Bonnie Ross

Bonnie Ross, former high school teacher and healthcare executive, joined the executive team at Thompson Health in Canandaigua in 1998, where she guided and helped implement the structure for the health system’s strategic vision. Today, the health system she helped design has been recognized statewide as providing excellence in health care.

A strong advocate of community service, Ms. Ross began consulting services and then became Executive Director of the Partnership for Ontario County, Inc. after retiring from Thompson Health. With support of the Partnership’s compassionate and dedicated professionals, she helped to strengthen its services. With stronger community and business collaborations, the Partnership added five programs in 2015 and one in 2016, growing 80% in two years.

Ms. Ross has a strong belief in the strength of networked nonprofits. Today, the Partnership is creating an innovative county collaboration with more than 10 nonprofits and 200 volunteers. This collaboration demonstrates that networked nonprofits have positive results when working together to improve the future of the youth. The Partnership has had an immeasurable effect on youth, encouraging positive futures and reducing costs (in the millions) from incarceration or rehabilitation.

Ms. Ross holds a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration, and in her 30-year career, has served as an administrator in California, Texas, Kansas and New York State. She is an Athena nominee and recently accepted two significant awards on behalf of the Partnership. These include the Choose Health Ontario Award from the Ontario County Board of Supervisors for the Partnership’s commitment to supporting health among youth, families and community, and the Howard J. Berman Prize (named for the former CEO of Lifetime Health Care Companies, parent company of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and Univera Health Care), for its spirit of humanity.

Ms. Ross has dedicated her life to the betterment of her community, with a key understanding of the value in assisting our youth – helping our community’s young minds helps shape our future.