ISSUE NUMBER 2 / OCTOBER 2021
2
Thank You
and Good Bye
By Gary D. Nelson, PhD
President of Healthcare Georgia Foundation
Dear friends and colleagues, I am writing to share with you that I have notified the Healthcare Georgia Foundation Board of Directors of my intent to retire as Foundation President in the spring of 2022.
Established in 1999, Healthcare Georgia Foundation has been a remarkable example of philanthropy’s contribution to the health and well-being of underserved individuals, families, and communities. Throughout Georgia thousands of individuals and organizations have been the recipient of our direct charitable activities including more than $80 million in grant support. I am especially proud of our efforts as a strategic grantmaker to be resilient during challenging economic times, insisting that results matter, celebrating the accomplishments of our health and social safety net, taking risks, and declaring health equity our north star. For more than 20 years, the Foundation has served a critical role in addressing health disparities, promoting health and preventing disease, expanding access to healthcare, and strengthening health nonprofit organizations. Therefore, I want to give the Board of Directors ample time to select the next president with the assurance the search will attract an exceptionally strong pool of candidates.
It has been a privilege to serve the Foundation’s Board of Directors and to pursue our vision and mission with a stellar cast of colleagues. I am indebted to the Foundation’s family for this once-in-a-lifetime leadership opportunity to create, grow, and celebrate the success of this highly effective organization. Our success has always been measured by the accomplishments of those we have served. In the pursuit of greater health equity, our accomplishments together have been many and lasting. I am humbled by the trust our partners and constituents have placed in us. I salute Georgia’s health nonprofit community.
To those the Foundation has supported, thank you for enabling, improving, and advancing the health of all Georgians. I will leave this work knowing that a Foundation grounded in science, built on partnerships, and focused on results has had and will continue to have a pivotal role in Georgia's future.
Thank you and much continued success,
Gary D. Nelson, Ph.D.