The six executives who received the 2004 sabbatical recognition are:
Jane Garcia of La Clinica de la Raza in Oakland; Dian Harrison of Planned Parenthood Golden Gate in San Francisco; Rick Mesa of Ranch Recovery Centers in Desert Hot Springs; Barbara Mitchell of Interim in Monterey; Debra Oto-Kent of Health Education Council in West Sacramento and Bernita Walker of Project: Peacemakers in Los Angeles.


The California Wellness Foundation Sabbatical Program was created to improve the long-term effectiveness of health service nonprofits by providing their executives with the rest they need to continue to direct their organizations' missions. The program, funded by a grant to CompassPoint NonProfit Services, provides $30,000 grants to organizations to cover the leaders' salaries for three- to six-month sabbaticals.