A key member of the senior leadership team at Howard Brown Health Center ( HBHC ) , David Grazman, has left the organization. The departure was confirmed to Windy City Times via an email from HBHC CEO Jamal Edwards.
Grazman's tenure at HBHC appears to have been brief and subject to changes in responsibilities; his change in position had not been updated on the organization's website even as of last week. ( His profile has been removed. )
Grazman was first hired as senior vice president and chief operating officer at HBHC. A press release dated April 15 lauded him for his "leadership expertise in healthcare management and clinical operations." He had previously been the executive director of Heartland Health Outreach, of the Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights.
According to his LinkedIn profile, last accessed by WCT Aug. 29, he had been the senior director, Hworks Consulting at The Advisory Board Company and, prior to that, vice president of strategy and consulting at CBIZ The Leifer Group. Grazman has a Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
A few weeks after his appointment as vice president and COO, Grazman was made senior director of research. There appears to be some question about his exact title and responsibilities. In his email, Edwards referred to Grazman as the "interim" director of research; WCT has been told by sources that he was in fact appointed to be director. Edwards, in his email to WCT, said, "As David shared with our staff on Friday, we mutually agreed to conclude his employment based on certain personal and professional reasons, which will remain confidential and private as a personnel matter should. We wish David well in his future endeavors and he has also expressed his well wishes for HBHC and its promising future.
In an email dated Aug. 26, Grazman sent Karen York, interim director of employee services, an announcement to be forwarded to HBHC employees. The text is as follows: "As we just discussed, you have my permission to pass this along to Jamal to distribute. To my former colleagues: I made the decision to depart Howard Brown this past Tuesday, for a number of personal and professional reasons. I enjoyed getting to know all of you and thank you for your graciousness to me over the past several months. I wish only the very best for Howard Brown and, especially for all of you, Howard Brown's amazing employees. Sincerely, David."
WCT contacted David Grazman via Facebook for a response; however, according to him, he did not get the message.
In his email, Edwards also stated that HBHC will be conducting "a national search for a new leader of our research department. Our goal is to fill this position this fall."
Kert Hubin, senior director, human resources, has also resigned, as per an email sent to staff on Aug. 9. Contacted for comment, Hubin responded that " [ t ] he particulars of my separation from HBHC preclude me granting you an interview."
WCT also received news that Jessie Mott, director of grants, is no longer with HBHC. WCT contacted Mott on Aug. 29. Mott had been with Test Positive Action Network ( TPAN ) for two years prior to joining HBHC a month ago. When asked about the reason she left HBHC, Mott would only say she left because she "wanted to get back to TPAN." She also said that, "Howard Brown does wonderful work, and I believe in their mission."
