CEO of Santa Rosa Community Health wins North Bay Influential Women Awards
Naomi Fuchs is a 2022 winner of North Bay Business Journal’s Influential Women Awards. Here’s her story.
I have always had a deep interest in the interface between culture and healing. I started my career in health care (after a few years of running a preschool, planting trees, and making tofu) working as the executive director for a small local Independent Physicians Association (IPA) called the Redwood Empire Medical Group.
After 12 years in that position and growing it to a multi-million dollar organization, the physician owners sold the company to UniHealth corporation. I spent five years as a health care consultant while also serving on the board of what was then called Southwest Community Health Center.
In 2001, Southwest Community Health Center was struggling financially and looking for a new executive director. I was looking for a new position that would give me an opportunity to serve my community and be more personally fulfilling. The timing was perfect, and the board appointed me as the new executive director.
At that time, the organization had one location, 45 employees, and about $2 million in revenue. Today we have 8 locations, more than 500 employees, and an 80 million dollar budget. It has been an amazing career.
What were the biggest obstacles you faced in your career and how did you overcome them?
There have been many challenges in my career – starting with being a single mom (early on); being a woman in a male dominated field (long ago); people who wanted to see me fail or opposed my vision and goals are just a few challenges along the way. I think I was usually able to overcome these obstacles by staying true to values and my vision - and then persevering.
Obstacles are just that – things in the way. I am always thinking about the way around, over, or through obstacles to achieve my goals.
What advice would you give to a young woman entering your profession or the work world today?
Speak up! Say yes to big challenges. Build your own professional network of support and then help each other. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Trust and integrity are the foundation for success, so be impeccable with your word – follow through, and speak your truth from a place of love and compassion.
What have you learned about your leadership and how will it change the way you lead going forward?
Leadership is first about inspiring and motivating people towards a shared purpose; then it is about supporting people to find the path to accomplish that purpose.
