Carlos Plazas, MSBA, has been named the new Chief Executive Officer of La Clínica del Pueblo.
In celebration of La Clínica del Pueblo’s 40th anniversary last year, we launched a bold 10-year strategic plan to guide us into the future. Our vision is clear: to elevate our visibility, strengthen our vitality, and amplify our voice in every aspect of our work.
Strong leadership will be central to the success of this strategic plan, enabling us to navigate the complex nonprofit landscape while staying true to our mission.
Carlos immigrated to the United States when he was 19 years old, experiencing many of the same challenges that our communities face when adapting to a new country. He brings a wealth of experience in healthcare leadership and a deep passion for serving the Latin American immigrant community.
Carlos has nearly two decades of leadership experience in nonprofit healthcare, including roles as VicePresident of Finance and subsequently as Chief Operating Officer at Planned Parenthood Maryland.
Before his tenure at Planned Parenthood, he served as Director of Finance at Chase Brexton, a Maryland Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving 40,000 patients annually. He most recently served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of La Clínica del Pueblo. He holds a Master of
Business Science and Administration from Towson University. Aligned with our strategic plan, Carlos will lead efforts to expand access to care, strengthen community partnerships, raise our visibility, and much more. We are confident that under his leadership, we will not only meet but exceed the goals of our 10-year plan, ensuring that La Clínica del Pueblo continues to provide accessible, high-quality care and support services for Latin American immigrants and their families.
We are also profoundly grateful to Don Blanchon for his interim leadership, optimism, and expertise, which have been instrumental in guiding the organization smoothly through a rapidly changing landscape. Don will continue to serve as Interim CEO of La Clínica del Pueblo until Carlos officially begins on November 1, 2024.
Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing more details about Carlos’s vision and ways the community can engage with leadership as we navigate this important period of transition. We also plan to organize a community meet-and-greet with Carlos, where you will have the opportunity to hear from him directly and share your thoughts.
We are excited about the future and confident that under Carlos’s leadership, La Clínica del Pueblo will continue to thrive, adapting to today’s challenges and seizing tomorrow’s opportunities. Your trust and engagement have been instrumental to La Clínica del Pueblo’s success, and we are committed to ensuring that this transition further strengthens the services we provide to you, our valued community. We encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback with us at executiveoffice1@lcdp.org. We are grateful for your continued support and look forward to working together to create a healthier, stronger community.
Sincerely,
Edgar Jimenez
Carolyn McCoy Zugaldia
Gerardo Portillo Molina
Veronica Vela
Florentino Duarte
Brizeida Santos
Luis Angelo Gomez
Paula Vasquez
Salomé Martinez
Elizabeth Ortiz
-Board of Directors, La Clínica del Pueblo