Mendocino Coast Clinics Dr. Brent Wright retires
FORT BRAGG, CA – On November 19, Mendocino Coast Clinics (MCC) will bid a fond farewell to Dr. Brent Wright as he completes his final day of work before retiring. The beloved obstetrician and gynecologist has delivered more than 1,000 babies and performed hundreds of surgical procedures in his 22 years serving the North Coast, but the time has come to hang up his stethoscope.
MCC Executive Director Lucresha Renteria said, “Dr. Wright loves what he does, and it shows. It’s hard to count all the patients he has supported through the years. We’ll miss him so much.”
Looking back on his medical career, he said, “What a rewarding privilege to be able to be here and do something essential—to improve the health, quality of life, and happiness of families around the coast.” Though it is hard for many to imagine a different career for him, Dr. Wright started on a different path.
In medical school, he had no plans to deliver babies. Dr. Wright obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. planning to go into academia researching reproductive endocrinology and embryo development, but after he delivered his first baby, that was it. “I just knew. That became my passion—taking care of pregnant patients and others, getting to know them, watching their families grow up,” he said.
In July of 1999, when choosing a place to practice, he wanted to find a small town where he and his wife could make a difference. As they drove through redwoods on the way to the coast, they began to fall in love with this area. With their first view of the ocean, he said, “We knew we’d found the place we wanted to spend the rest of our lives.”
Mendocino Coast District Hospital (now Adventist Health Mendocino Coast) had a Labor and Delivery Department but needed someone to run it. Dr. Wright applied to fill the vacancy and has been in the area ever since. In 2005, Dr. Wright joined the team at Mendocino Coast Clinics and continued to deliver babies until the hospital closed its Labor and Delivery service on March 31, 2020.
Dr. Wright said, “When it looked like perinatal care was going to fall apart on the coast, the leadership of Mendocino Coast Clinics rescued us and maintained an essential service. I am eternally indebted to them for that.”
Dr. Wright delivered babies, performed surgical procedures, and cared for patients, even as other providers retired or moved away. He and his wife adjusted to small-town living “where you know almost everyone, and they know you.” He joked about planning an extra hour for grocery shopping since he knew he would run into patients and want to chat.
“Truly, one of greatest things is watching families grow up. I’ve loved being at MCC where we were able to take care of patients during their pregnancy through delivery and afterward, and we got to care for their children through our pediatric service,” he said. “I looked forward to coming to work every day.”
However, he is looking forward to retirement, though he admits he is not sure how he will spend his days. Both Dr. Wright and his wife share an interest in marine biology and have been active in marine mammal rescue. After Dr. Wright began his medical practice, his wife became an adjunct professor teaching environmental science, environmental ethics, and marine mammal biology at College of the Redwoods (now Mendocino College, Coast Center).
As his working days come to an end, Dr. Wright expects to dedicate more time to marine mammal rescue and volunteering at the local animal shelter. “I expect I’ll pick up other things that have fallen out of my life, like traveling, kayaking, piano, French, astronomy, and other pursuits.”
Dr. Wright says the certified nurse-midwives at MCC are excellent and will continue to provide perinatal services. “Jenna Breton and Kei Velazquez can carry on very well without me. They have a lot of experience, and I trust them to provide wonderful care for pregnant women and Gyn patients here on the coast,” he said. He noted that if patients have more complicated issues that require a higher level of care, they can still be referred to specialists.
Dr. Wright again expressed his gratitude to MCC for the essential role it plays in health care for the whole community. “It has been a joy to be part of the MCC family. It’s the best clinic I’ve ever worked in. It’s been a thrill and an honor. I feel privileged to have found the perfect work environment. When they say, ‘Best care anywhere,’ it’s true.”
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