Spotlight on Community Champions

As a nonprofit safety net healthcare provider, Marin Community Clinics is dependent on volunteers, donors, partner agencies, and other supporters – our Champions. With the ongoing and generous support of Marin residents, businesses, foundations, and health professionals, we are able to maintain and expand our essential services. The incredible success of our 2007-2008 Building a Healthy Future capital campaign, which resulted in new state-of-the-art clinic facilities in San Rafael and Novato, is a testament to the foresight and generosity of our community.

This page will provide a rotating spotlight on some of Marin Community Clinics’ most valued contributors.

Barbara Batmale Cancilla  

Barbara Cancilla’s career in oral health care has given her a well-rounded view of the complex world of dental offices, and Marin Community Clinics has been fortunate to benefit from her knowledge for several years. In her volunteer position as Chair of the Board-appointed Dental Advisory Committee, she works closely with Dental Director Connie Kadera, DDS, and committee members to develop policies and procedures.

A special focus of the committee is preventive dentistry – patient education can prevent problems later in life and improve overall health.  According to Dr. Kadera, “Barbara has worked endlessly to help our dental department in many, many ways.” She enjoys a special bond with Marin Community Clinics since most of our Registered Dental Assistants (RDAs) are her former students from College of Marin.

A native San Franciscan, Ms. Cancilla received all of her education there, including a Dental Assisting certificate from City College of SF, a BA in Education and Masters in Educational Technology from San Francisco State University.  After practicing in dental offices for several years, she shifted into a teaching career at City College and later at College of Marin where she served as Director of the Dental Assisting Program until 2000. (She credits the support of the Marin County Dental Society for the success of College of Marin’s dental programs.)

She has continued to teach part-time while spending more time volunteering for nonprofits such as Marin Charitable Association and the Leukemia Society in addition to Marin Community Clinics. Ms. Cancilla’s passion for volunteerism has paralleled her teaching career. Because of the overwhelming need for dental care among those who cannot afford it, she is always helping us recruit volunteer Dentists, Hygienists, and RDAs to contribute to Marin Community Clinics’ dental clinics. Interested dental professionals are invited to check out our Volunteer Page and consider following Ms. Cancilla’s lead in devoting time to improving access to dental care for Marin’s low-income residents.

Sandie McCreary, RN, MA

Sandie McCreary is a devoted volunteer at Marin Community Clinics, sharing her unique perspectives on healthcare for 20 years. Currently she serves as co-chair, together with Dr. Robert MacInnes, of the Board-appointed Medical Advisory Committee, after serving for the previous eight years as a voting member of the Board of Directors. Prior to joining the Board she advised and assisted our staff as they established and developed a clinic in Greenbrae during the 1990s. She has done all of this while keeping her fulltime “day job” in healthcare administration.

A born and bred native of Marin County with strong connections to her community, Ms. McCreary obtained her nursing training at College of Marin and later received a Masters in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix.  For the last 12 years she has been the Area Quality Leader for Kaiser Permanente in San Rafael. Prior to her Kaiser tenure, she worked in management for Marin General Hospital, serving in Critical Care and Quality Management. It was her expertise in quality issues that brought her to Marin Community Clinics’ Board.

The Medical Advisory Committee is a valuable tool in managing the unprecedented growth our health center is experiencing. Currently the committee is focused on developing metrics to communicate the quality of our care and services, as well as patient and employee satisfaction. Additionally, they are developing ideas for recruitment and retention of physicians and other providers, a perennial challenge for community health centers in urban areas where the cost of living is high.

When she is not working with Kaiser or volunteering for Marin Community Clinics and Homeward Bound, Ms. McCreary pursues her passion for art, creating works in water media and ceramic sculpture. An accomplished artist, in 2007 she merged her considerable artistic talents with her volunteer spirit by hosting an art show of her works, raising more than $4,000 for Marin Community Clinics.