Welcome from Jennifer Svihus, CFRE

I am honored and excited for the opportunity to serve as president of the Sequoia Hospital Foundation. My experience in philanthropy spans more than 30 years,working mostly for healthcare and higher education organizations. Most recently,I was a philanthropic consultant traveling around the United States working with healthcare organizations. I enjoyed the challenge of each project but missed building relationships and working with a team for a common purpose. I decided to leave philanthropic consulting to return to what I believe is my true calling — working with donors, physicians, caregivers, and families to improve the health of the community. Sequoia Hospital Foundation is proving to be a great fit.

Seventy years ago, nine women identified the need for a hospital to improve the health of Redwood City and the surrounding communities. Today, as I reflect on the original mission of these nine women, Dignity Health Sequoia Hospital continues to grow and provide compassionate, exceptional quality and cost effective care to residents of the mid-Peninsula and beyond. To make this possible, it takes the generosity of our donors and the strong partnership between the hospital and the Foundation.

Since beginning my role with the Sequoia Hospital Foundation in August, I am amazed by the people that make this hospital so unique. Our tagline is “Hello humankindness,” and I witness this ethos on a daily basis — from the patients I meet in the hallways, to the caregivers in the café, and the donors who have supported the hospital for decades. I look forward to building on the successes of the past to meet the demands for the future. The Foundation’s ability to partner with the hospital to fund innovative programs and provide support for new projects will only be possible with the continued support from the generosity of the community.

I want to thank all of our generous donors for partnering with us to support outstanding healthcare in our community. I welcome the opportunity to meet you and discuss how you want to make a difference. There are many options for supporting Sequoia Hospital Foundation, and I care about your philanthropic goals. Please call me at 650-367-5712 or email me at Jennifer.svihus@dignityhealth.org.

I look forward to hearing from you.

With gratitude,

Jennifer Svihus

President
Sequoia Hospital Foundation