Mary Brainerd is the president and CEO of HealthPartners, a large nonprofit health care organization in Minnesota. She has overseen its growth to serve over 1.3 million members. In addition to her work leading HealthPartners, Mary is deeply involved in charitable and community initiatives focused on improving the Twin Cities region. She chairs the Itasca Project, a civic alliance aimed at economic development and reducing socioeconomic disparities. Mary also co-chairs the East Metro Mental Health Roundtable and helped establish GiveMN, a nonprofit that has raised over $50 million for charities. She is recognized as a passionate leader who has significantly improved lives through her work both within and outside of HealthPartners.
AARP Volunteer & Member Engagement Initiative Case Study (2008)versatilecreative
In 2008, AARP Oregon used a series of integrated marketing communications and grassroots tactics to increase engagement and volunteerism in the national Divided We Fail campaign for financial security and healthcare reform leading up to the 2008 Presidential Election. Here is a synopsis of the initiative and lessons learned based on my experiences as an intern and contractor on the project.
AARP Volunteer & Member Engagement Initiative Case Study (2008)versatilecreative
In 2008, AARP Oregon used a series of integrated marketing communications and grassroots tactics to increase engagement and volunteerism in the national Divided We Fail campaign for financial security and healthcare reform leading up to the 2008 Presidential Election. Here is a synopsis of the initiative and lessons learned based on my experiences as an intern and contractor on the project.
Non-profit organizations do not have the luxury of large bank accounts for-profit businesses have; they depend in large part on donations from their supporters and grants for funding.
Michael Jernigan – 2014 nominee for Modern Healthcare’s Community Leadership...Modern Healthcare
Michael Jernigan – 2014 nominee for Modern Healthcare’s Community Leadership Award.
The success of the healthcare industry depends on leaders who define themselves by leading efforts to change lives and contribute to their communities through their work. But many go above and beyond commitments central to their roles, reaching out to support causes that may be wholly unrelated to healthcare, but which build and sustain strong communities and the quality of life within them. Modern Healthcare's Community Leadership Awards was established to recognize these leaders while bringing attention to the worthy causes they support. Modern Healthcare's Community Leadership Awards was established to recognize these leaders while bringing attention to the worthy causes they support.
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/section/community-leadership
CJA is monitoring the development of the field of catalyst initiatives. Catalysts seek to help local regions transform health and health care in their regions. This is the fourth in the series.
Non-profit organizations do not have the luxury of large bank accounts for-profit businesses have; they depend in large part on donations from their supporters and grants for funding.
Michael Jernigan – 2014 nominee for Modern Healthcare’s Community Leadership...Modern Healthcare
Michael Jernigan – 2014 nominee for Modern Healthcare’s Community Leadership Award.
The success of the healthcare industry depends on leaders who define themselves by leading efforts to change lives and contribute to their communities through their work. But many go above and beyond commitments central to their roles, reaching out to support causes that may be wholly unrelated to healthcare, but which build and sustain strong communities and the quality of life within them. Modern Healthcare's Community Leadership Awards was established to recognize these leaders while bringing attention to the worthy causes they support. Modern Healthcare's Community Leadership Awards was established to recognize these leaders while bringing attention to the worthy causes they support.
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/section/community-leadership
CJA is monitoring the development of the field of catalyst initiatives. Catalysts seek to help local regions transform health and health care in their regions. This is the fourth in the series.
Advancing Racial Equity through Community Engagement in Collective ImpactLiving Cities
Tackling racial inequalities head on is critical to dramatically improving results for low-income people. As a starting point, equitable collaboration with people of color is critical to ensure that social change efforts are informed by the lived experience of the communities they seek to benefit.
Our webinar explored how to ensure that community residents influence the design and direction of collective impact initiatives. View the slides for insights from our panel of cross-sector leaders working to advance racial equity.
This slide deck is an initial draft outlining the mission and objectives of Systems Thinking Marin (as of Autumn 2017), possible projects for realizing that mission, and provides examples of the major systems thinking frameworks that inform the mission and objectives.
Trust as an Asset Building a Managed Service Organizati.docxturveycharlyn
Trust as an Asset:
Building a Managed Service Organization within MACC (A)1
In December 2002, the state of Minnesota faced a $4.5 billion shortfall caused, as in many states,
by the national recession and the corresponding decline in tax revenues. The newly elected
governor, Tim Pawlenty, warned that everyone would need to share the pain – townships, cities,
counties, nonprofits and individual Minnesotans. The state’s nonprofit sector, which had
enjoyed years of growth and a reputation for social innovation, steeled itself for cuts. The
outlook for nonprofits was made worse by dramatic reductions in giving from the Twin Cities
United Way and private philanthropy. Eighty-nine percent of Minnesota Council on
Foundations membership reported asset declines that decreased their giving.2
The state government’s crisis was exacerbated by a pledge for no new taxes taken by the
Governor during the election. Like many Republican leaders, Pawlenty had signed a pledge of
the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, a citizens’ group that advocates for smaller, less expensive
government and lower taxes. The message of the Taxpayers League resonated with many
Minnesotans; polls revealed that the majority of citizens believed that state lawmakers should
avoid increasing taxes. The League’s President David Strom took direct credit for change public
in a state that had, historically, seen a positive role for government. "The fact that we've been
able to, with the help of the governor, convince the majority of Minnesotans that government is
too big, it's time to cut back -- that's the real power that we have -- our ability to persuade
people."3
This attitude infuriated many other nonprofit leaders. Although the League was a nonprofit
organization, to many others in the sector it represented a philosophy that they directly opposed –
a philosophy that placed the burden for coping with scarcity on the backs of those who already
had the least. The Minnesota Council on Nonprofits, for example, launched an aggressive public
media campaign in 2002 to educate Minnesotans about the roles nonprofits play in providing
public services and meeting the needs of the disadvantaged. Other nonprofit leaders began to
develop innovative solutions in the increasing challenging fiscal environment they faced.
Jan Berry, the new President of the Metropolitan Alliance of Community Centers (MACC),
considered various options. A coalition of thirteen human service providers in Minneapolis and
St. Paul, MACC would be seriously hurt by cuts coming to state and county contracts. As Jan
studied the Taxpayers League, she saw how successful it was at marketing its ideology, at
1 This case study was written by Jodi Sandfort and Timothy Dykstal both of the University of Minnesota, Humphrey
Institute. Please direct comments or questions to [email protected]
2 Minnesota Council on Foundations ...
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1. Community Mental Health Principles: A 40-Year Case StudyDocument 1 of 1
Community Mental Health Principles: A 40-Year Case Study
Author: Ahr, Paul R
ProQuest document link
Abstract:
By the time Congress had passed the Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) Act of 1963, community-based services for people with serious mental illnesses were in place in several locations around Missouri, and more were planned for the future. The 40th anniversary of the President John F. Kennedy's signing of the CHMC Act provided the backdrop for a review of the principles of the CHMC movement nationwide, and an analysis of the extent to which they still define community mental health care in this pioneering state. Here, Ahr provides a unique case study of the viability of eight CMHC principles.
Links: Check for full text via 360 Link
Full text:
By the time Congress had passed the Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) Act of 1963, community-based services for people with serious mental illnesses were in place in several locations around Missouri, and more were planned for the future. Beginning in 1960, the Missouri mental health agency developed detailed plans and budgets for the establishment of comprehensive community-based treatment centers that would shift acute mental healthcare away from state-operated mental hospitals. The availability of these plans thrust Missouri into the forefront of CMHC grant recipients, in both the public and private sectors.
The 40th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's signing of the CMHC Act provided the backdrop for a review of the principles of the CMHC movement nationwide, and an analysis of the extent to which they still define community mental healthcare in this pioneering state. In early 2003, I interviewed 17 direct observers of the evolution of community mental healthcare in Missouri for their first-person reflections. These interviews were incorporated as a key element of my book Made in Missouri: The Community Mental Health Movement and Community Mental Health Centers 1963-2003. The range of their personal experiences spread from 1950 to the present. In addition, the CEOs of Missouri's 22 private not-for-profit CMHCs contributed in-depth descriptions of program development in their service areas, including descriptions of current and planned programs. These interviews provide a unique case study of the viability of eight CMHC principles (listed below).
Responsibility for a specified population. This principle has been sustained in Missouri in large part because the Department of Mental Health (DMH) incorporated it as the ...
Shifting landscapes: Establishing and maintaining brand identity in an era of...Modern Healthcare
As the healthcare system continues its unprecedented trend of consolidation, driven by factors such as the rapid move to value-based care, many hospitals and health systems wonder how a merger or acquisition might affect their hard-earned brand identity and reputation. This session will explore that question in depth as speakers from Baylor Scott & White Health, the largest not-for-profit health system in Texas formed in 2013 after an $8.3 billion merger of two well-known healthcare organizations, share lessons learned and offer practical marketing and branding strategies.
The power of the story: Using patient testimonials and stories to drive marke...Modern Healthcare
Nothing drives a message home like a well-told story. And an increasing number of healthcare organizations are making patient testimonials a central part of their marketing strategy, harnessing the power of a compelling story to build loyalty, highlight compelling cases and showcase their best work. In this session, experts will share best practices—and common pitfalls—to keep in mind when using patient testimonials.
The tools for success: Leveraging content marketing to engage and inspirefor ...Modern Healthcare
Developing an insightful content marketing strategy that anticipates consumers’ need for meaningful health information can go a long way toward helping healthcare organizations reach their target audiences and build relationships. But many marketers, wary of navigating this heavily regulated area, have made scant progress. This plenary session will dive deep into the ins and outs of content marketing, including tips for choosing the right channels and effective techniques for measuring your efforts.
Webinar: Information Governance - Where is the Healthcare Industry and Where ...Modern Healthcare
Led by Deborah Green, MBA, RHIA EVP/Chief Innovation and Global Services Officer of AHIMA, who has had key responsibility for AHIMA's IG initiative, and featuring Katherine Lusk, MHSM, RHIA is the Chief Health Information Management and Exchange Officer for Children's Medical Health System of Texas, who has been instrumental in promoting and shepherding information governance (IG) at her organization, this webinar will provide insights on key findings of the second survey of IG adoption in Healthcare. The webinar will feature:
- Specific findings on progress in IG adoption
- A discussion of the evolving disciplines of IG
- Perspectives on the readiness and needs of professionals working in IG and related roles
The Leadership Pipeline: Cultivating Your Organization’s High Potential Emplo...Modern Healthcare
The Leadership Pipeline: Cultivating Your Organization’s High Potential Employees – Joseph Cabral at Modern Healthcare's 8th annual Workplace of the Future Conference on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at the Omni Hotel in Nashville Tennessee.
Workplace Wellness in Flux – Nicolaas Pronk at Modern Healthcare's 8th annual Workplace of the Future Conference on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at the Omni Hotel in Nashville Tennessee.
Opening Keynote Presentation – George Foyo at Modern Healthcare's 8th annual Workplace of the Future Conference on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at the Omni Hotel in Nashville Tennessee.
Closing Keynote Presentation – Craig Deao at Modern Healthcare's 8th annual Workplace of the Future Conference on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at the Omni Hotel in Nashville Tennessee.
Workplace Wellness in Flux – Daniel Timblin at Modern Healthcare's 8th annual Workplace of the Future Conference on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at the Omni Hotel in Nashville Tennessee.
EHR Safety - Identifying and Mitigating Health IT-related Risks (Webinar Slides)Modern Healthcare
About the Webinar
The federal government has spent tens of billions of dollars getting providers to install EHR systems-all in the hopes of making care more efficient, safe and cost-effective. But EHRs can introduce their own safety risks, whether from confusing displays, excessive alerts or a range of other factors. This hourlong webinar will explore where we are now on health IT-related safety and what you can do to mitigate hazards in your own organization.
You can learn more about this event:
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20150908/WEBINAR/309099998/webinar-ehr-safety-identifying-and-mitigating-health-it-related-risks
Custom webinar slides: Improve operations through standardizationModern Healthcare
Listen to operational leaders from Baptist Health South Florida and Ochsner Health System describe the growth and optimization strategies that generated results for their organizations. Hear lessons learned and insights that led to increased operational performance and innovative culture. Learn about the journey of driving cultural and systemic change that breaks down silos and builds an efficient integrated system. Topics that will be addressed by the panel include:
- Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships and alliances to drive growth
- Foster a collaborative and innovative culture
- Increase productivity and cost savings
- Create vendor score cards that maximize value and performance
More information can be found here:
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20150715/SPONSORED/307169999
Achieving Sustainable Savings in Purchased Services Through Best PracticesModern Healthcare
Purchased-service agreements present an area of potential savings for operational budgets if hospitals have the right data, research and tools to control and reprioritize their purchased-services spending.
Join us as we learn how SSM Health, a four-state non-profit health care system, implemented a best-practices approach to purchased services to secure large-dollar savings across its entire purchased-services spend. During this webinar Cris O'Neal-Gavin, System Contract manager for Purchased Services at SSM Health, will share how they drove savings in large national purchased-services categories, and achieved even larger savings in more strategic regional services. Also get exclusive access to MD Buyline's most recent research showcasing how the nation's most innovative hospitals are implementing common strategies to reduce the cost and complexity of purchased-services contracts.
From Burnout to Engagement: Strategies to Promote Physician Wellness and Work...Modern Healthcare
Slides from a Modern Healthcare presentation.
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20150225/INFO/302259999/webinar-from-burnout-to-engagement-strategies-to-promote-physician
Faced with long hours, unrelenting administrative burdens and the pressure to treat patients quickly, a growing number of physicians are experiencing burnout, a condition characterized by loss of empathy, exhaustion, and a low sense of accomplishment. According to a Mayo Clinic survey from 2012, nearly one in two U.S physicians reported at least one symptom of burnout, up from 22% in 2001. For hospitals with stressed caregivers, the stakes are high. Burned out, dissatisfied physicians are far more likely to make medical errors and are less able to communicate effectively with patients and co-workers. They're also at a higher risk for substance abuse and are more likely to leave clinical practice altogether.
Webinar: Leading the Journey - Cultivating Success in HealthcareModern Healthcare
The fifth annual Huron Healthcare CEO Forum brought together dozens of the most experienced executives in hospitals and health systems across the country to address challenges, share experiences and assess high-level strategies to achieve success in the year ahead. The Forum also featured executives from leading brands outside healthcare, such as The Home Depot and Coca-Cola, who shared valuable and applicable advice for navigating the rapidly changing healthcare environment.
Two of the three largest data breaches in healthcare industry history have occurred in the past six months – exposing personally identifiable patient and health plan membership records on 84.5 million individuals – a number equal to the populations of California, Texas, New York and Nevada combined. Both breaches were attributed to hackers from China. These, and other massive hacks in financial services and retail, prompted President Obama to sign an executive order in February calling on government and the private sector to step up the nation's defenses against cybersecurity threats.
As pressure mounts on hospitals to improve quality and reduce costs, they have turned to medicine's fastest growing physician specialty—hospital medicine---to improve clinical performance and operational efficiency. How this new role for hospitalists plays out varies according to the type, location and creativity of individual healthcare organizations and the resources available to them. This editorial webinar will explore the steps health care organizations should take to prepare and position their hospitalists for quality-improvement responsibilities. Our panel of experts will share their insights, experiences and proven strategies for success.
- Video recording of this lecture in English language: https://youtu.be/lK81BzxMqdo
- Video recording of this lecture in Arabic language: https://youtu.be/Ve4P0COk9OI
- Link to download the book free: https://nephrotube.blogspot.com/p/nephrotube-nephrology-books.html
- Link to NephroTube website: www.NephroTube.com
- Link to NephroTube social media accounts: https://nephrotube.blogspot.com/p/join-nephrotube-on-social-media.html
These lecture slides, by Dr Sidra Arshad, offer a quick overview of physiological basis of a normal electrocardiogram.
Learning objectives:
1. Define an electrocardiogram (ECG) and electrocardiography
2. Describe how dipoles generated by the heart produce the waveforms of the ECG
3. Describe the components of a normal electrocardiogram of a typical bipolar leads (limb II)
4. Differentiate between intervals and segments
5. Enlist some common indications for obtaining an ECG
Study Resources:
1. Chapter 11, Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 14th edition
2. Chapter 9, Human Physiology - From Cells to Systems, Lauralee Sherwood, 9th edition
3. Chapter 29, Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology, 26th edition
4. Electrocardiogram, StatPearls - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549803/
5. ECG in Medical Practice by ABM Abdullah, 4th edition
6. ECG Basics, http://www.nataliescasebook.com/tag/e-c-g-basics
Title: Sense of Smell
Presenter: Dr. Faiza, Assistant Professor of Physiology
Qualifications:
MBBS (Best Graduate, AIMC Lahore)
FCPS Physiology
ICMT, CHPE, DHPE (STMU)
MPH (GC University, Faisalabad)
MBA (Virtual University of Pakistan)
Learning Objectives:
Describe the primary categories of smells and the concept of odor blindness.
Explain the structure and location of the olfactory membrane and mucosa, including the types and roles of cells involved in olfaction.
Describe the pathway and mechanisms of olfactory signal transmission from the olfactory receptors to the brain.
Illustrate the biochemical cascade triggered by odorant binding to olfactory receptors, including the role of G-proteins and second messengers in generating an action potential.
Identify different types of olfactory disorders such as anosmia, hyposmia, hyperosmia, and dysosmia, including their potential causes.
Key Topics:
Olfactory Genes:
3% of the human genome accounts for olfactory genes.
400 genes for odorant receptors.
Olfactory Membrane:
Located in the superior part of the nasal cavity.
Medially: Folds downward along the superior septum.
Laterally: Folds over the superior turbinate and upper surface of the middle turbinate.
Total surface area: 5-10 square centimeters.
Olfactory Mucosa:
Olfactory Cells: Bipolar nerve cells derived from the CNS (100 million), with 4-25 olfactory cilia per cell.
Sustentacular Cells: Produce mucus and maintain ionic and molecular environment.
Basal Cells: Replace worn-out olfactory cells with an average lifespan of 1-2 months.
Bowman’s Gland: Secretes mucus.
Stimulation of Olfactory Cells:
Odorant dissolves in mucus and attaches to receptors on olfactory cilia.
Involves a cascade effect through G-proteins and second messengers, leading to depolarization and action potential generation in the olfactory nerve.
Quality of a Good Odorant:
Small (3-20 Carbon atoms), volatile, water-soluble, and lipid-soluble.
Facilitated by odorant-binding proteins in mucus.
Membrane Potential and Action Potential:
Resting membrane potential: -55mV.
Action potential frequency in the olfactory nerve increases with odorant strength.
Adaptation Towards the Sense of Smell:
Rapid adaptation within the first second, with further slow adaptation.
Psychological adaptation greater than receptor adaptation, involving feedback inhibition from the central nervous system.
Primary Sensations of Smell:
Camphoraceous, Musky, Floral, Pepperminty, Ethereal, Pungent, Putrid.
Odor Detection Threshold:
Examples: Hydrogen sulfide (0.0005 ppm), Methyl-mercaptan (0.002 ppm).
Some toxic substances are odorless at lethal concentrations.
Characteristics of Smell:
Odor blindness for single substances due to lack of appropriate receptor protein.
Behavioral and emotional influences of smell.
Transmission of Olfactory Signals:
From olfactory cells to glomeruli in the olfactory bulb, involving lateral inhibition.
Primitive, less old, and new olfactory systems with different path
MANAGEMENT OF ATRIOVENTRICULAR CONDUCTION BLOCK.pdfJim Jacob Roy
Cardiac conduction defects can occur due to various causes.
Atrioventricular conduction blocks ( AV blocks ) are classified into 3 types.
This document describes the acute management of AV block.
Prix Galien International 2024 Forum ProgramLevi Shapiro
June 20, 2024, Prix Galien International and Jerusalem Ethics Forum in ROME. Detailed agenda including panels:
- ADVANCES IN CARDIOLOGY: A NEW PARADIGM IS COMING
- WOMEN’S HEALTH: FERTILITY PRESERVATION
- WHAT’S NEW IN THE TREATMENT OF INFECTIOUS,
ONCOLOGICAL AND INFLAMMATORY SKIN DISEASES?
- ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ETHICS
- GENE THERAPY
- BEYOND BORDERS: GLOBAL INITIATIVES FOR DEMOCRATIZING LIFE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES AND PROMOTING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
- ETHICAL CHALLENGES IN LIFE SCIENCES
- Prix Galien International Awards Ceremony
Pulmonary Thromboembolism - etilogy, types, medical- Surgical and nursing man...VarunMahajani
Disruption of blood supply to lung alveoli due to blockage of one or more pulmonary blood vessels is called as Pulmonary thromboembolism. In this presentation we will discuss its causes, types and its management in depth.
Ethanol (CH3CH2OH), or beverage alcohol, is a two-carbon alcohol
that is rapidly distributed in the body and brain. Ethanol alters many
neurochemical systems and has rewarding and addictive properties. It
is the oldest recreational drug and likely contributes to more morbidity,
mortality, and public health costs than all illicit drugs combined. The
5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM-5) integrates alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence into a single
disorder called alcohol use disorder (AUD), with mild, moderate,
and severe subclassifications (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
In the DSM-5, all types of substance abuse and dependence have been
combined into a single substance use disorder (SUD) on a continuum
from mild to severe. A diagnosis of AUD requires that at least two of
the 11 DSM-5 behaviors be present within a 12-month period (mild
AUD: 2–3 criteria; moderate AUD: 4–5 criteria; severe AUD: 6–11 criteria).
The four main behavioral effects of AUD are impaired control over
drinking, negative social consequences, risky use, and altered physiological
effects (tolerance, withdrawal). This chapter presents an overview
of the prevalence and harmful consequences of AUD in the U.S.,
the systemic nature of the disease, neurocircuitry and stages of AUD,
comorbidities, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, genetic risk factors, and
pharmacotherapies for AUD.
Ozempic: Preoperative Management of Patients on GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Saeid Safari
Preoperative Management of Patients on GLP-1 Receptor Agonists like Ozempic and Semiglutide
ASA GUIDELINE
NYSORA Guideline
2 Case Reports of Gastric Ultrasound
The POPPY STUDY (Preconception to post-partum cardiovascular function in prim...
Mary Brainerd_HealthPartners
1. Nomination letter for Mary Brained, president and CEO, HealthPartners
Modern Healthcare Community Leadership Award
As president and chief executive officer for Minnesota-based HealthPartners, the largest,
consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the nation, Mary Brainerd’s leadership
has touched the lives of 1.36 million members. An integrated system, HealthPartners has more
than 12,000 employees and includes a care delivery system with more than 800 physicians at
more than 70 primary, specialty and urgent care clinics, three hospitals, a large dental practice,
top-rated medical and dental health plans, a large research foundation and an Institute for Medical
Education.
But for all of Mary’s accomplishments, including establishing HealthPartners as a
national leader in the health care industry, her biggest impact on people and their health
just might come from her work outside the organization.
Mary has a passion for helping people and that passion is evident by her charitable work
and community service, all with the goal of improving lifestyles and lives. This passion,
and what she does because of it, make Mary an ideal recipient of Modern Healthcare’s
first Community Leadership Award.
It would take pages upon pages to cover Mary’s charity and community work, so the best
approach is to highlight two of her lasting endeavors.
The first is the Itasca Project, an employer-led civic alliance focused on building a
thriving economy and quality of life in the Twin Cities metro area and reducing and
eliminating socioeconomic disparities.
Mary is the longtime chair of the Itasca Project, which is comprised of more than 50
cross-sector community leaders from Minneapolis–Saint Paul, including private sector
CEOs, public sector leaders including the governor of Minnesota and the mayors of
Minneapolis and St. Paul, and leaders of major foundations.
The Project’s goals are straightforward: build a more competitive workforce, fuel the
economy and benefit the entire region, not just certain communities.
Recently, the Itasca Project launched two new task forces, one to identify strategies for
higher education in Minnesota to drive long-term, sustainable economic growth and
prosperity; and the other to assess the region’s job growth position and develop strategies
and policies to promote the retention, creation, and attraction of quality jobs.
Mary’s influence is especially significant in one of Itasca’s best-known initiatives aimed
at reducing disparities. It came out of a Brookings Institution report that found that the
overall health of the Twin Cities region covers up stark disparities – the reduction of
which is important to ensuring continued economic effectiveness. The study looked at
how race, class and place disparities impact just about everything: personal income
levels, jobs, earning potential, homeownership and health care.
As co-chair of Itasca’s Disparities Task Force, Mary focused on addressing disparities
among racial and ethnic groups; among income groups; in central cities and suburbs. She
2. oversaw the development of a toolkit called Close the Gap, which promotes practical
suggestions for employers to help support Itasca’s work.
The vision for the Itasca Project is guided by Mary Brainerd, who is not only a leader, but
a recruiter as well. Her relationships have helped the Project grow and flourish over the
past five years, creating such initiatives as setting regional performance indicators,
helping the University of Minnesota facilitate stronger relationships with business, and
improving early childhood education by enlisting a pro bono consultant to identify areas
of potential improvement.
Another one of Mary’s difference-making community initiatives is the East Metro Mental
Health Roundtable. Mary had the idea to convene a group of 25 community leaders and
decision makers to accelerate improvements in the mental health community. They do
this through partnerships that deliver high quality mental health services. Mary is the co-
chair of the Roundtable, but she actually started the group and rounded up its members.
The group meets regularly to both build awareness of mental health problems and
generate practical short- and long-term solutions and new ways of providing behavioral
health care. The Roundtable has successfully dealt with, or focused on, such issues as
reducing wait times for mental health services, increasing rapid access and short-term
psychiatric services, and increasing awareness and utilization of the services available to
residents.
As a direct result of Mary’s initiative, people with mental health issues are getting more
attention and the issues themselves are more open and less stigmatized. She took the
topic of mental health and brought it to the front of people’s minds—people who might
not have otherwise been giving it attention.
While the Itasca Project and Mental Health Roundtable focus on the people, businesses
and institutions of the region, another of Mary’s community projects directly helps the
area’s charities. Mary was the visionary behind the creation of GiveMN, which has
revolutionized charitable giving in Minnesota.
GiveMN’s mission is to grow charitable giving and move more of it online. As its first
board chair, Mary is helping build partnerships and build a strong leadership base for this
innovative organization.
GiveMN.org is a website that features every Minnesota nonprofit. GiveMN markets
giving opportunities and donor tools to people who care about Minnesota and helps them
find, connect and engage with the causes they care about. The model combines a state-of-
the-art national technology platform with local knowledge and trust-based relationships
established by leaders like Mary.
The centerpiece of GiveMN is the annual Give to the Max day, the largest online giving
event in the world. Last November it raised $13.4 million in 24 hours. Overall, the
organization recently surpassed $50 million in charitable gifts for more than 6,200
nonprofits. This is a huge accomplishment in such a short period of time (three years) and
Mary Brainerd was a key player in making it happen.
Simply put, she led its formation, helping to shape the idea, the business plan and the
launch. Her valuable leadership has also led the incredible growth.
3. Here’s how GiveMN’s executive director Dana Nelson characterizes Mary’s leadership
contributions: “I love watching how she tackles issues head on - with an amazing
combination of grace and tenacity. I feel extraordinarily grateful to have the opportunity
to work with her. It seems like every time I turn around, she is on a panel or leading a
task force. Mary is an incredible leader; committed to her team, committed to her family
and committed to the general well being of others.”
The Itasca Project and GiveMN are two of many, many community projects Mary
Brainerd has immersed herself in. A sampling of her current board memberships gives a
glimpse into the impact she has during her time outside the office:
• MN Philanthropy Partners (Minnesota Community Foundation and The Saint Paul Foundation)
• Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
• Minnesota Council of Health Plans
• Minnesota Life/Securian
• Alliance of Community Health Plans
• Minnesota Business Partnership
• Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Regional Economic Development
Her past board work has included the Guthrie Theater, Metropolitan State University, St.
Catherine University and Capital City Partnership.
While leading HealthPartners to record growth, Mary Brainerd has also made it a priority
to improve her community through numerous means and countless volunteer hours.
While representing her organization, she has also been a voice for many in the
community who would not otherwise have one.