PeaceHealth Receives $1 Million Gift to Strengthen Mission-Centered Leadership

VANCOUVER, Wash. — PeaceHealth and the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace jointly announce a $1 million philanthropic commitment to establish an endowment fund supporting Leadership in Ministry. 

This transformative investment will help ensure that PeaceHealth leaders continue to be formed and inspired by the organization’s Mission, Values and heritage for generations to come. 

More than a century ago, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace came to the Pacific Northwest with a vision to care for those most in need, establishing what would become PeaceHealth. Their legacy of compassionate service, dignity and community continues to shape the organization today. 

Leadership in Ministry is one of the most meaningful ways that legacy is carried forward. Through retreat and ongoing formation experiences, leaders are invited to step away from the pace of daily work to reflect on their purpose, deepen their understanding of healthcare as a healing ministry and strengthen how they lead and serve. 

Rooted in Catholic healthcare, this formation helps shape how caregivers deliver care grounded in compassion, dignity and a commitment to the whole person. That impact is felt in the experience of thousands of patients and families across the communities PeaceHealth serves. 

“This extraordinary commitment from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace reflects their enduring belief in the importance of mission-centered leadership,” said Sarah Ness, PeaceHealth president and chief executive officer. “By establishing this endowment, they are investing in the people who carry our Mission forward each day and ensuring that this formation continues for generations to come.” 

For nearly two decades, the Sisters have played an integral role in Leadership in Ministry, sharing their history, values and deep commitment to compassionate care. Their presence helps connect leaders to the founding spirit of PeaceHealth and invites each generation of caregivers to carry that legacy forward in their own work. 

“Our history has always been rooted in a deep commitment to care for others with compassion and dignity,” said Andrea Nenzel, CSJP, Congregation Leader and Vice-Chair of the PeaceHealth Board of Directors. “Leadership in Ministry helps bring that history to life for today’s caregivers. It creates space to reflect on purpose, to connect with our shared values, and to carry that spirit of service forward. This gift is one way we can help ensure that legacy continues for generations to come.” 

Each year, leaders from across PeaceHealth participate in Leadership in Ministry, strengthening connections to purpose, community and service. The new endowment will help sustain and grow this work, ensuring that future leaders have the opportunity to engage in this formative experience. 

This investment reinforces PeaceHealth’s commitment to developing leaders who are grounded in compassion, guided by purpose and dedicated to delivering high-quality care to the communities they serve. 

About the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace: The Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, founded in 1884 in Nottingham, England, by Mother Francis Clare (Margaret Anna Cusack), is an international community built on a rich heritage of promoting social justice as a way to peace. Sisters and associates minister in education, health care, religious education, parish ministry, social justice, spiritual direction and peace ministry in the United Kingdom and United States. For more information, visit the Congregation website at www.csjp.org 

About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a non-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, more than 3,000 providers, more than 160 clinics and 9 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.