Under Nancy White’s leadership of Arlington Free Clinic, the organization has added new programs such as dental and social services; weathered a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic; and taken the voices of AFC patients to important tables within the local safety-net and county government. Her strong and dynamic leadership has catapulted the organization to new heights. So, when Nancy shared with me last winter that she intends to retire by the end of the year, I quickly alerted the board to their important duty of finding a new leader to fill her shoes.
The board formed a committee led by member Pepper Binner who carefully considered the characteristics and qualifications that would be important in the organization’s next leader and reached out to nearly 70 stakeholders to get their input.
After a thoughtful and deliberate search, I am excited to introduce you to Lesley Daigle. Lesley is both a nurse and a lawyer by training, and a long-time Arlingtonian. She has spent the last decade at Virginia Hospital Center, where she has served in multiple roles with significant leadership responsibilities, including at the Outpatient Clinic, which serves patients very much like ours. She is a warm and charismatic leader with an outstanding reputation and a clear passion for AFC’s mission.
As you may know, next year brings AFC’s 30th Anniversary. And as we transition AFC’s leadership, moving into AFC’s next decade of care, there will truly be a lot to celebrate!