Remembering Mario Gutierrez, 1949-2017, Board Chair and Friend

Mario Gutierrez, 1949-2017

With great sadness, we report the death of Mario Francisco de la Caridad Gutierrez Garcia, on August 16.  Mario Gutierrez was serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Farmworker Justice.  He was Executive Director of the Center for Connected Health Policy, based in Sacramento.  Mario died unexpectedly of complications following surgery.  

The entire Farmworker Justice family has expressed its deep sorrow to Mario’s wife, Debra Johnson.

Mario joined our Board of Directors in 2009 and was elected Chair in December 2015.  Farmworker Justice staff first met Mario through his work at The California Endowment where he was a leader in helping to improve California farmworkers’ health.  Mario was a visionary, extraordinarily bright and creative, generous, and a joy to collaborate with.  He was a nationally-recognized expert on telehealth and health in rural communities.  His knowledge of philanthropy and nonprofit organizational development was immensely helpful to the Farmworker Justice Board of Directors.  His passion for justice for farmworkers, their families and their communities was strong and inspiring.  His death is a great loss.

A memorial service is planned at the Sierra Health Foundation in Sacramento on August 23 at 2pm.

Read the obituary in the Sacramento Bee 

Mario Gutierrez, 1949-2017

With great sadness, we report the death of Mario Francisco de la Caridad Gutierrez Garcia, on August 16.  Mario Gutierrez was serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Farmworker Justice.  He was Executive Director of the Center for Connected Health Policy, based in Sacramento.  Mario died unexpectedly of complications following surgery.  

The entire Farmworker Justice family has expressed its deep sorrow to Mario’s wife, Debra Johnson.

Mario joined our Board of Directors in 2009 and was elected Chair in December 2015.  Farmworker Justice staff first met Mario through his work at The California Endowment where he was a leader in helping to improve California farmworkers’ health.  Mario was a visionary, extraordinarily bright and creative, generous, and a joy to collaborate with.  He was a nationally-recognized expert on telehealth and health in rural communities.  His knowledge of philanthropy and nonprofit organizational development was immensely helpful to the Farmworker Justice Board of Directors.  His passion for justice for farmworkers, their families and their communities was strong and inspiring.  His death is a great loss.

A memorial service is planned at the Sierra Health Foundation in Sacramento on August 23 at 2pm.

Read the obituary in the Sacramento Bee