"Jan is a highly respected leader in the health care community and was unanimously approved by the Courage Board of Directors," said Janet Fiola, board chair and senior vice president of human resources at Medtronic, Inc. "Her responsibilities will include setting the strategic direction for the organization, along with Courage Center's Executive Management Team, and helping us develop a new business model."

Malcolm is currently a senior program officer for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, N.J., providing counsel on public health initiatives. As Commissioner of Health for the State of Minnesota, she led a staff of 1,200 and oversaw an annual budget of approximately $400 million.

During her tenure as commissioner, she also chaired the cabinet-level Health Policy Council and the Governor's Joint Task Force on Health Care Costs and Quality, served on the executive committee of the National Association of State and Territorial Health Officers, was active in the National Academy of State Health Policy, and was a member of the Institute of Medicine's committee on enhancing the federal government's role in health care quality improvement.

Prior to her state service, Malcolm was vice president of public affairs at Allina Health System and a senior vice president of government programs and public policy at Health Partners. She is on the boards of directors of the Minnesota Women's Foundation, the Ann Bancroft Foundation, Planned Parenthood and AcademyHealth. She previously served on the United Way of Minneapolis Board and on Courage Center's Board of Directors from 1995-1999.

Malcolm replaces Eric Stevens, who announced his resignation in November and left the organization on Dec. 31 after serving six years as chief executive officer. Nancy Larkin, vice president of Healthcare and Rehabilitation, has served as interim CEO during the transition.

About Courage Center

Courage Center is a nationally known, not-for-profit rehabilitation and resource center for people with physical disabilities, brain injuries, speech or vision impairments, or hearing loss. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Courage Center offers comprehensive, life-long services to people of all ages. Courage Center's wide-ranging services are designed to empower people with disabilities to reach their full potential in every aspect of life. For more information, visit www.courage.org.

From Business Wire
Photo credits go to Courage Center