SACRAMENTO – Stephanie McLemore Bray, executive director of the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, has been chosen to lead United Way California Capital Region as the new president and CEO beginning in January.

“Our goal was to recruit the best possible talent for this position, and we are thrilled to have secured Stephanie as our new president and CEO,” said Carolyn Mullins, United Way board chair. “With 25 years of experience in fund development and volunteer management for local, regional and national organizations, Stephanie will be an outstanding leader as we find new ways to improve education, income and health in our region.”
Prior to her work at San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, Bray served as assistant dean for health sciences advancement at UC Davis Health System, overseeing fundraising for the School of Medicine, The Medical Center, the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and several other centers of medical excellence on the UC Davis Sacramento campus. She has served in fundraising leadership positions with the American Cancer Society, UNCF/The College Fund, Learning Ally, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Bray is a graduate of Douglass College, Rutgers University, in New Jersey and was a participant in Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management in July 2012.

“United Way has proven itself to be an innovative and impactful organization in our region,” Bray said. “I am looking forward to being part of the change taking place in our community. My experience both locally and across the nation has given me some ideas for how we can become even more effective at our vision to build stronger, healthier, more compassionate communities.”

Bray replaces Steve Heath, who departed as president and CEO at the end of June. Victoria Kosha, senior vice president for finance and administration, will continue to serve as interim president and CEO until January.

For 90 years, United Way California Capital Region has actively worked to address the community’s most pressing issues, now focusing on innovative solutions related to high school graduation rates, household financial stability and obesity. United Way’s team of nonprofits, businesses, donors and volunteers are working together to provide positive, measurable results on these issues through United Way projects: STAR Readers, $en$e-Ability and Fit Kids. Community members can give, volunteer and advocate in support of the causes they care most about, benefiting United Way and hundreds of nonprofits in Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties. United Way is an independent, local affiliate of United Way Worldwide. For more information, visit www.yourlocalunitedway.org.