IMC’s Nancy Aossey Named Non-Profit CEO of the Year

Santa Monica, CA – Nancy Aossey, President & CEO of International Medical Corps, a global humanitarian aid organization, was named Non-Profit CEO of the Year today by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Aossey was selected from a group of 48 other nominees representing a wide range of professions at the publication’s 15th annual “Women Making a Difference" luncheon in downtown Los Angeles.

“We’re delivering over $100 million in relief in some of the toughest places in the world,” Aossey said in receiving her award. “It’s a real honor to have this work recognized, because it is so important to provide some element of hope.”

“Nancy’s dedication is remarkable by any standards, but particularly amazing considering that she puts her efforts in areas that most others feel are lost causes,” said Vivian Mastrangelo of Union Bank of California in presenting the award to Aossey.

Keynote speaker, Nancy Daly Riordan, who won last year’s Philanthropist of the Year award, spoke about the important role that women play in building communities worldwide. Riordan’s daughter, Linda Daly, first visited International Medical Corps’ programs in Chad, and mother and daughter then visited IMC’s programs in Kenya in April. “I wasn’t able to fully understand my daughter’s experiences with IMC until I joined her on a trip and was able to bear witness for myself,” Riordan told the more than 500 people in attendance.

Since joining IMC shortly after its inception in 1986, Aossey has shepherded the organization from a three-employee start-up to a $100-million-plus relief organization with more than 4,000 volunteers and staff working in 21 countries. She has been instrumental in building IMC and its operations into a highly respected humanitarian agency, establishing IMC as a leader in crisis response and capacity building in areas worldwide.

Aossey’s leadership was particularly put to the test in 2005, with the unprecedented wave of disasters that occurred across the globe. IMC was first to respond to many remote areas after the Indian Ocean tsunami and the Pakistan earthquake. And IMC mobilized emergency teams for the first time domestically after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. But in addition to responding to these crises, IMC continued its work in less-publicized disaster zones, like war-ravaged Uganda, and Somalia, which has suffered from relentless drought and famine.

In 2005, more than 3,475,000 medical consultations were conducted at fixed and mobile clinics; over 200,000 malnourished mothers and children were given nutrition services focused on long-term strategies for famine relief; education on HIV/AIDS, malaria, epidemic preparedness and hygiene reached over 5.1 million people worldwide; and more than 35,000 doctors, nurses, midwives and others were trained to deliver health care in their communities, expanding care to millions more.

Through it all, IMC continues to receive top marks: a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, an A+ from the American Institute of Philanthropy, and a 99% fundraising efficiency rating from Forbes.

Since the beginning, Aossey has championed IMC’s core principles: delivering humanitarian aid that brings self-reliance. All IMC programs focus on training, working with local communities, doctors, nurses and other professionals, to help them rebuild with dignity and hope.

Aossey has been a frequent guest at the White House where she has briefed the President, Vice President, and First Lady on humanitarian issues. She has testified before the U.S. Congress, served as Chairman of the Board of InterAction, America's largest coalition of international relief organizations, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Recognized as an expert on humanitarian relief issues, Aossey has appeared on the major news networks, including shows like “Larry King Live” and “Good Morning America.” She has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Business Journal.

International Medical Corps is a global humanitarian non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs. Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, IMC is a private, voluntary, apolitical, non-sectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in areas worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, IMC rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.

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