San Diego County Medical Society Foundation Announces New Executive Director

SAN DIEGO, May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation (SDCMSF) announced that it has appointed Barbara Mandel of Del Mar, to the position of executive director. "We are excited to have Barbara join our team," said Stuart Cohen, M.D., President of the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation.  "Her experience as an organizational leader in the non-profit sector combined with her healthcare expertise and knowledge of working with the medically underserved make her the perfect choice."

Barbara Mandel has extensive experience in the provision of direct services, program development and management, training and education, grant writing, and fundraising.  In addition, her work has also included successful advocacy and systems change efforts made possible through collaboration with other agencies.  She has worked for the past three years for San Diego Grantmakers, facilitating their health-focused funder collaboratives.  Previously, Mandel served as the executive director for Partners for Community Access, a collaboration of North County community clinics and Palomar Pomerado Health, where she developed and operated a model health access program.  "I am very excited to join the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation.  I am passionate about the work that the Foundation is involved with and look forward to being part of the SDCMSF team increasing access to care into the future."

The San Diego County Medical Society Foundation works to increase access to healthcare services for uninsured and underinsured adults through collaboration with volunteer physicians, community health clinics, hospitals and medical students.  Project Access San Diego, part of a national network, provided specialty care for more than 476 patients during 2010 thanks to the assistance of more than 558 board-certified physicians and allied health professionals.  SDCMSF was founded by physician members of the San Diego County Medical Society in 2004 to create opportunities for physicians to make contributions to the community.

Mandel is a 30-year resident of Del Mar, and has been an active community volunteer.  The Foundation is actively recruiting board-certified physicians in all medical and surgical specialties willing to see at least one uninsured patient. For more information about SDCMSF's other programs, please contact Barbara Mandel, executive director, at (858) 300-2780 and visit the website at http://www.SDCMSF.org.

About the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation

Founded and directed by physicians, the SDCMSF manages a host of programs that help physicians, patients and our community. Together, we solve unmet health care needs by offering efficient and meaningful access to care, preventative health education, resource information, and support for local medical students. We are actively recruiting board-certified physicians in all medical and surgical specialties — physicians willing to see at least one uninsured patient. For more information about SDCMSF's other programs, please contact Barbara Mandel, executive director, at (858) 300-2780 and visit the website at http://www.SDCMSF.org.

SOURCE San Diego County Medical Society Foundation