Number of employees to supervise:
15 paid staff
Number of active volunteers at Grace Clinic:
300+ every year
A simple background for Grace Clinic:
Founded in 2002, Grace Clinic is the only free clinic in Tri-Cities, offering medical, dental and mental health services to uninsured adults who meet income guidelines. It also distributes nutritious foods to patients, encouraging healthy eating habits and dealing with food anxiety. Most patients come from working households, but nearly 60% of our patients live below the federal poverty line. Washington State Insurance Commissioner estimates that we have 27,000 uninsured individuals in our community. We focus on increasing access to the resource shortage and bridging gaps in health care systems by removing financial barriers.
How did you land your current role? How long have you been in it?
About 10 years ago, I received a call from Mark Brolt, CEO of Grace Clinic. He invited me to coffee and shared that he had an open position in the clinic. After interviews with staff and volunteers, I was hired as a clinic director in May 2015. In 2023, I was appointed Executive Director.
How many patients did Grace Clinic serve in 2024? Does this number increase every year? It provided 8,700 patient visits in 2024. This figure is consistent with the annual forecast. The number of people we serve is driven primarily by the number of volunteers we have in any year and the combination of volunteer skills and expertise. Since its launch in 2002, it has cumulatively provided approximately 120,000 patient visits. Tri-Cities should consider this a collective outcome. Grace Clinic is strong because our community is generous with time, talent and financial support.
What are your residency program partnerships with Trios and Kadlec and why it matters?
Residents of both the Trio and Cadrek Family Medicine Residency Program will complete a four-week community health rotation with Grace Clinic in the third and final year of the program. This partnership was a key component of expanding to a five-day week clinic schedule. Residents are sensitive to the needs of underserved individuals and will find that they will carefully consider costs during treatment plans development. Insurance can overturn these costs for providers, so looking at the actual costs can be very eye-opening. Since its launch in 2017, the collaboration has hosted around 95 residents. Many doctors have returned to volunteer after completing their residency. There was also one great romance. A former trio resident married one of the former staff members. They now live in Spokane with their adorable daughter. For this reason, for more, it is a very fruitful partnership and we are grateful.
What should people in our community know about Grace Clinic?
Grace Clinic plays an important role in healthcare education. In addition to residents, we also host many other students and trainees in other fields, including dental assistance, dental hygiene, medical interpreters, medical assistance, nursing, nurses, mental health counselors and many other students and trainees. It’s rewarding to see these young people achieve their professional goals. We are honored to be part of their journey.
What do you think is the biggest healthcare needs of the community? What are your plans to meet these needs?
We always look at our health care system through a medically underserved lens. Both Benton and Franklin counties are designated as areas of shortage in healthcare providers. This means there are not enough healthcare providers to support our population. Franklin County is also a medically underserved area. This designation is based on too few primary care providers, high poverty rates, and other factors. The Grace Clinic addresses these issues in two ways. This is by supporting medical education and removing barriers to healthcare access for people with no limited insurance or income. We believe it is important to continue to function as a free clinic to remove any financial barriers that prevent medically unserved people from accessing care. For over 20 years, that’s what we’re trying to do. We ask that people continue to support us in addressing the health concerns of people in need. This ultimately creates a healthier community.
What is one characteristic do you believe that all leaders should own?
Leadership is so comprehensive that it’s difficult to name just one. Vision, wisdom, courage, tenacity, and more are all very important. One feature that is often unnamed is humility. CS Lewis said that humility doesn’t think too much about yourself, he thinks less about himself. When we lead humbly, we place the needs of our organization, teams and clients on our personal agenda. It is a key component of successful leadership. Humility is a highly underrated trait.
What are the biggest challenges faced by business managers today?
I don’t know if that’s the biggest, but the multi-generational workforce is definitely a challenge. At Grace Clinic, volunteers range from 18 to 92 years old. Clashes can occur between different generations. But when we can spread our graces to each other (a fully intended pun), the different styles and approaches blend well together and the clinic culture is further nurtured. However, as managers and leaders, we must be intentional in fostering intergenerational relationships. It’s a challenge, but it’s worth the effort.
If you had a magic wand, what would you change about your industry?
With my magic wand I wipe out the general belief that nonprofits don’t need operational funds to thrive. There’s a great article called “Non-profit Hunger vs Cycle,” which explains it well. Without proper operating funding, community-based organizations risk collapse, leaving a major gap in the community safety net. This issue is a ruthless concern for me and many others in the nonprofit.
Now thinking about the medical industry, I would use my magic wand to make healthcare more affordable. The more affordable healthcare you have, the more accessible it is for everyone in your community. Patients at Grace Clinic receive free care from us, but they must request payment or financial support for services other than the clinic (except for the LAB fees we cover). They often do not track treatment plans due to costs. This is a big question we don’t have an answer yet… yet.
What advice would someone give to you to take the position of leadership for the first time?
In the first 3-6 months, you will learn everything you can about your organization, your team, and your role. When we are new, we often look at areas of improvement and want to make changes immediately. Minimize changes first.
Who is your role model or mentor?
I highly admire my mother, who lives in my hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has always been very involved in the community and continues to work despite her great demands to be a caregiver for her father, who is legally blind and has many health issues. She is also the definition of a lifelong learner. Most recently she has been learning to use AI in community work. I hope that when I’m in the mid-80s, my mind will be as sharp as her.
How do you motivate your employees (or team members)?
Whether you are a paid staff member, a student or a volunteer, we aim to give them a great experience. James Clear, author of “Atomic Habit,” asks, “What if this was fun?” In 2024, volunteers at Grace Clinic contributed nearly 26,000 hours. We owe it to them to make their time as fun as possible. In addition to this, I would like to thank you very much.
How did you decide to pursue the career you work for today?
After completing his MBA at Florida A&M University, he began his career in Corporate America, working for Hewlett-Packard. When our children were babies, I left work and became my favorite season of life, my home mom. When I moved to Tri-Cities in 2009, I moved to the non-profit sector. It really felt like it wanted to work in charity.
How do you measure your workplace success?
Every day, success looks like a patient who receives the care he needs and leaves with a smile. Grace Clinic is the only place where patients have seen their dentist embrace after teeth extraction.
In the long run, I am dedicated to building sustainable organizations that will lead me to the future. The need isn’t gone and we want to make an impact. To achieve this long-term goal, you must start with an end in mind. It starts now and builds every day.
What do you think your leadership style is?
This approach best fits with my core values, so I embrace servant leadership. There are great graphics comparing your boss to your leader. Your boss sits behind the desk and points while the team is nervous in front. In contrast, the leader is not behind the desk, but instead leads the fees. The leader and the team are together. The African proverb says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with me.”
How do you balance work and family life?
As a recent empty nest, Kedrich and I still discover what “balance” looks like this season. We work a lot, but we’re soothing our days with family time. We have brunch with our widow stepmother recently, almost every Sunday after church. It’s a lovely part of our week and is very tasty.
What do you want to do when you’re not at work?
Our days are so full, so downtime at home is a great break. We enjoy watching good movies and lots of football. He also enjoys his trip and is currently planning a 30th wedding anniversary cruise.
What is your best time management strategy?
Something tough. It seems like it’s too much to do all the time, and there doesn’t seem to be enough time to get everything done. I accept deadlines as a way to prioritize. In my personal note, I like to cook over the weekend and enjoy leftovers throughout the week. The Crockpot is one of my best time saving tools. There are many great recipes available from Instagram.
Best tips for relieving stress?
I started taking yoga classes a few years ago. It’s great for your body and mind. Plus, I enjoy puzzles like Wordle and try to take a brain break every day.
What is your favorite podcast? The most second-hand app? Favourite website? Favourite book? (Please select either or all)
YouTube is my most used app. There’s a lot of diversity, from music to podcasts. I used to use YouTube to fix it when I overflowed my urinal. Another app I use a lot is Libby, a library app for e-books and audiobooks. Audiobooks are my favorite. I love anything written by John Grisham and Maya Angelou. There’s nothing better than Dr. Angelou’s voice in the audiobook.
Are there any personal mantras, phrases, or quotes you would like to use?
The catchphrase on my LinkedIn profile is “Faith. Family. Services.” They are my priorities. To summarise that, Martin Luther King Jr. said that greatness can be great for anyone because greatness comes through service. There is no greater expression of heart and compassion than willing to be willing to serve others wholeheartedly.
