Deborah Gac, an accomplished human resources executive with more than two decades of experience in work force development, joined City of Hope as senior vice president of human resources on Oct. 20.
She previously headed human resources at Scripps Health in San Diego.
 Deborah Gac (Photo by p.cunningham) |
City of Hope employs nearly 3,500 people in a wide range of medical, scientific and administrative roles. Gac will oversee all employee recruitment and retention, ensuring competitive benefits and bolstering the organization’s infrastructure through staff development programs that encourage professional advancement, and expanding information technology to make it more accessible and interactive for employees.
“Deborah will oversee organization-wide corporate services that support City of Hope’s mission and strategic initiatives,” said Virginia Opipare, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Her wealth of experience will help ensure that all of our staff members are equipped with the needed infrastructure to do their best work.”
Gac has a history of successfully leading program initiatives and building collaborative relationships. Prior to joining City of Hope, she served as executive director of human resources operations for the 12,000 employees of Scripps Health in San Diego. There, she implemented strategic work force programs such as improving benefits and developing childcare centers for employees working in seven acute-care hospitals and 14 clinics throughout San Diego County.
While at Scripps Health, Gac served as executive director for Human Capital Services (human resources within the Scripps Health system), where she led a corporate team that handled services such as compensation and information technology.
She also served as vice president of human resources at Tri-City Healthcare District in Vista, Calif., a 397-bed hospital with 2,300 employees. She previously had worked at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in San Diego, where she held positions ranging from recruiter to director of human resources.
“City of Hope is widely respected for the innovation and lifesaving results that they achieve for patients and their families, and I am honored to be part of the organization’s future journey,” Gac said.
Gac has an undergraduate degree in psychology from San Diego State University and a master’s in business administration from National University in San Diego.
Opipare also credited Patti Ossen, who has served as interim senior vice president of human resources, and noted she has agreed to remain at City of Hope for a period of time to assist with transition plans and issues.
“Patti not only provided outstanding leadership during this transitional period, but also introduced several initiatives that will benefit City of Hope for years to come,” Opipare said, “including employee benefits improvements that will be rolled out in the coming weeks.”
