‘Bringing Hope and Healing’
New UVA Health Foundation Board chair reflects on mission.
THERE IS AN ORANGE AND NAVY coffee mug that holds a permanent spot in my home office; it reads, “I married into this.” As a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina, I find this slogan best describes the foundation of my relationship with the University of Virginia. My family’s UVA legacy started with my father-in-law, a graduate of the School of Law; it went on to include my husband, a McIntire School of Commerce graduate. My youngest daughter is a graduate of the College of Arts & Sciences, and most recently, my eldest daughter, a dual-degree graduate of the School of Medicine and Darden School of Business, is now a second-year resident at UVA Health.
My affiliation with UVA Health began during my daughter’s second year of medical school, during which she led an effort to create an age-appropriate space for adolescents going through prolonged hospitalizations in the medical center. Through this involvement, our family witnessed firsthand philanthropy’s incredible power on patient care and the patient experience. Over the years, our family has had the privilege of supporting both UVA Cancer Center and UVA Health Children's Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Care clinic, which carry distinct though equally crucial missions.
As the new chair of the UVA Health Foundation Board, I look forward to working alongside UVA Health’s talented leaders, including Dr. Craig Kent, Deans Melina Kibbe and Marianne Baernholdt, Wendy Horton, and my fellow trustees. We will focus on generating excitement around our mission of bringing hope and healing along with supporting initiatives emerging from our strategic plan.
A few examples include the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology, which will attract world-class researchers to UVA and serve as a catalyst for us to become one of the nation’s great powerhouses for biomedical research; the expansion of UVA Health Children’s critical care NICU/PICU unit to serve the commonwealth’s sickest children no matter where they live; and the new UVA Health Leadership Institute, which will foster our next generation of healthcare leaders. We are also enhancing our community outreach and care with innovative programs in UVA’s backyard. These efforts and many others motivate my interest in and support of UVA Health.
It is an exciting time to be part of the UVA Health community. I am honored to work alongside such passionate clinicians, nurses, researchers, students, volunteers, and board colleagues who have made the selfless decision to dedicate their time and energy to transform healthcare and inspire hope. This institution is now part of my DNA, and I look forward to serving its vital mission in the years to come.
All the best,
Sheri Klein, Chair
UVA Health Foundation Board of Trustees
