As Chair of the Board of Directors at Charles River Community Health (CRCH), I am writing to share some important news. Our longtime CEO, Liz Browne, decided that 2024 will be her final year as our CEO. Liz believes this is the right time to make this change personally and professionally. The Board accepted her decision with a heavy heart; however, we fully support Liz in making this change.
Liz has done an incredible job during her 20-plus years at CRCH, including the past 15 as Executive Director and CEO. Liz always places the highest priority on the mission, staff, and needs of CRCH’s patients. CRHC has one of the highest rates of uninsured/ and multilingual patients among Massachusetts federally qualified health centers, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to serving those most in need in the community. A few of Liz’s many accomplishments include:
• Building our new Brighton and Waltham sites, expanding our space from 25,000 square feet to nearly 70,000 square feet
• Ensuring that the diversity of our staff matches the diversity of our community. Currently, over two-thirds of CRCH staff identify as persons of color, reflecting our patients’ diversity.
• Leading us during and out of the COVID pandemic and ensuring continuity of care through these significant changes to healthcare delivery
While the departure of an outstanding leader such as Liz is always a challenge, we are confident in the strength of our Senior Leadership Team and Board of Directors to ensure a seamless transition. To assist us in this critical task, the Board has engaged WittKieffer, a national search firm with a proven track record of successfully filling leadership roles at federally qualified health centers. The search process will begin later this month and is scheduled to conclude within 6-9 months. Our Board Vice Chair, Derrick Young, and I will lead the search committee, and we will provide regular updates. Liz will continue to serve as our CEO until the new leader is in place or through December 31, 2024, whichever comes first. Candidate referrals may be sent directly to Melaney Mooradian at mmooradian@wittkieffer.com.
It has been an incredible privilege to work with Liz during my seven years on the Board. Liz has not only positioned CRCH for success now and for many years to come but also left an indelible mark on the organization. I, along with the rest of the board, extend our heartfelt thanks to Liz for her exceptional leadership as we look forward to building on the health center’s success with our next CEO.
Robert S (Todd) Woodworth
Chair, Board of Directors
