About LHE
Legacy Health Endowment (LHE) was founded in 2014 and is based in Turlock. It was created from the net proceeds of the sale of Emanuel Medical Center, Inc., which were placed into a charitable foundation tasked with improving the health and wellbeing of area residents.
Mission
To improve the health and healthcare of all residents residing within Stanislaus and Merced counties (19 specific cities and Zip codes) by increasing access to various healthcare services and educating people about healthy lifestyle decisions. Our objective is to dramatically improve the quality of life within the greater LHE community by bringing together resources, expertise, vision and the belief we can – and will – make a difference.
Core Values
LHE is guided by a set of core values that underscore everything we do:
- Serve as a leader and catalyst for all those who live in our service area by creating successful healthcare change
- Foster open dialogue and collaboration that allows us to share knowledge, create strategic alliances and build sustainable healthcare solutions
- Use innovations to foster creativity, collaboration and discussion
- Recognize and value the contributions of everyone involved and treat others the same way we expect to be treated
- Value the differences, strengths and skills of everyone with whom we work
- Serve as stewards of our funds, ensuring that the LHE community obtains the greatest value for every dollar spent.
Program Focus
LHE’s goal is to ensure it people living in our service area become the healthiest in California. We will strive to accomplish this by using some or all of the following strategies:
- Explain that our role is to assist public/private efforts to solve healthcare challenges
- Serve as a catalyst to improve access to and the quality of healthcare
- Use innovation to create sustainable change and evaluate where we invest our mone
- Optimize the independence of elderly and disabled residents
- Help build robust, accessible and affordable mental health services
- Support programs that ensure every child has access to medical, dental and mental healthcare before they start school
- Increase the number of healthcare professionals in our community
- Focus on measurable results to evaluate our investments
- Support research programs focused on chronic disease conditions in our region
- Publish an annual report card on our successes and disappointments
Geographic Focus
Legacy Health Endowment will provide funding and technical support for nonprofit healthcare facilities to create healthcare solutions within Stanislaus and Merced counties. The foundation limits its funding to these 19 Zip codes:
95328 – Keyes
95334 – Livingston, Arena
95360 – Newman, Hills Ferry
95363 – Patterson, Diablo Grande, Grayson/Westley
95374 – Stevinson
95380-95382 – Turlock, Cortez
95358 – West Modesto/Bret Harte
95388 – Winton, Cressey
95301 – Atwater, Buhach
95303 – Ballico
95307 – Ceres
95313 – Crows Landing
95315 – Delhi
95316 – Denair, Montpelier
95322 – Gustine, Santa Nella
95324 – Hilmar, Irwin
95326 – Hughson
Board of Trustees
Lawrence Anderson
Treasurer
Biography
Lawrence Anderson served as Executive Vice President of Finance for Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, where he was responsible for coordinating the overall financial operations of the various entities under the control of the Board of Benevolence. He was also responsible for the centralized investment program of CMB as well as the pension plan for the employees of the CMB affiliates. Prior to joining CMB, Lawrence was Executive Vice President for Sales and Marketing for Newedge Financial, Inc., a subsidiary of Credit Agricole and Societe Generale Banks. He was an elected board member at both Swedish Hospital and Covenant Ministries of Benevolence over a period of 35 years, serving as board chair and finance committee chair at various times.
Mike Brem
Secretary
BIOGRAPHY
Mike Brem has worked in the agriculture industry for more than 40 years and retired as President of SupHerb Farms, which grows, processes and markets culinary herbs and specialty products. He remains active in the agriculture industry and in the Turlock community, serving on the Board of Directors of Sierra Cascade Nurseries, United Heritage Insurance Co. and Turlock Memorial Park.
Neill Callis
Chairman
BIOGRAPHY
Neill Callis and his wife Hilary relocated from San Francisco to Turlock (her hometown) in 2013 to raise their children. As part of that transition, Neill joined the family management team of Turlock Fruit Co., a grower-shipper-packer of fresh produce with roots in the area stretching back almost a century. A native North Carolinian, but raised in Virginia, Neill holds a B.A. in Political Science from Elon University, and Graduate Certificate in Applied Project Management for Complex, Space Systems from the Stevens Institute of Technology. Prior to moving to Turlock, he worked for nearly two decades as a NASA contractor on and still works part-time as a management consultant on a quantum computing project at NASA Ames in Mountain View.
Jessica Chang Irish
Trustee
BIOGRAPHY
Jessica Chang Irish is a Emmy-award winning news reporter who became a public speaking coach. She empowers ambitious professionals looking to build their confidence and influence through live presentations, videos or on-camera speaking. Since starting her business in 2015, she has helped hundreds of professionals – from business owners to executives and corporate teams – amplify their voice and messages. Before moving to Turlock, Jessica had a decade of experience in TV news reporting and producing, plus several years in marketing and outreach for universities and nonprofit organizations.
Lani Dickinson
Trustee
BIOGRAPHY
Lani Dickinson is a healthcare executive, entrepreneur, innovator and consultant to women business owners. In June 2018, she was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock. A nurse by training, Lani served as the chief nursing executive of Tenet Healthcare’s former Western Region from 2015-2017. Prior to the regional leadership role, she served as the Chief Operating Officer at Lakewood Regional Medical Center and spent many years at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto serving in various leadership positions including Chief Nursing Officer, Director of Clinical Quality Improvement and Director of Patient Care Services as well as several nursing roles. She is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives and American College of Healthcare Executives.
Dr. Ralph Gonzales
Trustee
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Ralph Gonzales is Associate Dean for Clinical Innovation and Chief Innovation Officer for UCSF Health. His research has played a significant role in national and global efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance by improving antibiotic prescribing practices — the body of which provides a successful roadmap to translate evidence into practice, policy and public health. Ralph is currently leading several project teams in designing, implementing and evaluating new ways to improve primary care-specialty care communication and care coordination, focusing on strategies that achieve the triple aim of improving quality, outcomes and decreasing costs.
Jeffrey Lewis
President & CEO
BIOGRAPHY
Jeffrey Lewis has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Health Endowment since its formation in 2016. He has spent his professional life working in both the public and private sectors as a healthcare leader, and is dedicated to helping improve the health and healthcare access of people living in LHE’s service area. Jeffrey has gained national recognition for his leading efforts to drive large-scale change that builds organizational effectiveness. He has decades of experience in public service, public policy and venture-driven philanthropic management. Jeffrey is a prolific writer, polished speaker and effective facilitator.
Kassy Perry
Vice-Chair
BIOGRAPHY
Kassy Perry is the owner of Perry Communication Group, a California-based strategic communications firm specializing in integrated public affairs campaigns and media relations. Prior to that, she served in a PR/comms capacity for two California governors and a legislator. Perry Communications was responsible for creating the colon cancer awareness campaign for former “Today” show host Katie Couric after her husband died of colon cancer at age 42. Convincing Couric to televise her own colonoscopy helped remove the stigma from the procedure and made it memorable for hundreds of millions of viewers. Kassy’s team at Perry Communications includes an exceptional group of smart, fun, dedicated women who use their media, government and campaign expertise to serve clients.
Michelle Reimers
Trustee
BIOGRAPHY
In 2020, Michelle Reimers became just the eighth person – and the first woman – to be named General Manager of the Turlock Irrigation District, an organization founded in 1887. In her four years as the district’s top leader, Michelle oversaw the organization’s extensive irrigation and electricity operations across a 662-square-mile area in Central California. Her innovative leadership led to the successful implementation of key projects, including the district’s second regulating reservoir, entry into the Western Energy Imbalance Market and installing solar panels over canals. Prior to becoming GM, Michelle served as Assistant General Manager of External Affairs at TID. She now owns and runs her own consulting business and farms with her husband.
Todd Slechta
Trustee
BIOGRAPHY
Todd Slechta is the President of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence and, prior to this position, was President of Covenant Initiatives for Care. He has broad executive and ministerial experience, including growing a small, five-county rural healthcare agency into a statewide entity with the mission of serving children with special needs in rural and remote-rural areas. Todd also has served as a Covenant pastor and as executive director of Covenant Bible College in Canada and Ecuador. He was principal of Vanguard Classical School, which serves students with a range of disabilities, social and emotional needs, as well as those with gifted and talented capacities. Following his time at Vanguard, Todd was Vice President of Personnel Development for PeopleCare Health Services, an in-home healthcare company.
Reagan Wilson
Trustee
