Arnold Schaffer Assumes Role as Chair of Sansum Clinic Board of Trustees
Nov. 11, 2021 (Santa Barbara, CA) – Arnold Schaffer is now chair of the Sansum Clinic Board of Trustees, and has been a steadying force for the nonprofit throughout the financial and operational challenges of the pandemic. “Arnie has a wealth of experience guiding healthcare organizations and a proven record of being an inspired leader of several major hospital operations,” said Kurt Ransohoff, MD, FACP, CEO and Chief Medical Officer of Sansum Clinic. “He has been a wise decision-maker during the difficulties of managing COVID-19. We can always rely on him to contribute generously to our team.”
A resident of Montecito, Schaffer has more than 30 years of healthcare management experience as a CEO of numerous hospitals and regional health systems, and is currently a Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal Healthcare Industry Group. Schaffer previously held several positions with Providence Health, most notably Executive Vice President, and SVP of Regional Operations for Alaska, Washington, Montana and California. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Management degree from Northern Illinois University, and a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration degree from Trinity University, in San Antonio, Texas.
“I am honored to be able to serve Sansum Clinic in this role, and am focused alongside our capable Board on ensuring that our standards of excellence are upheld, and that we can continue to deliver safe, high-quality healthcare to our patients,” announced Schaffer. “We are always honored to partner with our community to weather any challenge, including this current pandemic.”
A member of the Sansum Clinic Board of Trustees since 2019, Schaffer is a previous Board Chair of both the California Healthcare Association and the Hospital Association of Southern California. Schaffer has taken the Sansum Clinic Board Chair position previously held by Montecito Bank & Trust President & CEO Janet Garufis since January of 2021. The current Board of Trustees has been one of the most active, and has made some incredible advancements during its latest term, including the creation of a top-of-the-line surgery center, the acquisition of technology to add to an already-advanced imaging program, the construction of Ridley-Tree Cancer Center and many other infrastructure acquisitions which greatly improve the experience of and outcomes for our patients.
Sansum Clinic is the largest independent non-profit outpatient healthcare organization between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. The dedication of our 200+ highly-trained doctors and compassionate staff of 1500+ is part of our 100-year history, alongside that of our city, which has always been advanced in the medical sciences despite its small size.
To learn more about Sansum Clinic, visit www.sansumclinic.org.
