SMMC Announces New Foundation President

Dignity Health – St. Mary Medical Center announced the appointment of LaRae Mardesic Bechmann to serve as the President of the St. Mary Foundation. Bechmann will be joining St. Mary this week with more than 20 years of executive fundraising experience.

She most recently served as the senior director of development for Providence Little Company of Mary, where she managed development, external relations, volunteer leadership, government relations and capital campaigns, including a recent emergency department project.

Prior to her position at Little Company, Bechmann was vice president of development for St. John Bosco in Bellflower where she supervised external communications and fundraising in the areas of major corporate, foundation and individual giving.

Her professional experience includes large capital campaign projects for the University of Southern California and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.

Bechmann has also served as vice president of development for the Discovery Eye Foundation in Los Angeles, an institute dedicated to research, education and advocacy related to eye diseases and their treatments.

Bechmann has executive management experience, having served as the president and CEO of Chrysalis, a non-profit organization in Los Angeles dedicated to creating a pathway to self-sufficiency for homeless and low-income persons.

“Our foundation looks forward to continuing the growth we have experienced in recent years,” said Paul Carter, chairman of the board of the St. Mary Foundation. The St. Mary Foundation was recently awarded top foundation in the Dignity Health System for 2017. “We made great strides with Drew Gagner’s leadership,” said Carter, “and we are delighted that Bechmann has joined us to continue that outstanding legacy.”

Bechmann was born at St. Mary Medical Center, raised in San Pedro and has a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from Long Beach State, as well as advanced studies at the University of Southern California Annenberg School.

Bechmann currently resides in Rancho Palos Verdes with her husband, Jens and their daughter, Audrey Madeleine.

Submitted by SMMC