With much gratitude and appreciation to our Prior Board Directors:
Board of Directors
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In January of 2019, the VIM Board of Directors bestowed the title of Founder & Counselor to Dr. Hare, agreeing unanimously that his insight, wisdom and thoughtful advice will be cherished and sought after as we continue to make his vision of affordable and accessible healthcare in the Coachella Valley a reality.
Dr. Hare is credited as the Founder of VIM having been the initial driving force to establish the clinic. He has been involved in all aspects of the clinic, served several terms as the Chair, Board of Directors, and continues to promote the clinic in the community. A recipient of numerous awards for his community service, in addition to VIM, Dr. Hare is well-known and respected throughout the Coachella Valley, and beyond, for his contributions that improve the community. Today, he continues his commitment to VIM, as a nonvoting member of the Board of Directors and its various committees. |
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Stewart B Fleishman MD gained much of his primary care experience in the development of what is thought to be the first organized program for adult survivors of adult cancer. Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, he worked with an interdisciplinary team applying principles of active symptom management to care throughout the trajectory of cancer illness focusing on the period of treatment and beyond. He currently surveys cancer centers around the country for accreditation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
He is the Founding Director of Cancer Supportive Services at Continuum Cancer Centers of New York: Beth Israel and St. Luke’s-Roosevelt. He also served as the Associate Chief Medical Officer of Continuum Hospice Care, and the Chair of its Ethics Committee. Dr. Fleishman has been an investigator at the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (now the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology) since 1986, and was the Vice Chair of its Quality of Life Sub-Committee. He is the author of LEARN to Live Through Cancer: What You Need to Know and Do and the accompanying provider’s textbook Manual of Cancer Treatment Recovery: What the Practitioner Needs to Know and Do. He has authored numerous peer reviewed journal articles as well. Prior to attending medical school, Dr. Fleishman taught in the New York City public schools. |
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Chauncey has a distinguished career in managing people with several positions at Bank of America, and most recently as the Relationship Center Manager – Vice President for One West Bank in La Quinta. Currently, Chauncey is the Firm Manager at Barton CPA with several offices in the high and low desert. When not working, volunteering at VIM or tending a grill, Chauncey enjoys time with his wife and three children.
Chauncey is the organization’s Treasurer, Chair of the Finance Committee, and an active member of the Fund Development Committee. |
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Walter Clark is a Coachella Valley attorney with his own practice, Walter Clark Legal Group. He is a graduate of USD Law School, a former prosecutor in the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only organization. He has achieved certification as a specialist in civil trials from the National Board of Trial Advocacy and Practices in the Inland Empire while actively engaging in numerous community organizations. He is active in helping his community through civic Involvement and has served as a director with the Community Blood Bank Foundation, the Coachella Valley Wellness Foundation, and the Coachella Valley YMCA among others, and in addition to previously serving on the Indian Wells Planning Commission. |
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Linda Evans is the Chief Strategy Officer of Community Advocacy for the Desert Care Network, which comprises Desert Regional Medical Center (Palm Springs), JFK Memorial Hospital (Indio), and Hi-Desert Medical Center (Joshua Tree). She has worked for the hospitals’ parent company, Tenet Healthcare for 26 years. Linda is also Mayor for the City of La Quinta and has served as Mayor since 2014. Prior to that, she served on La Quinta’s City Council beginning in 2009. Linda received a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications/Public Relations from California State University, Fullerton. She holds two Master’s Degrees: one in Health Administration and the other in Gerontology, both obtained from the University of La Verne, California. Linda Chairs the following Boards:
Her role with the Desert Care Network and Mayor provides for extensive networking across a large spectrum of agencies, organizations and community groups – all of which have a common goal of ensuring access to care, healthy eating, and active living. |
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Cindi and her husband, Dennis, own Farrell and Associates Insurance Services. She has been an active volunteer with her children’s elementary and high schools where she was very involved in their Parent Boards and numerous fundraising activities. After her children grew up and moved on to the University of Oregon, Cindi became an avid Ducks fan and even got her Oregon insurance license and opened in office there. She spends most of her time primarily in the Valley now and was an active volunteer on our Events Committee helping to plan and produce our annual VIMY Award and Live Auction. Cindy continues on that committee and has now assumed additional Board Director responsibilities. |
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Bio coming soon! |
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An Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with experience in internal medicine, women’s health, orthopedics and palliative care. Amy has more than 13 years of experience with multiple specialty certifications and is a certified nurse educator and clinical mentor for pre-licensure and graduate nursing students. She is on faculty at the College of the Desert, Nursing Program and is a board member with Shay’s Warriors, a local nonprofit organization focusing on cancer survivorship. In addition to her board responsibilities at VIM, Amy is a member of our Clinical Care Committee and has been a VIM volunteer for more than 10 years. |
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Linda Hodsdon has been a volunteer with VIM since 2018 helping to take patient vital signs and working with the medical providers in direct patient care. Linda first learned about VIM as a member of The Springs Woman, a fundraising and social club for residents of The Springs Country Club, Rancho Mirage, that has adopted VIM as their benefiting charity since 2015. To date, The Springs Woman has donated more than $190,000 in support of our mission.
Linda was a high school teacher in Spokane, Washington, raised her family, and later became the Director of Volunteers at St. Joseph Hospital in Tacoma, WA. She worked in marketing and advertising before opening her own business and later, retiring with her husband, Geoff, in Rancho Mirage. Linda is the Chair of the PR & Communications Committee |
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Bio coming soon! |
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Barbara Limardo is a graduate of California Baptist University’s Masters in Business Administration program, where she is also focusing on attaining her Doctoral Degree in Business. Barbara works at Desert Orthopedic Center in Rancho Mirage, California, as the Director of Finance, where she has been promoted through several positions. She has worked in healthcare for over 20 years in various roles and has experience in healthcare accounting. She began working in medicine as a coder and medical biller.
Barbara is a native of Bronx, New York. Barbara moved to the Coachella Valley in 1999, where she discovered her love of hiking and the desert landscape. She also enjoys indoor gardening and Crossfit. Barbara has a wonderful daughter and miniature poodle named Jagger. VIM is Barbara’s first opportunity to participate and serve the community that she now calls home. |
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Esfandiar “Essie” Nasr, M.D. grew up in Palm Springs, attending local PSUSD public schools. After high school, Dr. Nasr left the Coachella Valley for higher education and lived in various cities and states across the country and abroad, returning home to the valley to practice medicine in 2007 at Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Nasar is married with three children, and resides in Palm Springs. |
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Bio coming soon! |
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Dr. Stephan Scoggins is a true renaissance man. He is an international motivational speaker, registered nurse, PhD, veteran with the U.S. Army, former OKC police officer, educator and author. Currently, based in Palm Springs, California, Dr. Scoggins is the founder of ESTEEM, an educational health and motivational center. He is a national recording artist, volunteer Citizens on Patrol with the Palm Springs Police Department and Brothers of the Desert member.
Stephan was a volunteer nurse with VIM before joining our Board in January 2023. Stephan assists with administrative tasks and is a member of our Clinical Care Committee. |