Celebrating Outgoing Board Members

We wish to express our deepest gratitude for the hard work and service of four board members stepping down at the end of 2020: Denny Martin, Gina Parmeter, Bill Smart and Ross Stromberg. Each made significant contributions, all were generous of time, talent and vision, and all helped make the Foundation what it is today.

We’re grateful to Denny, who chaired the Program Committee and the ED Search Committee. She believes firmly in the importance of listening and learning from the community in every step of grantmaking, and her efforts have made our process more professional for all stakeholders. During her time on our board and throughout her life, Denny has been a champion for the underserved. As our community continues to grapple with the devastating health inequities of the COVID-19 pandemic, she has helped us understand our work in new ways and was a guiding force in establishing our Emergency Healthcare Fund. Denny will continue to serve on the Program Committee as a community member.

Bill has been an incredible advocate for the Healthcare Foundation over the last few years. He has strengthened our relationship with the local wine industry and helped us connect with many new partners. His wine expertise was invaluable as we coordinated wine donations for our fundraising events. He too supported our efforts to find new leadership on the ED Search Committee. His tenure on the board has coincided with a difficult time for our community. Bill always approached these new challenges with an open heart and mind and helped the board pivot time and time again to meet the needs of our region.

A longtime supporter, Gina co-chaired Wine, Women & Shoes for three years, helping us raise hundreds of thousands of dollars, all before joining our board in 2018. Gina is a true connector and has introduced the Healthcare Foundation and our mission to many like-minded people who themselves have become enthusiastic supporters. She also played a key role in securing badly needed funding for Alliance Medical Center’s prenatal education program, a transformative series of classes for low-income mothers-to-be. Gina has always been a steadying force during times of transition.

Ross has been a tireless advocate for dental care access in the vulnerable communities we serve. He also provided us with an important legal perspective during his time on the board. Ross, who has lived in Healdsburg for many years, is deeply connected to the broader community and brought many new supporters to the Foundation. Ross served as pro bono legal counsel to the PDI Surgery Center during his tenure on that board. He was awarded our Spirit of Wetzel Award in 2016.

Service on the Foundation’s board requires dedication, sacrifice and mission focus. Denny, Bill, Gina and Ross have provided these, and much more, for many years. We will miss their presence, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to them.