Wetzel Community Leadership Award: Deborah Howell

Deborah (Debbie) Howell’s family moved to Sonoma County from Dallas, Texas, in 1970. By the 1980s, she and her husband had moved to Cloverdale to start and raise their own family “in a small town environment, similar to our childhood experiences in the rural communities of Windsor and Healdsburg” she says.

Debbie’s professional career started in the for-profit sector in business administration, and even after a significant time away, spent as a stay-at-home mother, she expected to someday resume that course. But a medical emergency in 1995 changed her plans.  

“My son had a bicycle accident and needed medical attention immediately,” she recounts. “I went to Coppertower Family Medical Center, a Rural Health Clinic at that time, and received urgent care services for my son.

“I was very impressed,” she remembers, “as the office did not worry about insurance status or being assigned to another primary care physician. They just addressed my child’s urgent medical need and followed up later with financial questions.”

The medical staff having delivered her son’s care successfully and compassionately, Debbie was left with both a strong affection for the organization and an inspiration she would act on a few years later.

“After being a stay-at-home mom for 10-plus years, I decided in 2001 to resume my career in business administration by applying for a position with Coppertower. I wanted to work locally and thought my education and skills would be an asset to the small Rural Health Clinic I had come to appreciate,” she explains. “I wanted to work in an environment that helped people live their best life and where my skills could make a difference.”

Cloverdale’s Coppertower Family Medical Center, which would eventually become Alexander Valley Healthcare, “the sole primary care provider between Ukiah and Healdsburg,” hired her in 2001.

Although this was her first foray into the world of nonprofit administration and community health, Debbie took to her new environment right away, quickly learning the administrative and financial components of operating a nonprofit primary care practice. She also soon proved herself an indispensable asset to the organization. 

“By the end of 2003, the Board of Directors offered me the role of Chief Executive Officer and I accepted.”

Today, as CEO of Alexander Valley Healthcare, Debbie continues to oversee the remarkable expansion and evolution of this vital player in the region’s healthcare ecosystem. 

Significantly, this includes construction of the new Alexander Valley Health & Wellness Center, described by AVH as “a state-of-the-art medical facility in downtown Cloverdale which will house all the primary medical, behavioral health and dental services under one roof and allow for an expansion of services and community partnerships.” 

Shepherding all of this does not prevent Debbie from also being an enthusiastic volunteer in her community. 

“I am a Rotarian,” she explains, “which includes volunteering for many community activities, such as Russian River Clean-up. And I volunteer to help and assist women with substance abuse, domestic violence, and homelessness within various Sonoma County agencies.”

For her extraordinary leadership and her tireless contributions, private and professional, toward northern Sonoma County’s system of care, the Healthcare Foundation is delighted to recognize Debbie Howell with 2024’s Wetzel Community Leadership Award. 

“I knew very early into my healthcare career that access to local healthcare in Cloverdale was extremely limited and insufficient to meet the needs of the community and local demand for healthcare services.”

Debbie Howell

What was the transition into community health like for you?

I became interested in community health after my son’s accident. Working at Coppertower Family Medical Center was my first exposure to the nonprofit business side. Coming from the for-profit world and entering into the nonprofit industry of healthcare was a huge shift for me. However, I felt the opportunity aligned with my career goals and personal values. I was motivated and excited to work within an organization that was mission-driven and dedicated to the community.

What is the impetus behind AVH’s planned Health & Wellness Center?

I knew very early into my healthcare career that access to local healthcare in Cloverdale was extremely limited and insufficient to meet the needs of the community and local demand for healthcare services. The Rural Health Clinic’s facilities were built in the 1950s, and not designed for a group practice or integration of multiple lines of services, such as behavioral health and general dentistry. Additionally, Rural Health Clinic designation is limited in scope of services and access to financial resources.

I worked with the Board of Directors on long-term strategic planning that included seeking Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) designation. FQHC designation provided annual grant dollars and opportunities to expand services and access to additional financial resources and federally supported programs. FQHC designation provided the platform the health center would utilize to grow the organization and build a long-term, sustainable system of care. 

What do you expect the impact will be of the new Center?

Current health center facilities have the physical space capacity to serve an estimated 4,500 unduplicated patients with 27,000 annual visits (with an average of 6 visits per patient across all service lines, medical, dental, behavioral health). The new facility will provide physical space to serve an estimated 6,900 unduplicated patients with an average of 40,000 annual visits. 

The new facility will also provide access to urgent care and public health services, specialty services such as chiropractic, podiatry, physical therapy, social services, laboratory, pharmacy, health education classes/speaker series, teen clinic, substance abuse services, and more. The impact will be bringing services to the community and building a health center designed to provide for the healthcare needs of residents within our 456-mile service area and beyond for the next 40 years.  

What is northern Sonoma County’s greatest challenge in terms of health and wellbeing?

The geographic region between Healdsburg and Ukiah is designated a Medically Underserved Area. Lack of access to affordable healthcare is a huge disparity in the region, and one of the biggest challenges in the region is provider recruitment. The shortage of healthcare providers is also a nationwide challenge.

What would you say is the region’s greatest strength?

Northern Sonoma County’s greatest strength includes the versatility of its urban, suburban and rural communities. Cloverdale is one of the most affordable communities in Sonoma County and is a great place to raise a family.

In addition to your extensive volunteer service, is there anything you most like to do in your free time?

I appreciate the beauty, weather, and close distance to San Francisco. I love to read, garden, thrift shop for treasures, and paint! 

The Wetzel Community Leadership Award is named for longtime friends of the Healthcare Foundation and generous members of our community, the late Maggie and Harry Wetzel. The memory of the Wetzels lives on through the leadership award honorees who exemplify humanitarian leadership values in action on a daily basis. Their impact on our community is truly beyond measure. More information on this year’s Wetzel Awards can be found here.

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We are proud to honor this year’s Wetzel Community Leadership Award recipient Deborah Howell, CEO of Alexander Valley Healthcare, and Spirit of Wetzel Award recipient Jade Weymouth, Executive Director of La Familia Sana. Longstanding champions of our region’s health and wellbeing, both Deborah and Jade demonstrate extraordinary community leadership and service in both their professional roles and across years of volunteer service. We couldn’t be more excited to be honoring these two remarkable women! To view prior Wetzel Awards honorees, click here.

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