort to drive the Bothin Burn Center expansion to completion;
• Engaged deeply in the effort to galvanize a strategic direction and plan for the Hospital;
• Recruited a younger and more diverse Board of Directors;
• Enhanced the brand awareness and recognition of Saint Francis through major marketing and public relations efforts in local and national media. Millions have viewed our video assets worldwide.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to have supported the people in the Hospital who need care, those who provide care, and those working in the community. None of this would have been possible without a great Board and staff.

As with every place I have worked for, I will remain an active supporter of the work here. I look forward to remaining part of the fabric of the work of Saint Francis.

Thank you very much for having the opportunity to work with you and this wonderful community.

Kevin