Brenda Solórzano

As chief program director, Brenda Solórzano leads the overall strategy, design, and management of the Foundation's programmatic and grantmaking activities.  Specific responsibilities include working with program areas to develop strategies and work plans, overseeing grantee relations, and leading program learning and evaluation activities.  In addition, Ms. Solórzano is director of the Foundation’s Health Care and Coverage program. Her responsibilities include developing grantmaking strategy, leading the proposal review process, building support for policies seeking to address the issue of the uninsured, maintaining relationships with grantees, applicants and key stakeholders, and providing fiscal oversight for the program. 

Prior to her role at Blue Shield of California Foundation, Ms. Solórzano served as a program officer at The California Endowment and the California HealthCare Foundation. At The California Endowment, Ms. Solórzano conducted outreach to organizations, reviewed health-related grant proposals from community-based organizations, and helped develop programs to assist underserved communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. At the California HealthCare Foundation, she managed the activities of the foundation's Quality Initiative, which focused on providing grants to consumer advocacy and patient organizations. 

In 2011, Ms. Solórzano received the Terrance Keenan Leadership Award from Grantmakers in Health. She received her bachelor of arts degree in history and political science from the University of San Francisco and her juris doctorate from Whittier Law School. She is a member of the California State Bar.