San Diego Hospice Announces Pacurar as New Chief Executive Officer
For Immediate Release
Contact: Melissa DelaCalzada, 619-278-6139; mdelacalzada@sdhospice.org [1]
San Diego Hospice Announces Pacurar as New Chief Executive Officer
Former Chief Development Officer Appointed to the Position
San Diego, Calif. – San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine’s Board of Directors has named its chief development officer, Kathleen Pacurar, the new president and CEO. The appointment was made on July 1, 2010.
As chief development officer, Pacurar oversaw community relations development, marketing and communications, human resources, and volunteer efforts in support of the San Diego Hospice Foundation’s patient care, education, research, and advocacy programs. In her new role as president and CEO, Pacurar will oversee the County’s original hospice provider, established in 1977, with more than 800 staff members and 700 volunteers. She will focus on community awareness and engagement about palliative medicine and the increasingly important role of hospice care. Pacurar also plans to expand education and research programs, to enhance the organization’s ability to offer innovative treatments that improve the integration of palliative care in existing healthcare systems in locally, nationally, and globally.
Pacurar was unanimously selected by a CEO selection committee, under the leadership of San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine Board Chair Arthur C. Johnson, M.D. She will succeed Jan Cetti, who recently retired after 14 years of service with the non-profit organization.
“We appreciate Jan’s leadership over the past 14 years, as she has done a tremendous job leading the organization through dynamic growth - in the number of patients served and the prominence and influence of the organization,” said Dr. Johnson. “We are confident that Kathleen will uphold the standards Jan has established.”
Dr. Johnson attributed Pacurar’s success with mission-critical fundraising as one of the key factors in her appointment. “During her tenure, Kathleen’s development programs have generated nearly forty million in philanthropic support. She has also been instrumental in creating and implementing programs that raise awareness of the mission and importance of hospice. She’s been invaluable to our organization’s growth and was the clear choice to lead us into the future.”
Pacurar brings more than two decades of experience in community relations and fundraising to San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine. Prior to working with the foundation, Pacurar served as executive director of UCSD Health Sciences Development, supporting programs such as the Shiley Eye Center expansion, the Moores Cancer Center development, and the creation of the Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center. She has also worked with the American Foundation for AIDS Research, the Catholic Diocese of San Diego, and the Scripps Mercy Hospital.
“I am very honored to embark on my new role as president and CEO of San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine,” said Pacurar. “It is a pleasure to work in an organization where I am constantly inspired by the strength and courage of our patients and their families, as well as our team members’ dedication to improving quality of life at every stage of life. One of my main objectives moving forward will be to build on our record of innovation, so that we constantly improve the quality of the physical, emotional, and spiritual support we provide. And, of course, we want to look for, and create, new financial opportunities so that San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine can continue to transform healthcare locally, nationally and globally.”
About San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine
San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine (www.sdhospice.org [2]), the leader in the relief of suffering, is one of the 10 largest community-owned, not-for-profit hospices in the country, with one of the largest resources in the world for training palliative medicine physicians and other specialists. The organization brings compassionate, expert medical care to more than 1,000 seriously ill adults and children each day throughout San Diego and North County. More information is available online at www.sdhospice.org [2] or call toll-free at 1-866-688-1600.