Press Releases: Northern California
April 25, 2012
Kaiser Permanente Physician Leader Honored by Bay Area Group of Women Health Care Professionals
Dr. Sharon Levine named Women Health Care Executives’ 2012 Woman of the Year
OAKLAND, Calif. — Sharon Levine, MD, associate executive director for The Permanente Medical Group of Northern California, has been named 2012 Woman of the Year by Women Health Care Executives. She will be formally recognized at a dinner May 3 at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco.
Dr. Levine was selected from an inspiring pool of women leaders in health care for her many achievements in the field, while serving as a role model by balancing professional and community commitments.
“Dr. Levine’s career speaks to an unwavering commitment to ensure high-quality, patient-centered health care delivery, as well as to the professionals, both clinical and administrative, who share her enthusiasm,” said Julie Brown, WHCE immediate past president.
Robert Pearl, MD, executive director and CEO of The Permanente Medical Group, described Dr. Levine as a brilliant strategist who throughout her career has worked to ensure that patients obtained superior quality and personalized service, and to ensure that Kaiser Permanente is known for always “doing the right things” on behalf of its 3.5 million members in Northern California.
Sharon Levine, MD
“Dr. Levine is a dedicated and caring leader, and a mentor and role model for women in health care — not only within Kaiser Permanente, but in the health-care community at large,” Dr. Pearl said. “She has helped to make Kaiser Permanente not only the leader in health care in California, but also a model for the nation. I can’t think of anyone in this country more deserving of this recognition.”
Dr. Levine has been a member of The Permanente Medical Group since 1977, and for the past 21 years has served as associate executive director with multiple leadership accountabilities. She serves on the boards of directors of the Public Health Institute of California, the California Association of Physician Groups, the Reagan-Udall Foundation, the Medical Board of California, and Insure the Uninsured Project.
Dr. Levine is also a member of the Committee on Evidence-Based Benefit Design of the National Business Group on Health, and she was appointed to a six-year term on the Board of Governors of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute in 2010.
A Boston native, Dr. Levine is married and lives in Palo Alto.
WHCE’s Woman of the Year Celebration will be held on May 3, 2012, at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. For event details, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.whce.net.
About Women Health Care Executives
Women Health Care Executives (WHCE) has a proud history of providing Bay Area women a forum for networking, education and support. Thirty-one years ago, a small group of women began meeting to address the unique challenges they faced in their leadership roles. Today, WHCE has nearly 150 members, spanning multiple health-related disciplines. In addition to members' contributions to the expertise and advancement of women in all health care fields, WHCE provides a helping hand to emerging health care leaders through its annual scholarship award. For more information, go to www.whce.net.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.8 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to www.kp.org/newscenter.
