Health Foundation Announces Class of 2012 Health Leaders
November 22, 2011
Ten community health providers have been selected to participate in the seventh class of MetroWest Health Foundation’s Health Leadership Program.
Established by the Foundation in 2005, the goal of the Health Leadership Program is to strengthen and improve leadership within health and social service organizations. The Foundation believes that by grooming emerging and seasoned leaders through education, training and networking it will improve the health of area organizations and ultimately, the community.
“The program has been instrumental in building key leadership skills of emerging senior leaders as well as providing a chance for peer learning and networking that has led to organizational collaborations,” said Rebecca Donham, senior program officer and director of the leadership program.
In addition to providing essential skills to help leaders succeed, the program was also designed to retain strong leaders within the nonprofit sector to ensure that the quality of care these agencies provide remains high. The Health Leadership Program provides participants with resources and a local support network they can tap into at any time.
“This leadership course in my view wasn’t just work skills, it was life skills,” said Mark Oram, board of health director and program alumni.
The monthly program runs from January to June and is taught by experts in the field. Topics include cultural competency, data decision making, strategic thinking, coalition building, negotiation and communication strategies. At the end of the program, leaders make a group presentation to the Foundation’s board of trustees.
This year’s Health Leaders work at agencies across the region developing, overseeing and implementing programs to help prevent teen pregnancy, promote health and wellness, provide psychiatric rehabilitation services, protect public health and improve health insurance access.
Members of the Class of 2012 Health Leadership Program:
Cheryl Aglio-Girelli – Framingham Public Schools, Co-Director of Strengthening Youth in a United Way.
Craig Gaudette – Advocates, Inc., Senior Operations Director.
Amanda Holm – United Way of Tri-County, Director of Community Impact.
Caitlin Hurley – Hockomock Area YMCA, Director of Youth and Family Wellness.
Amy Morgan – Advocates, Inc., Assistant Director of Psychiatric Rehabilitation.
Kelly Pawluczonek – Framingham Board of Health, Sanitarian.
Sarah Price – The Bridge of Central Massachusetts, Assistant Program Manager.
Maria Rosado – Pelham Apartments, Resident Services Manager.
Erika Schlegel – Advocates, Inc., Assistant Director of Residential Services.
Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham – Community Legal Aid, Managing Attorney.
About the MetroWest Health Foundation
The MetroWest Health Foundation is a catalyst for a healthy MetroWest, providing over $5 million in annual financial support for preventative and responsive health programs. Through its work on issues such as youth substance abuse, racial and ethnic disparities in health and childhood obesity, the Foundation seeks to develop and support programs that have a positive impact on the health of the twenty-five communities in the MetroWest area of Massachusetts. To date, the Foundation has provided over $30 million in financial support that helps residents and their families lead healthier lives.
For more information about the Foundation, visit www.mwhealth.org.