Biography
Mark Connelly graduated from the University of San Diego with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science in 1996. One year later, Mark joined a community health center in South San Diego and began a career in the community clinic setting where his passion for serving the underserved was born.
In 2002, Mark graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from San Diego State University and was promoted to Assistant Director of Clinic Operations overseeing the many facets of a community clinic network.
In 2009 he was accepted into the Clinic Leadership Institute (CLI), an 18 month program funded by the Blue Shield of California Foundation and managed by Healthforce Center at the University of California San Francisco. The goal of CLI was to build the next generation of safety net providers and leaders to sustain and strengthen the community health field in California.
At the end of 2009, he accepted a position as the Vice President of Operations at another Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) operating in San Diego County. He was then promoted to Chief Operations Officer in 2011 and spent the next 11 years expanding services to address the needs of the communities.
In July 2022, Mark joined the team at Vista Community Clinic as the Chief Operations Officer where he brings 25 years of experience in the community clinic setting. He continues his commitment to the mission of FQHCs by serving the underserved and bringing quality healthcare to those who may otherwise not have access to these services. He believes in empowering his team to meet and exceed the healthcare needs of our patients.