Ivonne Der Torosian

Ivonne Der Torosian
Director, Community Benefit & Outreach, Saint Agnes Medical Center

In her role as Community Benefit/Community Health Manager, Ivonne Der Torosian is charged with defining the community issues and providing oversight for how the Kaiser Permanente Community Benefit program in Fresno distributes funding throughout its Fresno Service Area.

Ivonne brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position. She managed her own consulting firm for 10 years where she worked with non-profit and public agencies on quality improvement projects in support of their strategic plans. She began working in the Community Benefit Program at Kaiser Permanente in 2006 as a Community Benefit Associate. In 2008 she became the Community Benefit Manager, where she not only manages the contribution program, but also acts as a liaison between Kaiser Permanente clinical and non-clinical staff and the community to promote good corporate citizenship.

Being active and promoting health in her community is something Ivonne is passionate about.  She serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross, and is Chair of the Preparedness Committee. She is actively engaged in the Fresno Compacts Strive Initiative and serves on the advisory committee for The Children’s Movement.

She holds a Masters in Public Administration and Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.  Ivonne grew up in Southern California, but has chosen to raise her family in the Central Valley.  She and her husband of 18 years are the parents to two beautiful daughters. She enjoys being active, listening to music and reading novels and memoirs.

[quote]The issue that most concerns me in Fresno and its surrounding areas is the health disparities that are so evident from one community to another. It’s an issue that I believe will be extremely difficult to change, despite the amount of funding provided through grants to combat the issue. There is a shortage of health care providers in the Central Valley compared to other areas in California, and sadly, neighborhoods in lower income areas lack the opportunities for people to make healthy choices, like supermarkets that offer access to healthy foods, and parks that offer an opportunity for active lifestyles. Community change is about challenging the status quo and moving in a direction that will improve the lives of the people living in the community, but it requires an agreement by key decision-makers, and a shared vision of what the community will look like and who will benefit once the destination is reached.”[/quote]