LYNN — Dr. Rodolfo Vega, president of the Lynn Community Health Center Board of Directors, has announced his resignation, citing significant changes to his job responsibilities.
Vega’s term would have otherwise reached its limit in October.
Vega, who made the announcement Friday, was president of the board for four years, but he has been a member for almost nine. He is a Senior Consultant at JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. and currently serves as Senior Advisor to the City of Springfield in support of its opioid overdose prevention plan. Vega is also is co-principal investigator in a COVID-19 initiative that involves 64 community-based organizations across the United States, and is the lead evaluator of a $17 million workforce and business incubator initiative in Virginia.
In a statement, LCHC said that Vega had extensive experience in providing technical assistance and training to communities of color nationwide in the areas of behavioral health, substance abuse, HIV, problem gambling, diabetes, and obesity.
Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, LCHC CEO, said that Vega was both his friend and his mentor, and that he could not ask for someone who knew more about healthcare inequity.
“Rudy has not only been a transformative Board President, but is also a friend and mentor,” Mahaniah said. “As a first-time CEO, I could not have asked for a more supportive partner, or a person more knowledgeable about inequities in health care and especially in health care delivery. I know we will stay in close touch, but Rudy’s departure from the LCHC Board will certainly leave a void.”
Current LCHC Board Vice-President Nelson Woodfork will step in as interim President until new officers will be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Board in October.
“It has been an honor to serve the LCHC for the past 10 years, and I am continually amazed by the courageous efforts of the staff in addressing the HIV, opioid, and COVID-19 epidemics as well as other disorders that have a significant impact on the Lynn community,” Vega said. “I intend on continuing to promote and support their mission and vision.”
