Mazzoni Center’s board of directors has lost two more members, with the secretary recently ousted in a majority vote and a second member resigning Tuesday, PGN has learned.
The departures from the board are the latest in an ongoing drain of institutional memory from the beleaguered agency, the largest LGBT-focused health facility in the Philadelphia area.
CEO Lydia Gonzalez Sciarrino resigned last month after just seven months on the job. COO Ron Powers also announced his departure at the same time after more than 20 years in the position. Both resignations are effective Dec. 28.
The board of directors now has eight members following the most recent departures. PGN’s reporting confirmed Tuesday’s resignation but not the former board member’s name.
The former secretary, Miriam S. Edelstein, a litigation attorney with ReedSmith, was on the board for less than a year. It was not immediately clear why she was voted off. Edelstein was appointed last December along with Allison Bloom, who left the board earlier this year; David Davis; Mohamad El-Khatib; and Nu’Rodney Prad, now the acting president.
At the time of the quintet’s appointment, Mazzoni Center issued a statement saying that “among other skills and experience, Mazzoni Center’s new board members bring many talents.”
In a statement to PGN on Edelstein’s removal, Prad said, “We are grateful for Miriam’s contributions and those of others who have left the board.”
When asked about Edelstein being voted off rather than voluntarily leaving, Mazzoni Center refused to comment.
Edelstein also declined requests for comment.
In October, five Mazzoni Center board members retired after 13 years.
“Now it’s time to make space for new faces, new voices and new perspectives,” then-board president Chris Pope had told PGN. He since has resigned from the board, citing he wanted to spend more time with his family, and continues to serve in an advisory capacity.
When asked about the vision and mission of the board, Prad reiterated the mission statement on Mazzoni Center’s website, saying the board makes decisions with the goal of providing health and wellness services “while preserving the dignity and improving the quality of life of the individuals we serve.”
The board will continue to bring on new members “reflecting the diversity of staff, patients and the community we serve,” Prad said, declining to elaborate.