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by Stacy Trevenon
WiRED's Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Charlotte Ferretti, R.N., Ed.D, has been named as its newest member. Dr. Ferretti brings expertise and experience working in community health care with underserved populations and will serve as a valuable resource for WiRED's health education programs.
WIRED Board Chair Anthony Hodge said, "We are pleased and excited to have Dr. Ferretti, an internationally recognized leader in community health issues, join our board, particularly at this time as WiRED rolls out its expanded Community Health Information Program. Known as the CHI Program, it offers over 150 health and medical information modules to communities we serve around the world."
"We are pleased and excited to have Dr. Ferretti, an internationally recognized leader in community health issues, join our board, particularly at this time as WiRED rolls out its expanded Community Health Information Program."
—Anthony Hodge,
Board Chair
Dr. Ferretti first wanted to be a teacher. She devoted a year of college to that career goal, but found herself bored. Then she took a job as a nurse's aide—and loved it.
Her love of health care motivated Dr. Ferretti to earn a degree in nursing from St. Vincent's Medical Center in New York. In 1983, she achieved a master's of science in nursing with a focus in health administration from the University of California, San Francisco.
Dr. Ferretti built her nursing career in hospitals while raising two children with her physician husband, Robert Ferretti. Neither child followed in the parents' footsteps—one is now a fashion photographer and the other practices immigration law—but Dr. Ferretti not only continued, she expanded her skills, earning a doctorate from the University of San Francisco with a focus on curriculum and instruction.
Her earlier inclination towards teaching resurfaced as she served as professor at the San Francisco State University School of Nursing from 1985 to 2000. "I ended up as a teacher whether I liked it or not. Strange how it turned out," laughed Dr. Ferretti. Also in 2000 she took the post of director of the Marian Wright Edelman Institute at San Francisco State University, a position she holds today.
Her next phase is about to begin as she brings her medical and educational experience to link education, nursing and community needs as a member of WiRED's board. Dr. Ferretti said, "I hope to continue to support [WiRED founder Gary Selnow, Ph.D.] in whatever way I can use my skills to promote what WiRED does."
Her next phase is about to begin as she brings her medical and educational experience to link education, nursing and community needs as a member of WiRED's board.
Dr. Ferretti met Dr. Selnow when, shortly after she joined Edelman (with which he also has a working relationship), she organized a reception for San Francisco State University faculty and administrators to showcase Edelman's projects. One of the projects involved WiRED, which drew the attention of the university president, Dr. Robert Corrigan. Impressed, the president encouraged Dr. Selnow, an SFSU professor, to continue this community service work. "That support allowed Gary to concentrate on these programs," said Dr. Ferretti.
Dr. Ferretti's own concentration in community health care with underserved populations, particularly families and children, sharpened when she set up a clinic in San Francisco's Mission district. "I had a passion for working with that population and forging a link of education with community needs," she said. "I'm interested in linking nursing and community needs, whether local or global."
That made her the right fit for WiRED. She helped set up teleconferencing between San Francisco State University and physicians WiRED was working with in developing countries. Eventually she joined teleconferences between nurses in San Francisco and nurses in Erdil, in northern Iraq. Only a few years ago, she furthered WiRED's work in Iraq by hosting a benefit fundraiser in her Tiburon home, attended by award-winning author Martin Cruz Smith.
"I had a passion for working with that population and forging a link of education with community needs," she said. "I'm interested in linking nursing and community needs, whether local or global."
Already a member of four boards, now Dr. Ferretti is "thrilled" to join the WiRED board and bring not only her unique background in health, community service and education but her ties to resources. "I want to continue to be vigilant about how areas of the university can connect with WiRED's programs," she said, adding that she has found graduate students' theses written for WiRED modules "a perfect match."
The same phrase sums up Dr. Ferretti's enthusiasm for her new position of working towards WiRED's goal to provide health information that is current, easily accessible and customized for the region where it will be used. "[WiRED medical information] is very targeted for those who need it," she said. "This is what makes it different from other types of programs."
Gary Selnow said, "Since WiRED's very early years, Charlotte has been a wonderful supporter. She has helped coordinate our work among academic institutions, and as a former professor of nursing she has been a remarkable resource for our health education programs. Charlotte not only has the technical expertise but extensive administrative skills and a great humanitarian interest in developing regions."
Edited by Allison Kozicharow; layout by Brian Colombe.
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