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San Marcos, Calif., July 1, 2021 — The North San Diego Business Chamber has honored Michelle D. Gonzalez, TrueCare’s president and CEO, with their high-profile Leadership Award at its 2021 Celebration of Business.
This Leadership Award honors individuals and businesses who have positively impacted another individual, business, or their community, which recognizes local industry leaders’ great achievements within their companies and in the community.
Just as COVID-19 was spreading relentlessly throughout California, Gonzalez was appointed in April 2020 as President and CEO of TrueCare™, a nonprofit health care provider for the underserved in North San Diego and South Riverside Counties.
“Michelle is a dynamic leader who leads with strategy and who consistently demonstrates heart and commitment to TrueCare’s mission. She was unanimously appointed as the President & CEO (in April of 2020) when a world-wide pandemic was in full swing,” says Carmen Amigon, TrueCare’s Board Chair. “The way that she has successfully led the organization while keeping our staff, patients and communities top of mind through such a tumultuous year, and so early on in her tenure is truly remarkable.”
Some of her most impactful achievements are: Launching a New Mobile Wellness Unit in San Marcos in May 2021 and introducing an electronic health record (EHR) system to securely share digital information with patients and other clinicians in November 2020. Before then, Gonzalez oversaw the creation and centralization of a patient call center, planning and expanding new clinic locations, overseeing more than $4 million in federal and private grants, and winning professional awards for the organization’s outreach programs.
While honored by this award, Gonzalez expresses modesty despite her formidable accomplishments. “I am pleased to be recognized for my business achievements over the years, yet I must give credit to my exceptional staff because it truly takes a village to provide first-rate health-care services to the underserved,” says Gonzalez. “They have the ability and the option to work anywhere in the private sector, but they choose to come here and dedicate their time, their treasure and their talents to us and we are so fortunate.”
Gonzalez began her career at the former North County Health Services, now TrueCare, 20 years ago as a program coordinator, where she worked directly in program development and community outreach. This position paved the way for progressively responsible positions through the years.
With a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a certificate in the Not-For-Profit Management Development Program through the Harvard Business School, San Diego Chapter, as well as becoming a Certified Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma, Gonzalez brings a deep understanding of community health management fused with a passion for serving. Her hallmark is the development of winning strategies that have exploded business growth in critical areas across the organization.
Gonzalez remains focused on TrueCare’s mission to make quality, affordable, and accessible care available to everyone in the community and combat inequities that exist not only in healthcare, but in other critical areas of life.
About TrueCare
TrueCare™ provides an affordable, comprehensive and culturally sensitive healthcare experience to nearly 60,000 patients a year, many of whom are underinsured, or have no medical insurance. For nearly 50 years, TrueCare has served North San Diego and Riverside Counties with services ranging from primary care, pediatrics, women’s health, behavioral health, chiropractic and dentistry. In addition, TrueCare offers transportation services, community health outreach, insurance enrollment assistance, and case management programs.
For more information, visit truecare.org
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