Richard Taaffe, Chief Executive Officer of Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center (HICHC), will retire on October 31.

Taaffe served as the founding Executive Director of West Hawai‘i Community Health Center, which launched in 2005. Under his tenure, Taaffe guided the health center through a period of significant growth, expanding access to quality affordable health care on Hawaii Island. Taaffe oversaw the merger of West Hawaii Community Health Center and east Hawaii’s Bay Clinic four years ago.

Before arriving in Hawai’i in 2005, Taaffe served as CEO of La Familia Medical Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, chaired the Santa Santa Fe County Health Policy Commission, and served on the New Mexico Primary Care Association Board. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Hawaii Primary Care Association, AlohaCare Health Plan, HMSA Foundation, Community First Hawaii and Health Choice Network, Inc. based in Florida.

Richard holds a master’s degree from the University of New Mexico, a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Allegheny College in Pennsylvania and attended the University of Manchester in Great Britain.  He is a 2015 recipient of the Hawaii Community Foundation’s prestigious Ho’okele Award for outstanding leadership in non-profits.

The Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center’s Board of Directors is focusing their CEO search on internal candidates. A successor will be named shortly.

For more information visit HICHC.org

 

Photo credit: Hawaii Island Community Health Center