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THE SPECTRUM
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in order to give our patients the best in care.”
Vaskelis has been at the helm of Sequoia Hospital
since October 1996, when Sequoia became part of
Catholic Healthcare West (CHW). Her responsibilities
include management of all operations for
the 421-bed hospital. She was responsible for the
transition of Sequoia into CHW beginning in
April 1996.
She has more than 20 years in senior leadership
roles for not-for-profit health care organizations,
including serving as the senior vice president of
operations and finance for Seton Medical Center
in Daly City from 1990 to 1996. There, she was
responsible for financial and general operations at
Seton, Seton Coastside in Moss Beach and the
San Francisco Heart Institute. She previously held
positions as senior vice president/chief financial
officer at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and the
Hospital of the Good Samaritan in Los Angeles.
The next big challenge she will oversee is the $240
million expansion slated for the hospital campus.
Included in the project will be the construction of
several new buildings and a state-mandated seismic
retrofit of the hospital structure that was built
in 1950. Specific components of the expansion
include expanded emergency room services, an
advanced cardiovascular center, a family-focused
birth center, complete medical and surgical services,
an easily accessible and welcoming hospital
entry with free valet
parking, a parking
garage, terraced front
gardens and a healing
garden with fountain.
Also slated is a new medical
office building with
physician offices, an outpatient
surgery center,
outpatient imaging and
lab services.
“We’re looking for city
approval of the environmental
impact report
this spring and expect to
break ground for the
parking garage in late
June,” Vaskelis said.
And through all this,
Vaskelis expects the hospital
to “remain fully
functional.” The first
piece has already started
with the relocation of
the MRI to the ground
floor of the hospital.
After city approvals are
received, construction
for the parking garage
will begin this summer.
New hospital construction
will start in late
2008, to be completed by
spring 2011. All seismic
projects are expected to
be completed by 2012.
Don’t doubt Vaskelis’
determination and credentials
to see the
rebuilding project though
to a successful outcome.
She is a certified public
accountant and holds a
certificate in managerial
accounting. She worked
for Arthur Young &
Company prior to going
into the health care profession.
She received a
bachelor’s degree in
accounting and management
from the University
of Alabama in
Birmingham in 1978.
While she has a lot on
her plate at the hospital,
Vaskelis is also “very
encouraged about the
direction the city is taking.
There are good
things ahead for us.”
Vaskelis and her husband, Frank, reside in Half
Moon Bay with two Maine Coon cats rescued at
the Peninsula Humane Society. They have one
daughter and two grandchildren, one in college at
age 20 and the other in graduate school at age 21.
Their hobbies include golf (“I need lessons …
quickly!”) and travel. Australia and China have
been past ports of call.
What would she tell young women today? “Work
at a profession you love, be true to yourself and
do your best.”
You go, girl.
* * * * *
In addition to Glenna Vaskelis being named
Business Woman of the Year, Sequoia Hospital
will also receive the chamber’s Golden Apple
award at the awards banquet on Jan. 25. Its Make
Time for Fitness partnership with the Redwood
City School District encourages healthy eating,
physical activity and avoidance of tobacco products.
The San Francisco Giants also partner in this
program and have worked with Sequoia to design
Make Time for Fitness walking courses on
Redwood City school campuses. These courses are
open for before- and after-school programs.
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