10 Year Anniversary Celebration
Lisa Leavitt, MD shared these comments at our 10 year anniversary celebration in October of 2018 for our Dental Program and the San Rafael Clinic site at 3110 Kerner Boulevard.
To our dear friends and supporters of Marin Community Clinics, I am honored to speak to you tonight.
My name is Lisa Leavitt and I am a pediatrician who has been at Marin Community Clinic since 1996. Over the past 22 years, as I have watched a generation of my patients grow up into adulthood, I have also witnessed Marin Community Clinic grow and mature and improve over time. As the most senior Pediatrician here, I like to think of MCC as “my baby” and I feel like a proud parent tonight bragging to you about my child.
It was a dream for a very long time to have a clinic in San Rafael. 10 years ago, that dream became a reality. In looking back, it was a series of very fortunate events that made it possible. It took a large capital campaign and the coordinated efforts of many dedicated partners, volunteer and donors. We are so grateful for those many individuals who came together at the right time to pull off this feat that had been talked about for so long. The San Rafael clinic opened right at the same time as the economic downturn that happened in 2008. Patients needed us more than ever, and I was relieved that this building was acquired and renovations were completed just in the nick of time.
So even though we are celebrating this location and this building, for me and for our patients, Marin Community Clinics really has very little to do with its actual physical buildings. It has much more to do with the people and the interactions that take place within these buildings.
So I will tell you tonight about my two favorite accomplishments here over the past 10 years:
- our many collaborative Partnerships with other organizations in the community
- the incredible Teamwork within these walls.
Some of you know about the Marin First 5 Commission, and I have been a member of it’s board for the past several years and currently serve as the chair of the Marin First 5 Commission. You have probably seen the cute commercials on TV with the birds encouraging parents to Talk, Read and Sing to their children. This effective media campaign was created by the California First 5 Association, but each county also has its own First 5 Commission to address local issues that affect children living in that county. I am very proud to represent the concerns of my patients and to be their voice on our Commission. Earlier this year Marin First 5 and Marin Community Foundation partnered with MCC to support staff training for a parenting program called Triple P for our patients. My example of working with Marin First 5 is just one example of the different hats that many of us at MCC wear in the community.
I am very proud of the role that Marin Community Clinics plays in partnering with Marin County Health and Human Services, Canal Alliance, Marin County of Education and so many other agencies that are committed to improving the lives of children and families in Marin. Thank you to our clinic leadership for growing our organization to be such a powerful community partner and advocate for the many important issues facing our patients.
Another important reason for celebration today is the culture of teamwork we have developed over the years within our clinic and with you, our friends and supporters. What makes my job infinitely easier on a daily basis is being able to get patients what they need in real time.
For example,
- I have immediate access to Hernan, my Yellow Pod nurse. I’m sure he wishes he did not sit 3 feet away from me and the other pediatricians in our pod each and every day.
- For my patients who need urgent Behavioral Health support, I am a few steps away from Andrea and Janelle, our mental health counselors and Dr. Gilbert, our child psychiatrist.
- If I am concerned about my patient’s delayed milestones or behavior issues, I have William, our developmental and behavioral specialist down the hall.
- If my newborn is struggling with breastfeeding, I call in Susan, our on site lactation specialist.
- When I have a question about my patient’s teeth or something I’m not sure about in their mouth, I walk over to the dentist with my patient for an immediate consult.
- When my patient needs a pep talk from the nutritionist, I can often have Ana come to the room to make contact face to face and begin the conversation about lifestyle changes.
- My pharmacist regularly walks over to me to clarify any prescription issues that come up for my patients.
- I have immediate access to a team of case managers to meet with my patients during their visit when issues come up.
A shout out as well to our friendly receptionists, our medical records department, our hard working medical assistants, our forward thinking leadership team. And so many others that I know I am forgetting to mention. You are such a talented and dedicated team. This is truly what makes my job so highly satisfying. There is no way I could have continued doing my job for so long if it weren’t for you. Thank you for making Marin Community Clinics here in San Rafael my home for the past 10 years. I am proud of all we have done together, and I look forward to all the ways we will continue to dream and grow and create a caring home here for all our patients.
Lastly, I am so grateful to our donors and supporters, Thank you for believing in our mission and allowing me to do this work that I love so much. However there is always more work to be done, especially in these challenging times. I will end with a request.
Be the voice of Marin Community Clinics in your many circles of friends, of family and coworkers. Spread the word about why you love and support Marin Community Clinics. We are so much stronger when we all stand together for what is right and just and good in our community.
Thank you!
Lisa Leavitt, MD
