Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg reopens Center for Health Equity
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Jan 20, 2023

The Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg has reopened the Center for Health Equity after closing during the pandemic for the Department of Health to operate a testing site and vaccine location.

The center, located at 2333 34th St. S, is expected to reopen on Jan. 20. It was initially established in 2019 by the foundation in response to a “community listening initiative.” The center provides a space and resources that are “devoted to social change, where people from different backgrounds, areas and communities can imagine solutions, develop strategies and collaborate in a creative environment,” according to a release.

The Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg appointed Carol Martin Brown and Carl Lavender as interim co-CEOs while searching for a new president and CEO. Board of Trustees Chair Donna Petersen said Martin Brown and Lavender “kept the organization moving apace,” secured strong community partnerships and had sound fiscal oversight.

The former CEO, Randall Russell, resigned in November 2022. He was placed on leave in June while the board investigated leadership concerns. Russell joined the foundation in 2015.

The Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg is a private foundation that was formed in 2013 following the sale of the nonprofit Bayfront Medical Center, now known as Bayfront Health St. Petersburg. The foundation is the steward of approximately $170 million in assets, which it uses to promote health equity in Pinellas County.

“It is our hope that all members of the community with an interest in closing the racial equity gap will see the center as a hub for community transformation,” Martin Brown said in a release. “Marcus Brooks, the center’s new executive director, leads a highly skilled and passionate team with this vision.”

Martin Brown is also the chief financial and administrative officer for the foundation. She has experience in both the financial and social sectors and served as a CPA with Big Four experience. Lavender has had a career leading nonprofit organizations in Pinellas County for the past 20 years. He also previously served in high-level community advancement and fundraising positions in Chicago and Cleveland.

“The center is a space for everyone to come together to discuss racial equity freely and safely, speaking their truth in a supportive setting,” Brooks said in a release. “I’m honored to be in a position that allows me to support an environment that promotes conversation, fosters innovation and encourages collaboration to build a healthier, more equitable Pinellas County.”