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Meet The New Chair
Issue: March 2023
Dr. Barbara Blumer Corcoran assumes the top spot on the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation.
Dr. Barbara Blumer Corcoran
Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation has a new board chair: Dr. Barbara Blumer Corcoran. She is a family practice physician who has been coming to Highlands since 2010. Dr. Corcoran served on the Highlands Cashiers Hospital Foundation, which provided direct support to the previous non-profit hospital, since 2015, and became vice chair in 2017.
When Mission Health Systems sold to HCA, a for-profit organization, Dr. Corcoran, Dr. Walter Clark, and others were determined to continue the mission of the Hospital Foundation. This desire led to the transition of the Hospital Foundation becoming HCHF in 2019. Dr. Clark served as board chair of the Health Foundation from 2019 through 2022.
“We all have profound respect and appreciation for Dr. Clark’s leadership; he set a high bar for me and future board chairs,” said Dr. Corcoran, who addressed some basic questions about her new role:
Q: What motivated/inspired you to become involved in HCHF?
A: There are considerable needs in our community that often go unseen. I am inspired to be part of an organization that identifies these unmet needs and provides resources to address them.
Q: What do you hope to bring to the Foundation?
A: The strength of this Foundation is the diverse and impressive expertise of its directors, community advisors, and staff. I will bring strong, positive leadership to this already skilled group.
Q: What are your goals for the Foundation in 2023 and beyond?
A: As the saying goes: “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Everything works better when everyone has access to the resources to help them be as healthy as possible. Our support of Blue Ridge Health-Highlands Cashiers (BRH-HC), a non-profit clinic located on the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital campus, continues to be a cornerstone investment for the Foundation. BRH-HC is expanding services in 2023 to include a Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse counselor to address the mental health crisis currently facing all communities. In addition, we will continue to work with other non-profits through grants and other collaborations to meet the needs of an even greater number of people.
Q: Anything else you would like to share with readers?
A: It is a great honor to be named HCHF Chair. I know I speak for everyone at the Foundation in saying how grateful we are for the incredible generosity of our unique Plateau communities. I look forward to working with all of you to continue to advance our mission of lifting health and well-being, together!
