How are you partnering with your team to accelerate the advancement of your fundraising strategy, and what excites you most about the continued growth of your team?
After nearly a year in this role, I welcomed a seasoned development professional who has already become a strategic partner in shaping our long-term fundraising vision. Together, we’re strengthening the infrastructure needed for a high performing, sustainable advancement program, one that grows alongside the school’s ambitions and deepens our impact. Looking ahead, I’m energized by the opportunity to build a fully realized development team, thoughtfully adding roles such as an annual giving manager, major gifts officers, alumni relations expertise, and eventually a planned giving specialist. Each addition represents a step toward expanding our reach, cultivating deeper relationships, and positioning the institution for the philanthropic success it deserves.
As KPSOM aims to support its students and ease the financial burden of medical school, what would you like the public and potential donors to keep in mind?
Medical school is incredibly expensive, and that price tag can be a real barrier for people who would make exceptional physicians. Some of the most promising students are those who grew up in families that struggled financially or received substandard healthcare—they know firsthand why having great doctors matters. Others are already carrying significant undergraduate loan debt and simply can’t imagine taking on more.
That’s why free and low-cost tuition is so powerful. It allows us to attract the best and most eclectic mix of future physician-leaders—people who bring lived experience, passion, curiosity, and a deep commitment to serving others. And our school is truly one of the best places to learn how to become a doctor who can make a difference, not just for individual patients, but for entire communities.
There’s also a common misconception that the medical school doesn’t need outside support because it’s funded by Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals. While the Kaiser Foundation is incredibly generous, it’s not true that we don’t need additional philanthropic support. If we want to be a world class medical school, we need world class resources, and that requires a diverse base of supporters.
Plus, one of the reasons communities served by Kaiser Permanente tend to be healthier is because the Kaiser Foundation invests so heavily in local nonprofits that support human services. So, every dollar they allocate to the medical school is essentially a dollar that didn’t go to those community-based organizations. Philanthropy helps fill that gap, ensuring the school can excel and communities can continue to thrive.
A memorial fund for the late Dr. Holly Humphrey, former KPSOM Board Chair, was particularly successful. Can you share more about this effort?
Dr. Holly Humphrey was a beloved medical educator and the former Chair of the KPSOM Board. When she passed, the school wanted to do something to honor her memory that would have been important to her. We created a fund to support the Holly J. Humphrey Distinguished Lectureship in Medical Education. This annual event will serve as a forum to promote innovation and excellence in the field Holly shaped. Contributors to the fund included board members, faculty, staff, and former students. The initiative was so successful, we surpassed our fundraising goal.
What is the best way for the public to give to KPSOM and how does this support directly benefit our students?
Gifts to the medical school directly support students by keeping tuition free or low-cost and reducing their debt through scholarships, funding research and experiential learning opportunities, providing emergency assistance, strengthening teaching and mentorship, and enhancing programs like simulation training, wellness resources, and the medical humanities—filling critical gaps so students can thrive academically, professionally, and personally.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
A gift to KPSOM is more than generosity; it’s an investment in every patient and community our students care for.
To support KPSOM programs, initiatives, and efforts to help keep tuition free and/or low-cost for students, please contact Elizabeth Weinberg directly or donate here .
