Health Leadership Program alumni group keeps members connected

Members of the Health Leadership Program alumni group continue to be active and engaged through webinars, the online member dashboard and in-person training and networking sessions.

On March 13, alumni members gathered to network and learn more about Leveraging the Power of Networks, facilitated by Laree Kiely. Laree built on the knowledge of networks previously presented in HLP modules.

First, the group learned about avoiding Type-Three Errors (solving the wrong problem correctly) and moving toward a shared destination. Second, the group discussed how to look at their networks to discover the path to significantly have more impact with less effort. Ask yourself these questions when you are building your network: 1. What are we really solving for? 2. For whom? 3. How do we know we are not there? 4. How will we know when we are there?

On May 9, HLP alumni members participated in a webinar on Meaningful Social Media, presented by Kat Haro, Interactive Media Manager, and Karla Fung, Social Media Coordinator, both of Runyon, Saltzman & Einhorn. The way we communicate has rapidly changed over the last decade with the emergence of social media. Deciding what to do can be confusing. Kat and Karla emphasized the importance of having a strategy for social media. Their presentation focused on helping to decide what channels to use given your goals, audience, content, tone and time. Their presentation is available on the online member dashboard.

On June 15, alumni members connected at Sierra Health Foundation, starting with a warm-up activity on core values facilitated by Adrian Ruiz (Class VII), Executive Director of Youth Development Network. The activity gave alumni members an opportunity to get to know each other and how their core values shape the way they lead. After the activity, Dr. Jei Africa, Health Equity Initiatives Manager in the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Division of the San Mateo County Health Department, facilitated a conversation on A New Approach: How Discussions of Culture and Cultural Humility Can Help You Become an Exceptional Leader. The session focused on the concept of cultural humility developed by Dr. Melanie Tervalon and Dr. Jann Murray-Garcia. Alumni members had conversations on how cultural humility is a lifelong commitment, redressing power imbalances and developing mutually beneficial partnerships.

The afternoon session, Philanthropy – What is Working Today, was presented by Kim Rhinehelder (Class VII), Vice President of Philanthropy at Eskaton Foundation. What does having a culture of philanthropy mean? It means creating an environment where giving thrives by engaging everyone in the organization, from the people receiving services, volunteers and staff to the board of directors. During the session, alumni members brainstormed cultivation strategies they could take back to their organizations and implement right away. The presentations can be viewed on the online dashboard.

Photo: Presenter Laree Kiely discusses maximizing the impact of networks with Marianne Bird (Class V), Wendy Petko (Class IX) and Terri Smyth Canillo (Class VII) during the March 13 Alumni event at Sierra Health Foundation.

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Alumni member reflects on program impact

By DonnaJo Machado-Reed (Class X)
Director of Client Services
HOPE Ministries, Inc.

I have learned a lot from Sierra Health Foundation’s Health Leadership Program. When I started the leadership program I was a Case Manager for HOPE Ministries and I thought that was it for me. Then my executive director showed me an application and told me to fill it out for the Leadership Program.

I started working for HOPE Ministries nine years ago and I have loved and hated my job, but I felt like I was never going to be anything but the Case Manager. I was surprised when I got accepted and was scared at the same time. In Portola I felt out of my league, didn’t always understand what people were talking about, I felt alone. But then I met some amazing people, not that anyone wasn’t amazing, but I got through it with the friendships I made. Then came Rich Callahan and a challenge from a simple question. Fast forward six months and I am now Director of Client Services and involved in almost every project we have going on. Read more.

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Alumni members share experiences of using a strengths-based approach

Many alumni members participated in a Strengths Finder session during the Health Leadership Program. Strengths Finder was created in 1998 by Gallup — a leading authority in strengths-based research — to help people uncover their talents. After participating in the Strengths Finder training during the Health Leadership Program, two alumni members took this experience to another level. Adrian Ruiz (Class VII), Executive Director of Youth Development Network, and Rogelio Villagrana (Class VII), Regional Assistant Director of the UC Davis Early Academic Outreach Program, share the work they have done with a strengths-based approach.
Read more.

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Alzheimer’s Association applauds the creation of the first National Alzheimer’s Plan

By Michelle Johnston (Class VII)
Regional Director – Sacramento
Alzheimer’s Association
Northern California/
Northern Nevada Chapter

Someone develops Alzheimer’s every 68 seconds. Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the country and the only cause of death among the top 10 in the United States that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. Based on final mortality data from 2000-2008, death rates have declined for most major diseases, while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have risen 66 percent during the same period. The Alzheimer’s Association commends the Obama Administration for developing the country’s first ever National Alzheimer’s Plan released on May 15, 2012.
Read more.

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Use a “whole brain” approach to define performance outcomes

Health Leadership Program alumni members participated in a session that introduced the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI). An article by Ann Herrmann-Nehdi, CEO of Herrmann International, talks about using a “whole brain” approach to defining performance outcomes. Beth Conley suggested this information would serve as a nice refresher for what we learned. To engage your entire team, it is helpful to define your targets as something relatable to all of them.
Read more.

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Leaders on the move

Elaine Abelaye (Class X) now has a consulting firm, Abelaye-Mateo Consulting.

Kathy Chao Rothberg (Class IX) was appointed Councilmember on the San Pablo City Council.

Robert David (Class II) was appointed by Governor Brown as Director of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

Amy Fierro (Class III) has been promoted to Chief Program Officer at River Oak Center for Children in Sacramento.

Andrew Frishman (Class IX) has a summer fellowship with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education focused on taking over the Lawrence Public School System.

Debbie Gabelich (Class VI) is now with the Sacramento Kings Foundation.

Lourdes Gonzalez (Class VII) is a mediation services and cultural competency consultant.

Scott Mautte (Class VI) is the 4-H Thrive Program Representative, Youth, Families and Communities (statewide program) UC Davis.

Angela Minniefield (Class VIII) serves as Vice President of Strategic Advancement, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles.

Juan Prieto (Class IX) is the Assistant Center Manager of California Human Development’s Stockton Employment Training Center.

Eric Ruben (Class VIII) is the Operations Manager at Catalyst Domestic Violence Services.

Jason Sample (Class VIII) is Director of Community Engagement and Development for Gateway Community Charters.

Kara Yegge (Class IX) is Clinical Customer Service Coordinator at Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children’s Center, The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

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