Farewell Letter from Former Director Dr. Mara Bird

Dear colleagues,

I am writing to wish each of you a fond farewell. After 11 years of service to the CSULB community through the Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation and Leadership Training, I have accepted a position as a Public Diplomacy Foreign Service Officer. I look forward to bringing the values that we share at the Beach to the world.

Dr. Melawhy Garcia will continue to lead the Center for Latino Community Health as its Director, with the full support of professional staff and personal friends and colleagues with whom we have worked this past decade: Mayra Rascón, Natalia Gatdula, Diana Aguirre, Alex Garbanati. We look forward to seeing you at our celebration this fall to celebrate 15 years of the Center, a quinceañera to acknowledge all we have been able to achieve together: better health, supporting student accomplishments, a more vibrant, thriving Long Beach.

I am deeply grateful for every challenge and opportunity we faced together. I never expected to feel in a city of half a million the camaraderie and collective will to join hands and forces to improve health for all. Cal State Puvunga will always be home in my heart.

Hasta pronto,
Mara Bird