Our Mission
We are leaders in the advancement of a healthy Seacoast community through initiatives that impact and promote the well-being of all its residents.
Our Vision
We envision a healthy community for all by championing initiatives that positively influence and enhance the well-being of every resident. Through grant allocation, convening, and collaboration, we strive to effect meaningful change by amplifying philanthropic efforts and supporting innovative solutions to the health and well-being gaps in our service area.
Our Values
Since 1984, the Seacoast Foundation for Health has remained steadfast in its mission as a sustainable ally to a growing community. Anchored in the power of philanthropy, we adapt to evolving needs, supporting the physical, mental, and social needs of all Seacoast people. This vision still holds true and is guided by our core values:
We seek to significantly Impact and improve people’s lives by supporting programs and services in the cities and towns we serve.
We convene partners in Collaboration to advance shared goals so that we can accomplish more together.
We believe in Equity. We value, respect, are inclusive of, and strive to improve outcomes for all people in our community.
We operate with Integrity, acting ethically, honoring our commitments, and applying rigorous oversight.
We prioritize grants based on the most pressing needs within the community. We reflect the Diversity of our community through our choices of grants, staff, volunteers, programs, and initiatives. We select board, staff and volunteers with the talent and expertise required to effectively achieve our long-term objectives.
We maintain the highest Standards in donor relationships, fund stewardship, and the promotion of philanthropic endeavors.
Our Guiding Principles
• Focus on efforts that can produce tangible improvements in the health of the Foundation service area with particular focus on underserved and disadvantaged residents
• Be open to addressing all aspects of health including promotion, prevention, and treatment as well as underlying social causes of poor health.
• Draw on valid and reliable evidence, as well as input and feedback from the communities we serve, to inform our work and guide our grantmaking.
• Collaborate with other funders, government, and community organizations.
• Ensure ethical and sound governance and oversight that demonstrate accountability, leadership, integrity, stewardship, and transparency.
• Balance of responsive and strategic grantmaking along with evaluation
• Seek ways to leverage long term impact- identify critical health issues, learn more about unmet needs and opportunities, develop a leadership role in priority areas
Board of Trustees
The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees. As the governing body they lend their experience and advice to the organization helping to shape strategic direction and assuring attention to mission. In addition, the organization relies on a robust committee structure that includes other experts from the community. Committee members are appointed by the Chair of the Board of Trustees. Committees are focused in the areas of Governance, Finance & Investment, Audit, Strategic Planning, and Community Investment which includes Grants and Scholarships.
Stu Levenson, Chair
Jen Cannon, Vice Chair
Pete George, Treasurer
Andrea Daly, Secretary
Paul Leyden
Tania Marino
Kathleen MacLeod
Jason Kroll
Jennifer Cutts, M.D.
Bob Hickey, M.D.
Elisabeth Robinson, APRN
The Foundation Staff
The Foundation staff communicates the vision and mission of the Foundation and represents the Board of Trustees in all aspects of operations.
Jenny MacMurdo
Grants & Operations Administrator
603.422.8200
jmacmurdo@ffsh.org
Blair Demers
Chief Executive Officer
603.422.8200
bdemers@ffsh.org
Honorary Members
The distinction of honorary member recognizes individuals, in perpetuity, who have had a lasting impact on the organization. This includes founding members of the Foundation and others whose contribution has been so great that others aspire to meet the standard set. Honorary members are nominated by the Governance Committee and elected by the Board of Trustees.
Donovan Albertson, MD
Robert Allard
Peter Bergeron
Timothy Connors
Kenneth Chute
Catherine Goodwin
Eric Gustafson
William Henson
Daniel Hoefle
Thomas Keane
Bradford Kingman
Wendy McLaughlin, MD
J. Gregg Sanborn
G. Warren Wilder
Portsmouth Regional Hospital
In 1983 Hospital Corporation of America purchased Portsmouth Hospital. The details of that sale are included in a document referred to as the asset purchase agreement. In addition to the specific sales transaction, the agreement outlines the authority of the Foundation going forward which includes the monitoring of the following:
Continued access to clinical services offered at the time of the sale
Availability of free and subsidized care
Hospital charges that are competitive within the Seacoast market
Maintenance of the Hospital in first class repair and condition
Of utmost priority is the Foundation’s responsibility to appoint eight of the nine voting members of the Portsmouth Regional Hospital Board of Trustees. In addition, the CEO of the Foundation serves as ex-officio on the hospital Board. These individuals represent the medical and Seacoast community and meet regularly with medical staff and Hospital leadership. As Trustees, they attend to the above as well as other responsibilities typical to a subsidiary hospital Board under Hospital Corporation of America. Foundation and Hospital Trustees meet in a joint session from time-to-time to discuss the above and learn about trends and changes in the local, regional and national health care environment.
2024 Board of Trustees, Portsmouth Regional Hospital
Mary Lyons, Chair
Katy Lilly, MD, Vice Chair Trevor Emory, MD
Tricia Cummings Eric Gregg
Sonja Nelson, MD
Taraneh Azar, MD Dean Carucci, CEO, Ex-Officio
Debra Grabowski, Ex-Officio
The Foundation for Seacoast Health has established a comprehensive Strategic Plan to carry our mission forward for the next 3-5 years.
View the document