Contact: Liz Kopling, Director of Marketing & Communications
Office: (608) 327-7219 Cell: (608) 772-9653
liz.kopling@agrace.org
MADISON, Wis. – Agrace has hired Brenda Gonzalez as diversity manager. Agrace is Wisconsin’s largest nonprofit palliative care and hospice agency, providing end-of-life care and related services to people in southern Wisconsin communities for 38 years.
As diversity manager, Gonzalez will work to implement strategies for Agrace to improve access to diverse and underserved patients and assist the agency in ensuring that its staff and volunteer workforce reflects the diversity of the communities served by Agrace. Gonzalez will also oversee Agrace’s minority Certified Nursing Assistant and Emergency Medical Technician scholarship programs for graduating high school seniors and non-traditional students.
Gonzalez previously served on the Agrace Foundation’s board of directors. She joins Agrace from Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin (GHC-SCW), where she served as community marketing and health equity manager. During her time there, Gonzalez engaged organizations as well as individuals to reach out to those impacted by health insurance disparities.
Prior to GHC-SCW, Gonzalez was at UW School of Medicine and Public Health, The Benton Foundation, and Dean Health System. She has more than 20 years’ experience collaborating in the Madison community helping people navigate the complexities of our health care system, especially among linguistically and financially isolated communities.
“Brenda brings to the diversity manager role a passion for engaging our area’s Latino Community while also making sure we understand all of our diverse partners’ needs,” said Marcia Whittington, chief development officer for Agrace. “In this role, Brenda will help drive Agrace’s efforts to address the racial, ethnic cultural and socioeconomic disparities that impact access to hospice and palliative care in the communities we serve.”
Founded in 1978, Agrace is a nonprofit, community-supported hospice and palliative care agency dedicated to providing exceptional care and support to patients and families facing the challenges of serious illness. With offices in Madison, Janesville and Baraboo, Agrace serves nearly 700 patients every day throughout southern Wisconsin.
