Q & A
PARTNERS IN HEALTH
Dr. Richard Besser
poses with some fans
while on a visit to
Sesame Street.
What are some barriers to
practicing a healthy lifestyle?
I’ve worked as a pediatrician, always
maintaining a pediatric practice in
community clinics to stay connected,
and to make sure everyone has a fair
opportunity to lead a healthy life.
And in a lot of communities, we
can talk to the mother about the
importance of eating right and
getting exercise, but when there
aren’t fresh fruit and vegetables
available, and if it’s not safe for
kids to go out and play, we’re not
displaying an understanding of
reality.
How can you combat that?
We have to ensure that there are safe
parks, and after-school programs for
exercise. We have to bring in food,
40
BACK TO SCHOOL 2017 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE
“I’M FOCUSED ON
CHANGING THE
CONVERSATION
AROUND
HEALTH IN
AMERICA TO
BEING ABOUT A
‘CULTURE OF
HEALTH,’ GETTING
PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND
THAT HEALTH
CARE ISN’T
SOMETHING
THAT HAPPENS
JUST WITH YOUR
DOCTOR.”
DR. RICHARD BESSER
and make jobs and housing available.
Building connections across sectors –
housing, education, business groups
– that’s the culture of health.
Which organizations are best
suited to meet that goal? We’re
not an operational foundation, so we
look to groups and communities that
have solutions and need support. We
work with the Y, because they’re a
major provider of early childhood
education and services for people
with diabetes. The 4H Club is anoth-
er group with whom we partner; they
have a big reach into rural America.
We do a lot with the American Heart
Association.
You became CEO in late April.
What’s your impression of your
workplace so far? I never worked
in a foundation before, and now I
have the privilege to lead the nation’s
largest philanthropy whose work is
related to health in America. I’ve
never worked in a place where
people are happier. They love how
they’re treated, and they love the
mission. They’re jazzed up about try-
ing to make a difference in people’s
lives. I’m an infectious disease doc-
tor, and that feeling is contagious! n
ROBERT
What are some of your
immediate goals? I’m focused on
changing the conversation around
health in America to being about a
“culture of health,” getting people to
understand that health care isn’t
something that happens just with
your doctor. We have good health
based on the way we live, work,
learn and play, and those are more
important than a doctor’s visit.