HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-12-15 - Luisa BuadaProclamation
Honoring Luisa Buada Upon Her Retirement
WHEREAS, Luisa Buada has served her entire adult life of 50 years promoting health care for the most vulnerable
populations, from the Salinas Valley, to Berkeley, to East Palo Alto, and, most recently, to Santa Clara County; and
WHEREAS, after serving as consultant in the creation of the Ravenswood Family Health Clinic and later
becoming its Interim CEO for 12 months, Luisa was appointed the permanent CEO in November 2003, as Ravenwood
began providing culturally-competent, primary and preventative health care as a grassroots health clinic operating out
of a portable; and
WHEREAS, working with diverse community stakeholders, Luisa forged the community vision of a permanent
health facility, and in 2015 shepherded the construction of a two-story 38,800 sf state-of-the art health clinic campus
in East Palo Alto; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, under Luisa’s leadership, Ravenswood created the umbrella entity of the Ravenswood
Family Health Network when it expanded its footprint to Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale upon the
acquisition of the three MayView clinics; and
WHEREAS, Luisa’s passion and tireless community advocacy led to Ravenswood incorporating a kaleidoscope
of complementary services and programs over the years, including a stand-alone dentistry with 19 operatories, virtual
dental homes (portable diagnostic dental services) for pre-school and kindergarten-age children at various locations
in the community, Centering Pregnancy and Parenting programs for new mothers, optometry, podiatry, lactation
coaching, mobile clinics, and more; and
WHEREAS, with her continued resilience and fortitude, Luisa presided over a process to develop successful
creative strategies to implement multiple mass vaccinations for patients and the community-at-large during the Covid-
19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, Luisa has made an indelible impact on the health outcomes of low-income residents in East Palo Alto
and the surrounding communities; and
WHEREAS, Luisa retires as the Chief Executive Officer of Ravenswood Family Health Network on December
15, 2023, stepping down from a health care operation that initially served 300 patients in 2001 to now serving over
20,000 patients a year throughout its five permanent facilities;
NOW, THEREFORE I, Lydia Kou, Mayor of the City of Palo Alto, do hereby honor and commend Luisa Buada
for her leadership at Ravenswood Family Health Network and the immeasurable impact she has had in Palo Alto and
beyond.
______________________________
Lydia Kou
Mayor