Grossmont Healthcare District board fills vacant seat

Maggie T. Watkins of Dehesa Valley will replace recently retired director Gloria Chadwick on the Grossmont Healthcare District Board of Directors, according to a recent announcement from the organization.

Watkins, a marketing, business development and professional services consultant, will serve out the remainder of Chadwick’s term, which ends in December 2026. Chadwick announced her retirement on July 3 after nearly 30 years serving on the Grossmont board, which oversees a publicly funded grant program, though it does not directly operate Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa.

Watkins will represent the district’s Zone 4, which stretches from El Cajon southeast to Jamul, including all or parts of the Alpine, Harbison-Crest, Lakeside and Pine Valley communities and the Barona, Sycuan and Viejas reservations.

The board unanimously selected Watkins from among five applicants. Her work with nonprofits includes serving as stewardship chair for the Sharp Healthcare Foundation and as a board member for the Grossmont Hospital Foundation. She has served on 45 nonprofit boards, including the Alpine Community Center Board, Susan G. Komen, the Alzheimer’s Association, Girl Scouts of the USA, Project Concern International and Leadership California.

District board President Bob Ayres said in a statement that Watkins’ broad experience in the community made her the strongest choice in a well-qualified field of candidates.

“Her longstanding commitment to healthcare, philanthropy, particularly through her work with Sharp Grossmont Hospital Foundation and Sharp HealthCare Foundation, demonstrates her passion for improving lives across East County,” Ayres said.

Watkins said she is honored to be appointed.

“I look forward to bringing a collaborative and open-minded perspective to the board’s work, helping ensure that all residents have access to quality care, wellness resources, and support services,” Watkins said.