FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2002

Contact:
Diana Ip, i.e. communications, LLC
 (415) 616-3930

David Littlefield, TCWF
(818) 702-1900

THE CALIFORNIA WELLNESS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES ITS NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS AND OTHER KEY APPOINTMENTS

Director of Public Policy, Director of Organizational Learning and Healthy Aging Program Director Also Appointed

Woodland Hills - The California Wellness Foundation (TCWF) announced the appointment of Cristina M. Regalado, previously program director for Special Projects Fund, to the position of vice president of programs. This announcement coincides with three other new appointments: Ruth Holton, previously program director for the Special Projects Fund, to the role of director of public policy; Ruth Brousseau, previously program director for the Mental Health priority area, to the role of director of organizational learning, and; Pauline Daniels, previous program director for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention priority area to the role of program director for the Healthy Aging priority area.

"The appointment of Regalado, and the creation of two new positions, director of public policy and director of organizational learning, will help us better serve the people of California," said Gary L. Yates, TCWF president and CEO. "I have also given considerable thought to the staffing pattern of our grantmaking program and believe these decisions acknowledge the strengths and experiences of our capable staff."

As vice president of programs, Regalado, directs and manages the Foundation's grantmaking program and supervises all program directors. She brings close to 10 years experience in the field of philanthropy. Regalado joined the Foundation two years ago as program director for the Special Projects Fund at TCWF, where she identified projects and programs that address emerging and pressing issues outside of the Foundation's priority areas. Prior to joining TCWF, Regalado was vice president for administration and programs at the Los Angeles Women's Foundation where she directed various programs including an economic literacy initiative for girls and a women's health initiative. She also mobilized activists and scholars to examine the impact of globalization in poor women's lives in Los Angeles. Consistent with her interest in immigrant and refugee issues, Regalado was a delegate to the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Forum of the United Nations' Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. She serves on the national board of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy and the Southern California Association for Philanthropy. She was formerly on the board of the Women's Funding Network, an international membership association of women's funds.

"I am honored by this appointment," Regalado said. "This position provides me with an exciting opportunity to build on the grantmaking legacy at TCWF, deepen our partnership with grantees and philanthropic colleagues and open new doors to multicultural, diverse, low-income communities to improve the health and wellness of all Californians."

As director of public policy, Holton coordinates and oversees the Foundation's public policy activities by providing consultation to program staff and representing the Foundation and its public policy grantmaking at public forums. Holton brings 14 years of experience as a public interest advocate in the fields of maternal and child health, adult education, government reform and consumer protection. She was formerly director of the Peninsula Partnership for Children, Youth and Families and executive director of California Common Cause, where she led two successful statewide initiatives for campaign finance reforms and ethics. Prior to that she served on the California Children's Lobby where she helped to win passage of a $40 million program to provide prenatal services to low-income women. Holton serves on the board of California Common Cause and is a member of the California Association of Nonprofits' (CAN) Nonprofit Policy Council.

"As a former public interest advocate, public policy has long been a passion of mine, and I am honored and excited to help TCWF continue its leadership in funding public policy in California," Holton said.

Brousseau joined the Foundation in 1996 and has overseen the Work and Health as well as the Mental Health priority areas. As director of organizational learning, she directs the Foundation's program assessment and evaluation functions, provides consultation to program staff on evaluation issues and develops programs to promote learning in those areas. Prior to joining TCWF, Brousseau served for seven years as a program executive in community health for the San Francisco Foundation and five years as executive director of the Mental Health Association of San Francisco. She serves on the professional development committee of Northern California Grantmakers, and from 1989 to 1997, she chaired the 40-member Northern California Grantmakers' AIDS Task Force.

"I'm delighted to be in this position to help TCWF learn as much as possible about the impact of our grantmaking and how we can maximize our effectiveness," Brousseau said.

As program director for the Healthy Aging priority area, Daniels oversees the $3 million annual grantmaking program designed to support and strengthen organizations that improve functional independence and the quality of healthy years of life among older Californians. She previously oversaw the Teen Pregnancy Prevention priority area. Daniels has a diverse background in program development, implementation and evaluation with an emphasis on population planning, maternal and child health and health behavior/education programs. Before joining the Foundation in 1998, she was director of member services for United Health Plan. She also served as program manager for the Black Infant Health program of the Los Angeles County Health Department and executive director of the Southern California Child Health Network.

"I am excited to step into this new challenge," Daniels said. "TCWF's grantmaking in the area of Healthy Aging provides us with a great opportunity to complement and extend the Foundation's commitment to helping older Californians maintain and improve their health and functioning."

The California Wellness Foundation is an independent, private foundation created in 1992, with a mission to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention. The Foundation provides funding in eight priority areas: Diversity in the Health Professions, Environmental Health, Healthy Aging, Mental Health, Teenage Pregnancy Prevention, Violence Prevention, Women's Health, and Work and Health. It also provides funding for other health issues through its Special Projects Fund.

The Foundation has awarded 2,900 grants totaling more than $378 million since 1992.

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Note to reporters & editors: "The" in The California Wellness Foundation name is part of the Foundation's legal name. Please do not drop or lowercase the "T."