The California Wellness Foundation Announces New Staff Appointments

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Wellness Foundation (TCWF) announced the appointments of Crystal D. Crawford as program director and Claudiette Wright-Bey as executive assistant to the president and CEO.

"The Foundation welcomes Crystal and Claudiette, each of whom brings a wealth of knowledge to their respective roles," said Diana M. Bonta, president and CEO. "Crystal is a professional with strong leadership skills and deep knowledge in women's health, educational outreach and health policy. Claudiette's organized approach and initiative are invaluable to the operation of the executive department."

Crawford oversees the Foundation's grantmaking related to the issues of diversity in the health professions and women's health. Her responsibilities include reviewing letters of interest and grant proposals and making funding recommendations related to these issues. Before joining TCWF, she was CEO of the California Black Women's Health Project (CABWHP), the only statewide organization solely devoted to improving the health of California's black women and girls through policy, advocacy, education and outreach. Previously, she was CABWHP's director of public policy for more than a decade.

Throughout her career, Crawford has combined policy and legal approaches to many social justice and civil rights issues and causes. Before working in the nonprofit, public interest sector, she was an associate with corporate law firms in Los Angeles, Boston and New York, as well as a public school teacher. Originally from Harlem, N.Y., Crawford earned her bachelor's in history from Dartmouth College and her law degree from New York University School of Law. Among her many recognitions are the Advocates' Award from Western Center on Law and Poverty and the PowerPAC Award from the Los Angeles African American Women's Political Action Committee.  She is admitted to the bar in California, New York and New Jersey.

"I bring to TCWF a passion for promoting unity across racial and ethnic communities and social justice causes as we work together to improve health outcomes for all of our communities," Crawford said. "It is a tremendous privilege to join the Foundation as we continue to advance its stellar commitment to improving the health of Californians, including low-income individuals, women and communities of color."

As executive assistant to the president and CEO, Wright-Bey coordinates administrative and clerical activities for the president and CEO and is liaison to TCWF's Board of Directors. Prior to joining TCWF, she served as the executive assistant to the head of school and board of trustees at St. James' Episcopal School in Los Angeles. She also worked as the assistant to the vice president of information technology at Advanstar Communications and served as assistant to the head of school and board of trustees at The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks. Wright-Bey is pursuing her master's degree in counseling and guidance from California Lutheran University and holds a bachelor's degree in organizational management from The University of La Verne. She is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.

"I feel very fortunate to be able to contribute to the Foundation's mission of grantmaking for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention," Wright-Bey said. "It is gratifying to know that our efforts of service and leadership are transforming lives."

The California Wellness Foundation is a private independent foundation created in 1992 with a mission to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention. The Foundation prioritizes eight issues for funding: diversity in the health professions, environmental health, healthy aging, mental health, teenage pregnancy prevention, violence prevention, women's health, and work and health. It also responds to timely issues and special projects outside the funding priorities. Since its founding in 1992, TCWF has awarded 6,544 grants totaling more than $815 million.

SOURCE The California Wellness Foundation