CaringBridge Announces New Appointments to Board of Directors

New directors bring unique expertise and perspectives to nonprofit focused on mobilizing the power of community to support family caregivers and patients on a health journey

Eagan, Minn. – (Sept. 15, 2022) – For 25 years, CaringBridge has worked towards its vision of a world where no one goes through a health journey alone. CaringBridge, a leading expert over the last 25 years in supporting caregivers and their loved one’s health journey, has announced this year’s board of directors, including 13 incumbents and 5 newly ratified members.

Meet the New Board Members

Following are highlights of key experiences and career accomplishments that will inform the work and contributions of the new board members:

Soleil Teubner Boughton is a seasoned healthcare and transactional attorney with 18 years of experience working with stakeholders across the healthcare industry. Soleil is the Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary of Hims & Hers Health, Inc., a NYSE-listed digital health company that is working to reduce stigmas in healthcare and ensure all people can access health and wellness services and support. Soleil is also a founding member of TechGC, an independent community platform for General Counsels of leading venture capital funds and high-growth technology companies, where she also serves as Co-Chair of the Digital Health Industry Group.

Deborah Daccord is a nationally recognized leader in health industry transactions, focusing on complex M&A, joint ventures, strategic alliances, financing and contracting for healthcare providers of all types. Clients span the healthcare spectrum, including providers of dialysis services, vision care services, radiology services, hospital development and management services, fertility services, addiction treatment and behavioral health services. Committed to community service, Deborah currently serves on the Board of Lasell Village, a life care community located on a university campus near Boston and is the past Chair of the Board of Big Sister Association of Greater Boston. She has also served as a member of the firm’s Policy Committee and Health Reform Working Group.

Linda Ireland has worked in eight industries and in a dozen different functions. After her first executive role at 28 leading manufacturing & operations for a global sole source supplier to 3M, she served 25 years driving operating results with firms ranging from start-up to $1 billion dollars. Later, she co-founded and partnered to lead Aveus, a boutique yet global consulting firm that is now a division of (acquired by) Medecision. She has also served as an independent director on private corporate, healthcare, and not-for-profit boards and chaired 5 of them. Today she splits her time between governance and engaged philanthropy. Linda is most at home collaborating and surrounded by transformation; there is still so much value and justice to be unleashed.

Sarah has dedicated her healthcare career to finding ways to make healthcare more safe, personal, affordable, and accessible. In the beginning of her career, Sarah was a caregiver for the elderly and people with severe mental illness, where she saw firsthand the impact of the broken system on patients. Sarah recently retired as President and CEO of Sutter Health, where she oversaw Sutter’s integrated network of 14,000 clinicians, 24 hospitals, outpatient services, research facilities, and home health and hospice care in one of the most diverse and innovative regions in the nation. Sarah is also the current chair of the California Hospital Association board and serves on Sutter’s IAHE External Advisory Committee. As part of her robust commitment to philanthropic endeavors, she has served as chair of Sierra Forever Families and as chair of the Northeastern California Chapter of Make-A-Wish.

  • Sara Ratner, President Government Programs, Nomi Health

Sara is an innovative leader, entrepreneur, and corporate board director in the healthcare industry. She is known for creating innovative strategies, services, and products amidst government scrutiny and regulation, understanding its’ viability, scalability, and sustainability to ensure health equity. Successful in building healthcare technology and services, her executive experience includes investing and partnering in revolutionary healthcare companies. Her experience spans diverse business functions in integrated delivery systems, insurance, clinic management, and pharmacy.

These five board members join our 13 incumbents:

  • Jodi Hubler, Board Chair, Independent Corporate and Non-Profit Director, Former CEO and Managing Director of Lemhi Ventures
  • Scott Spiker, Vice Chair & Impact Committee Chair, Chairman, and former CEO at First Command Financial Services
  • Molly Jungbauer, Finance & Development Committee Chair, CEO at Hollstadt Consulting
  • Sharon Berry, Governance Committee Chair, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, and former Director of Training at Children’s Minnesota
  • Paurvi Bhatt, Vice President, Medtronic, President Medtronic Foundation
  • Jim Cuene, Founder, CEO at Fahren LLC
  • Kevin O’Leary, Co-founder, Health Tech Nerds
  • Cris Ross, Chief Information Officer at Mayo Clinic
  • Adrian Slobin, Partner/Principal – Global Consulting Leader for Sustainability at EY
  • Bruce Smith, Chief Sales Officer – Marsh McLennan Agency Upper Midwest Region
  • Pete Sommerness, Chief Executive Officer at Enterra Medical, Inc.
  • Andy Thieman, SVP of Communications AiRCare Health
  • Solome Tibebu, Founder of Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech

“We are pleased to welcome these individuals to the board,” said Tia Newcomer, CEO of CaringBridge. “We look forward to the valuable insights and unique perspectives they will provide as we continue fulfilling our vision of a world where no one goes through a health journey alone. And importantly, to advance our work to surround the caregiver with support and services for their loved one’s health journey. As recent studies have shown this work is vitally important, as support of the caregiver also drives 88% better patient outcomes and 56% lower hospital readmission rates.”

To learn more about CaringBridge board of directors, visit the CaringBridge website.

About CaringBridge

CaringBridge is a nonprofit social network that helps people connect with friends and family during a health journey. Founded in Eagan, Minn. in 1997 by Sona Mehring, CaringBridge has made it simple and safe to offer or ask for support when it’s needed most. With more than 400,000 active daily users—CaringBridge offers simple tools for patients and their caregivers to share health updates and rally their community’s support. A health journey of any kind—diagnosis, injury, medical or behavioral illness, pregnancy complications or other experiences—is difficult to endure alone. CaringBridge is here to ensure that no one goes through a health journey alone. Learn more at CaringBridge.org.

Media Contact

Katrina Wallmeyer

kwallmeyer@caringbridge.org

651-789-9351