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Jul 02, 2014 | Episcopal Health Foundation

Episcopal Health Foundation Announces Leadership Team

(Episcopal Health Foundation) - After extensive searches, the Episcopal Health Foundation has named its senior leadership team, Elena Marks, president and CEO of the Foundation, announced today. Marks, an attorney and health policy scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute, joined the Foundation in January of this year.

 

Alexandra Nolen, PhD, joins the Foundation as Director of Impact. Nolen has served as the director of the Center to Eliminate Health Disparities at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston since 2008. She’ll lead the Foundation’s engagement with the 150+ parishes in the Diocese of Texas and ensure accountability and measurable impact in all aspects of the Foundation’s work.

 

Patricia Gail Bray, PhD, has been named Director of Research. Most recently, Bray was Executive Director of St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities in Houston. She’ll oversee the Foundation’s research efforts which will support the Foundation’s grant-making. Research projects will also include data collection and dissemination to the Diocesan, non-profit, and philanthropic communities, as well as community-based research in the Diocese’s 57 counties.

 

Jo Z. Carcedo, MPA, joins the Foundation as Director of Grant-Making. For the past four years, Carcedo was the Chief Administrative Officer for Legacy Community Health Services, one of the state’s largest Federally Qualified Health Centers. Carcedo has deep experience in grant writing and management and has served as a grant reviewer for federal grants relating to health care delivery. Carcedo will lead the Foundation’s grant-making team.

 

Susybelle Gosslee joins the Foundation as Director of Business Operations. She’s served in similar capacities in several Houston-area law firms. Gosslee oversees the business operations of the Foundation, including human resources and information technology. She also liaises with Diocesan staff providing finance, accounting and investment support.

 

Brian Sasser joins the Foundation as Communications Director. For the past 13 years, Sasser was the investigative producer and national field producer for KPRC-TV in Houston. He’ll oversee all external and internal communications for the Foundation, including media relations.

 

“I’m thrilled to have this talented group of people,” Marks said. “Episcopal Health Foundation has the opportunity to make a deep and lasting impact in the Diocese and we have a great team to lead this work.”

 

The Episcopal Health Foundation is a new entity established through the 2013 sale of the St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System to Catholic Health Initiatives. The Foundation supports the work of The Episcopal Diocese of Texas and has assets of $1 billion. The mission of the Foundation is to advance the Kingdom of God with specific focus on human health and well-being through grants, research, and initiatives in support of the work of the Diocese. Episcopal Health Foundation embraces the World Health Organization’s broad, holistic definition of health: a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.

 

For more information, or to interview Marks or any member of the Foundation’s leadership staff, please contact Brian Sasser at 832.795.9404 or