Playa del Rey Resident Receives Health Award

Angela Minniefield's mission is to serve the underserved, and now the Playa del Rey resident's work is being honored with the "Health Professions Diversity Award" from The California Wellness Foundation.

Minniefield, who is the newly appointed vice president of strategic advancement for Charles Drew University in Compton, has worked in the health profession for 20 years. She is also the former deputy director of the Healthcare Workforce Development Division of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development in Sacramento and said she was surprised to learn of the award.

"I was just overjoyed," Minniefield said. "I never imagined being awarded for something that I was committed to personally as well as professionally."

She is committed to helping further the cause of making sure adequate health care is provided for all who need it.

"Access continues to be an issue," she said. "I think it's essential in a state as diverse as California for providers to provide care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate and provide it with compassion and excellence."

The "2012 Champions of Health Professions Diversity Award" recognizes those who have committed their careers to helping improve health care options for disadvantaged Californians as well as those committed to working with students to help them gain greater access to higher education, according to Diana M. Bontá, president and chief executive officer of The California Wellness Foundation.

Minniefield will be honored, along with two other recipients, Tuesday at a ceremony in San Francisco. The commendation also comes with a $25,000 cash award.