The California Wellness Foundation Sabbatical Program Award was created to improve the long-term effectiveness of health-focused nonprofits by providing their executives with the rest they need to continue to direct their organizations' missions. The leadership support program - now in its seventh year - provides eight organizations each with a $35,000 grant to cover the leader's salary and expenses during the sabbatical, which lasts a minimum of three months.

Kim Carter, Executive Director, Time for Change Foundation

With a deep, personal commitment to helping women overcome cycles of homelessness, addiction, abuse and incarceration, Kim Carter founded Time for Change Foundation (TFCF) in 2002.

Lynn Dorroh, CEO, Hill Country Health and Wellness Center

Hill Country Health and Wellness Center is the sole provider of health services for a 2,000-square-mile region of rural Shasta County. For more than two decades, Lynn Dorroh has been involved with Hill Country as a mental health clinician, board member and CEO.

Betty Alvarez Ham, Founder and President, City Impact, Inc.

City Impact, led by Betty Alvarez Ham, offers services including therapeutic counseling, mentoring programs for youth at risk of gang involvement, parenting education, family literacy, and cultural and recreational activities for low-income migrant and agricultural workers and their families in the Oxnard area.

Stuart Kandell, Executive Director, Stagebridge

Stuart Kandell founded Stagebridge in 1978 to promote healthy aging by providing opportunities in the performing arts for older adults to educate, entertain and help them share their experiences with younger generations.

Debra Lynn Marsteller, Executive Director, Project Independence

Project Independence serves adults with developmental disabilities in Orange County. Directed by Debra Lynn Marsteller, it is a one-stop provider of programs offering independent living services, supported employment services and behavioral support programs.

Roy A. Martin, Executive Director, GraceSource, Inc.

Roy A. Martin is executive director of GraceSource, which provides child abuse prevention services for women and families in Yuba and Sutter counties, operating two family resource centers with home visitation programs.

Robin Novack McCrae, Executive Director, Community Human Services

Robin Novack McCrae has been the executive director of Monterey-based Community Human Services (CHS) since 1992. CHS provides access to professional, affordable mental health and substance abuse counseling and recovery services for individuals and families, with a special focus on programs that treat the unique needs of youth.

Richard A. Veloz, CEO, South Central Family Health Center

Richard Veloz has spent more than 35 years working in health care as an advocate, clinician, lobbyist, lawyer, administrator and educator, with a focus on underserved and hard-to-reach populations. He is currently CEO of South Central Family Health Center (SCFHC), which provides comprehensive health care to adults and children, with an emphasis on health education and preventive medicine.