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A note from the co-presidents
We are excited to kick off 2025 with a historic first at SCAHD—this year, we have the honor of leading as co-presidents! This unique opportunity allows us to join forces in a way that brings even more value to your membership. We are committed to delivering a year full of enriching content, in-person events, educational webinars, and plenty of exciting surprises along the way.
Join us for our first in-person event of the year: Educational Luncheon – Building Stronger Relationships: Strategies for Long-Term Success. Our special guest, Maria S. Salinas, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and Founding Board Member of the Kaiser Permanente J. Tyson School of Medicine, will share how philanthropy has shaped her leadership at one of the nation’s most influential chambers of commerce. Elevate your fundraising game with real-world strategies from a visionary leader—sign up today to attend this event on Friday, February 28 at Kaiser Permanente J. Tyson School of Medicine in Pasadena, California.
Last November, many of our SCAHD members had the opportunity to attend the AHP International Conference in San Diego. In this issue, we spotlight three of our members who shared their key takeaways from the event. For instance, Mary Anne Chern, FAHP, ACFRE, commented that this year's conference was the best one yet, stating, “I had the opportunity to renew relationships, enjoy interactions with trusted colleagues, and seek advice from people I respect.”
Our Mentorship Program is currently undergoing an exciting transformation, and we’re thrilled to welcome a new Chair to lead the program. Stephanie Boumediene, DrPH, MPH, will be your main point of contact for any questions related to this initiative. Stay tuned for more updates as we roll out new details!
This year has brought significant challenges to communities across Southern California, particularly those impacted by the devastating wildfires. Yet, amidst adversity, we have witnessed incredible resilience, compassion, and unity as individuals and organizations have come together to provide critical support and relief.
At SCAHD, we remain committed to supporting you—providing resources, guidance, and a network of peers dedicated to advancing our shared mission. Together, we will continue to strengthen our communities and create lasting change.
We look forward to serving you this year and ensuring you get the most out of your SCAHD membership. If you’re not yet a part of our community, we would be thrilled to welcome you as a member as we work together to advance healthcare philanthropy.
Liz Birlet & Yuri E. Casco, CFRE
SCAHD Co-Presidents
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Join the Conversation With:
Maria S. Salinas, President & CEO
Los Angele Area, Chamber of Commerce
Board Member, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
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Friday, February 28, 2025
11:30am - 1:30pm
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
98 South Los Robles Avenue,
Pasadena, CA 91101
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If registering 3+ from the same organization, contact us for a 20% discount. | | |
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SCAHD offers a Mentorship Program as a resource to our valued members. This program is being reimagined and we will soon have more updates for you in the coming months.
In the meantime, email office@scahd.org for any questions.
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AHP International Conference in San Diego
Inspires and Connects SCAHD Members
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Rob Gunsalus
President
MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center
and Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Foundations
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Bringing together a record number of attendees—more than 1,100—from around the world, the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) held its International Conference on November 6-8, 2024, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Given the conference was hosted in Southern California, dozens of SCAHD members were among those in attendance, benefiting from more than 40 sessions led by industry thought leaders and expert facilitators.
With over 30 years in healthcare philanthropy, SCAHD member Mary Anne Chern, FAHP, ACFRE, served as AHP International Chair from 2010-2011. “This year’s conference was the best one yet,” said Mary Anne, who serves as chief development officer for Pacific Clinics. “I had the opportunity to renew relationships, enjoy interactions with trusted colleagues, and seek advice from people I respect.” She cited a session focusing on major gifts as particularly valuable for her. “It was tight and professional, focusing on best practices through sophisticated system management.”
Having transitioned to healthcare philanthropy after more than 25 years in higher education, SCAHD member Rob Gunsalus was delighted to attend the AHP conference for the first time. “They certainly didn’t oversell it,” reflected Rob, who is president of MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital Foundations. He attended the conference with several of his MemorialCare team members and found it to be a valuable team building experience in addition to the myriad learning opportunities. “I especially appreciated the discussions on the timing and approaches to grateful patient follow-up,” shared Rob. “Urgency is so important, and we plan to adjust our approach accordingly.”
As manager of philanthropy at Adventist Health White Memorial Charitable Foundation, SCAHD member Monique Sewell also was a first-time AHP conference attendee who was excited to participate in the “eye-opening and informative experience” with fellow team members. “We divided and conquered the different sessions and later brainstormed with each other about what we learned,” shared Monique, who has worked for 24 years within the health system, including 10 years on the clinical administrative side. Her most valuable takeaways were integrating the use of artificial intelligence in her team’s work (“we want to embrace it and not shy away”) and learning how other foundation teams are structured.
As SCAHD members, Mary Anne, Rob, and Monique also commented on how the organization has helped and supported them. “SCAHD has been very influential over the years and is a great value and service to professionals in our field,” shared Rob. Monique expressed appreciation to other SCAHD members who have been so sincere in their connections with her. “We are like-minded people who speak the same language, and everyone is very open to uplifting others.” Mary Anne added, "It is critically important to find a place to learn new skills and sharpen your skills, and SCAHD is a perfect place to do that."
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A special thank you to Laura Gallardo, CFRE, Communications & Marketing Sub-Committee Member, for conducting these interviews. | |
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SCAHD membership is open to anyone working in the healthcare philanthropy space, and both institutional and individual memberships are available depending on your needs. With an accessible membership fee and a deeper level of local, personalized access to premier networking, mentoring, and educational events, SCAHD provides one of the best values for continuing your healthcare development journey! If you are already a member, remember that your membership lasts for one calendar year and can be renewed anytime on our website.
Membership perks include:
- Exclusive invitation and members-only discounts to all SCAHD events
- Access to new job postings in healthcare development field
- Diverse programs and speakers applicable to all areas of healthcare development
- An environment that fosters advocacy and ethical fundraising principles
- Involvement in the only group in Southern California meeting on a regular basis to specifically discuss healthcare philanthropy
- Volunteer opportunities on one of our committees to gain leadership experience and expand your network
- Networking, networking, networking among your colleagues and peer institutes
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The opportunity to participate in SCAHD’s Mentoring Program.
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For more information about joining or if you want to renew your SCAHD membership, please email office@scahd.org. | |
Thank you to our current sponsors! | |
February 28 Event Sponsor | |
At SCAHD, our mission to provide relevant, dynamic education and networking opportunities to advance healthcare philanthropy is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors. If you’re interested in becoming a valued sponsor, we have a range of opportunities to showcase your brand, including virtual events, annual sponsorships, and our in-person annual meeting. Contact us for more information on how you and your organization can get involved. | |
For more information about sponsorship opportunities, contact office@scahd.org. | |
Southern California Association for Healthcare Development (SCAHD) provides relevant and dynamic education and networking opportunities to advance healthcare philanthropy. | |
For questions on any of the information included in this newsletter, please contact our Chair of Communications & Marketing, Josué E. Hernández, MA, CFRE at jhernandez8@memorialcare.org. | | | | |
