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Dr. Diana M. Bontá Appointed TCWF President and CEO

Renowned health care executive Dr. Diana M. Bontá leads The California Wellness Foundation as its new president and CEO, effective January 2012, announced David S. Barlow, chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors. Dr. Bontá, a nurse with a doctorate in public health, most recently was vice president of public affairs for Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region, where she served there since October 2004. “Dr. Bontá's strong executive health care and public policy background coupled with her experience overseeing major programs at corporate and government health departments makes her a terrific choice for us," Barlow said. "Her track record speaks for itself: she has led impressive programs that have emphasized wellness, disease prevention and health education, which fits with the mission of The California Wellness Foundation.” More.

Leadership

The California Wellness Foundation’s 2011 California Peace Prize Honorees

The California Wellness Foundation is proud to present its 2011 California Peace Prize honorees. Each California Peace Prize honoree receives a cash award of $25,000 as an acknowledgment of their commitment to prevent violence and promote peace in their communities. Ray Balberan is an expert at bringing together San Francisco city leaders, law enforcement officials, caseworkers and community members to create programs that save lives. Dedicating her life to helping the underserved, Priscilla Carrasquilla oversaw a tattoo removal program that gives youth a second chance in San Jose. A small-farm educator and agricultural researcher, Manuel Jimenez uses his passion for growing plants as a way to prevent violence by putting youth to work creating community gardens in Woodlake. More.

Health-Sector Nonprofit Executives Receive 2011 TCWF Sabbatical Program Award

Eight nonprofit health-sector executives are recognized with The California Wellness Foundation (TCWF) Sabbatical Program Award. This leadership support program – now in its ninth year – provides eight organizations with grants of $35,000 each to cover salary and other expenses during their executive directors' sabbaticals, which last a minimum of three months. The eight executives receiving the 2011 sabbatical award are: Linda Civitello of Breathe California, Golden Gate Public Health Partnership in Daly City; Lou Fox of Family Support Services of the Bay Area in Oakland; Dori Rose Inda of the Watsonville Law Center; Viveca Lohr of Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula in Pacific Grove; Daniel Macallair of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco; Lorraine Martinez of the Villa Center in Santa Ana; Joe Navidad of People's Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment in Los Angeles; and Christopher Peters of Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development in Arcata. More.

In the News

The following news stories mention the work of the Foundation or our grantees. The links will open a new window and take you directly to the media outlets’ websites. It may be necessary to create a free account on these sites, and for older articles, some sites may charge a fee for access to their archives.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox
San Diego Magazine January 2012

Mobile Clinic Both Teaches, Heals
Bakersfield Californian January 28, 2012

CLU Examines Farmworker Health Risks
Ventura Edhat January 24, 2012

Monterey County Again Has State’s Highest Youth Homicide Rate
San Jose Mercury News January 12, 2012

San Diego Organization To Help More First-In-Family College Students
KPBS January 11, 2012

Book review: 'Power Concedes Nothing' by Connie Rice
Los Angeles Times January 8, 2012

Homeboy Industries: Turning Lives Around, One Gang Member At A Time
Huffington Post January 6, 2012

Inside Food Deserts: Lacking Options For LA's Low-Income Communities
Neon Tommy January 5, 2012

Water Quality Boards Seek To Manage Nitrate Contamination
California Watch December 16, 2011

Two Faces of Mental Health Treatment in California
California Healthline December 12, 2011

Study Continues in South Oroville on Backyard Eggs
Oroville Mercury-Register December 5, 2011

Eight Percent of Californians Need Mental Health Care
Los Angeles Times December 1, 2011

More Californians Struggle To Afford Food
California Watch November 28, 2011

Bay Area Tries To Pull Together To Help Seniors in Need at Upcoming Health Summit
San Jose Mercury News November 27, 2011

Viewpoints: State Should Plan for Anticipated Shortages of Health Care Worker
Sacramento Bee November 26, 2011

Agricultural Program Helps Keep Youth Out of Gangs
San Francisco Chronicle November 19, 2011

Watsonville Law Center Chief Chosen for Sabbatical
Santa Cruz Sentinel November 17, 2011

Study Maps Pollution Hotspots in CA's San Joaquin Valley
New America Media November 16, 2011

San Francisco’s Homeless Black Youth Invisible
New America Media November 14, 2011

The Challenges of Working with High-Risk Youth
HealthyCal.org October 26, 2011

On Edge of Paradise, Coachella Workers Live in Grim Conditions
California Watch October 25, 2011

INLAND: 3,000 Doctors Already Needed
Press-Enterprise October 22, 2011

Thousands Of LA’s Uninsured Seek Care At Free Medical Clinic
Neon Tommy October 22, 2011

Bad Air Quality Is Worse For Health than First Thought
KSEE24-TV October 18, 2011

Californians Push for New River Cleanup in Health Plan
California Watch October 4, 2011

Brown Signs Slate of Clean Drinking Water Bills
California Watch October 10, 2011

Long-Term Care — Many Don't Give It a Thought Until Too Late
Sacramento Bee October 10, 2011

L.A. County Expands No-Cost Healthcare
Los Angeles Times October 9, 2011

Hemet: Leaders Begin Collaboration on Child Safety
Press Enterprise October 5, 2011

How the Bay Area Can Afford Old Age
San Francisco Chronicle September 16, 2011

MIRA LOMA: Attorney General Joins in Warehouse Fight
Press-Enterprise September 7, 2011

In the Shadow of San Diego
The Progressive September, 2011

Viewpoints: Few Californians Prepared for Cost of Aging
Sacramento Bee August 16, 2011

Ethnic Californians -- The State’s ‘Environmental Vote’
New America Media August 5, 2011

Up to 220,000 California Children Excluded from Health Care Reform
Bilingual Weekly July 15, 2011

Viewpoints: Cuts to Higher Education Pose a Threat to the State's Future
Sacramento Bee July 10, 2011

Clinics Face Budget Cuts and A New Wave of Patients
The Bay Citizen July 2, 2011

Program Offers New 'Reality' for College Hopefuls
San Diego Union-Tribune June 29, 2011

A Deeply Grounded Image of What Nuns Are All About
Los Angeles Times June 25, 2011

Opinion: Health Care Issues Often Ignored for LGBT Population
Capitol Weekly June 9, 2011

The Silent Jobless
Los Angeles Times June 3, 2011

Honoring Veterans Through Philanthropy
Washington Examiner May 29, 2011

State Law Needed To Keep Insurers Greed in Check
New America Media May 27, 2011

Health Care Expected To Contribute to Growth in California's General Fund
California Healthline May 24, 2011

Former Gang Members: A Life Sentence of Joblessness
Los Angeles Times May 11, 2011

Health Care at Crisis Status for Many in California County
Modesto Bee May 9, 2011

‘Green Paper’ Details Needs of Central Valley Rural Community
Visalia Times-Delta May 5, 2011

Ella Baker Center for Human Rights Makes Film, Wins Award
Oakland Tribune April 19, 2011

Doctors Worry They'll Lose Money By Joining Local Medi-Cal Program
Ventura County Star April 11, 2011

Poll on Health Care Law: 52% in Calif. Optimistic
San Francisco Chronicle April 4, 2011

Disparities: Illness More Prevalent Among Older Gay Adults
New York Times April 1, 2011

Beverly Speak Honored as Woman of the Year for the 32nd Senate District
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin March 24, 2011

One Year Later, Health Care Reform Benefits 100,000 Californians
New America Media March 23, 2011

U.N. Studies Tulare Co. Town's Tainted Water
Fresno Bee March 1, 2011

Balancing the Budget: Making the Weak Pay
The Jewish Journal March 1, 2011

New Study Reveals Dangers of Prenatal Pesticide Exposure
New America Media February 18, 2011

Remember To Tip
Time February 17, 2011

Food Stamp Use Inconsistent Across State
California Watch February 15, 2011

Two-Thirds of Uninsured Californians Could Gain Health Coverage in 2014, Report Says
Los Angeles Times February 15, 2011

Study: Monterey Co. No. 1 For Youth Homicide Rate
KSBW News January 31, 2011

Community Colleges Not Producing Enough Health Workers
San Jose Mercury News January 28, 2011

Chemicals in Pregnant Women Identified
United Press International January 14, 2011