Announcing the Retirement of Clinic Director, Brenda Falls January 10, 2023

January 10th, 2023

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Our esteemed Clinic Director, Brenda Falls, has made the decision to retire effective June 30th, 2023. Brenda has served as our Clinic Director since 2011, overseeing the tremendous growth of the Clinic through many milestones and critical advancements during her long tenure with us. Among her many notable achievements include her leadership of the Clinic through the transition from a small rental site to a permanent home as a 7 exam room clinic building in 2018. Brenda was also instrumental in the expansion of our patient services and geography, increasing the number of patients who are eligible to receive medical care in our facility. She was a stabilizing and effective leader throughout the COVID-19 crisis, steering our nonprofit through economic uncertainty to maintain financial health and success – to the great benefit of hundreds of adults without a means to healthcare during a time they needed it most. Importantly, she has also earned the deep trust and respect of our donors and community partners, strengthening relationships that are vital to delivering the mission of Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic effectively. Her contributions to the culture of our Clinic alone are immeasurable, and we are grateful for her outstanding work and limitless warmth.

With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare administration prior to her arrival at the Clinic, Brenda was a maximal talent for a nonprofit to gain so early on in its organizational development. Having accomplished her undergraduate studies in healthcare management at The University of Alabama (UA) and received her Master’s in Management from Southern Wesleyan University, Brenda managed outpatient clinic operations for large physician practice plans at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and The Medical University of South Carolina for the vast majority of her career. Assuming her role as Clinic Director in 2011, Brenda’s steadfast oversight of all clinic administrative functions, including finance and budgeting, human resources, donor relations, Web and publication development, board relations, strategic planning and more ensured a fortuitous beginning for our Clinic’s history.

To our BIFMC family, Brenda has served as an indelible leader, mentor, unmatched clinic steward and friend. Having shaped this Clinic for both its high quality and character, her tenure with us has in fact become the bedrock of a lasting foundation. Her retirement comes at a time in the Clinic’s history where her expertise in the field of healthcare, paired with an unwavering compassion and work ethic, have set us up for success at every turn. For this, we are grateful to Brenda and confident in our future as a nonprofit and permanent medical home for those in need.

The Board of Directors will convene a search committee in the near future to identify her successor, and we will keep you all posted as that process goes forward. Though her daily presence at the Clinic will be deeply missed, we are certain Brenda will continue to be an important voice within our work and community. Please join me in expressing our sincere gratitude to Brenda for all she has done, and our warmest well wishes for the next exciting chapter in her life. 

Respectfully,

David L. Dunlap, Chair BIFMC Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: JOB ANNOUNCEMENT