2022 SCAHD Annual Meeting

As one of the highest-attended events of the year, SCAHD’s Holiday Party provides more than easy networking: It is about celebrating the season and recognizing the “Outstanding Leadership Award” of the year. Live and in person. We are honoring our 2020, 2021, and 2022 Outstanding Leaders.

The SCAHD Annual Meeting was held on December 9, 2022, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Hotel Maya, Long Beach, California.


2022 Outstanding Leadership Recipient





Emily Bush, GPC
Corporate and Foundation
Relations Officer
Providence Foundations
Southern California

Emily Bush is an advancement/fundraising professional with expertise in grants and has received the Grant Professionals Certification. In her current role of Corporate and Foundation Relations Officer for Providence Foundations, Southern California, Emily closely collaborates with executive and clinical leadership at local hospital and regional levels to develop and implement cultivation and solicitation strategies, manages the grant cycle for a portfolio of funders, and facilitates post-award and stewardship activities.

At the system leadership level, Emily co-chairs the Grants Operations Team, a sub-committee of Providence’s system-wide grants collaborative group, focused on aligning and standardizing processes and procedures around grant work with a specific focus on the use of Providence’s CRM system. Prior to Providence, Emily spent nearly four years at Eisner Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center, increasing the number of grants from private and government sources, as well as leading the organization’s development efforts and serving as a member of the senior leadership team.

Emily also believes in enhancing the non-profit community by volunteering with industry associations. She currently serves as the Communications and Marketing Chair of the Southern California Association for Healthcare Development (SCAHD). During her tenure, she has led the committee for strategic planning, known affectionally as SCAHD 2.0, collecting feedback from focus groups and establishing goals to provide curated educational opportunities and strengthening SCAHD’s capacity and community. She was also responsible for the board-approved strategic plan document, is an active participant in SCAHD’s programming and membership committees and maintains SCAHD’s online presence. Emily is a member of the Grant Professionals Association, where she serves as a peer reviewer for the GPA Publications Committee. She is also a member of the Association for Fundraising Professionals and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy.

Emily holds an MA in Arts Management from Claremont Graduate University and a BA in History from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. Along with her lovable Labrador, Emily and her husband reside in the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley.


2021 Outstanding Leadership Recipient

Luppita Garza



Lupita Garza, CFRE
Senior Major Gifts Officer
Adventist Health White Memorial Charitable Foundation

Lupita is a bilingual professional and has worked in the non-profit arena for over 25 years, concentrating in fund raising. She joined White Memorial in November 2014. Prior to joining White Memorial, Lupita was the Director of Corporate Relations for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and during her time there, she raised over $25M for the hospital. Lupita has also worked at the American Red Cross, TELACU Education Foundation, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, and served as the Chief Executive Officer for 5 years at the Girls Scouts Spanish Trails Council. Lupita is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy. She served on the Board of Directors for HOPE (Hispanas Organized for Political Equality) for 18 years and is now a HOPE Champion. Lupita is from Texas and has a Bachelor of Science in Human Services from the University of Texas.


2020 Outstanding Leadership Recipient





Kimberly Flowers, CFRE
Chief Development Officer
Atherton

Kimberly S. Flowers, CFRE, is an executive fundraising professional who has excelled in donor relations and strategic development leadership positions within the non-profit sector for twenty years. Kimberly’s passion for and understanding of raising money for non-profits has established her as the ‘go-to’ person and advisor to executives, board members, volunteers, staff, and business partners.

Kimberly has harnessed her experience, training, and certifications to raise operational and capital funds and has contributed to the overall financial health of each non-profit she has served. Kimberly has successfully led fundraising teams, developed strategic roadmaps, implemented campaigns, and created the infrastructure and policies needed to propel organizations forward. Her leadership acumen has been pivotal in cultivating relationships and securing 100% giving and active fundraising participation from board members and executive team members as the Chief Development Officer and Executive Operations Team Member at Atherton.

In addition, her industry insight has aided in the development and implementation of exemplary development programs aligned with the organization’s mission, vision, and values and has led to a 500% increase in annual giving, $3M in planned gifts, and $500K in grant funding. As an integral member of the operation’s team, her employee engagement efforts helped Atherton earn the “Great Place to Work” certification and recognition by Fortune Magazine (2018) as a “Best Place to Work.”

Throughout her career, Kimberly has dedicated her energies to navigating all aspects of fund development, serving as Director of Major Gifts for Good Samaritan Hospital, Director of Development for Transformation Ministries, and Director of Development / Major Gifts Officer / and Donor Relations Coordinator with Providence Health & Services Foundation.

Kimberly is a thought leader who engineers fresh solutions and executes transformative fundraising strategies that disrupt complexity and motivate people to rally around a common purpose. She has remained steadfast in her commitment to continuously improving her fundraising expertise and holds the Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) designation from CFRE International. She is the current Chair of the Mentorship Committee and former president of the Southern California Association of Healthcare Development (2020), as well as a past president of the Burbank Parochial League (2004). She also holds active membership in the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, Los Angeles Charitable Gift Planners/National Charitable Gift Planners, and was the 2020 co-chair for LeadingAge California.

In each of the criteria for nomination, Kimberly rises to the top of the list. Her ongoing support of SCAHD and the development profession is unquestioned. She has hosted educational events and has never shied away from supporting SCAHD and its members. During this unprecedented time, she has kept the SCAHD Board of Directors and the organization moving forward.