Linda Ford Email and Phone Number

Ms. Ford is deeply interested in peoples’ stories, acutely aware of the need for social justice, and committed to helping others navigate the trials and joys of being an advocate and caregiver for people with special needs. Her first child, born with a significant brain injury that caused thousands of seizures, has autism and a white matter disease. As a result of her daughter's challenges, Ms. Ford is a highly skilled advocate and navigator of healthcare, education, home and residential living, and many other complex issues affecting people with disabilities. Her passion is to assist, support, and empower families and caregivers in their own efforts to navigate emotional and logistical challenges, and she brings these key values to SOL Coaching Partners. Linda has more than 35 years of executive-level expertise, including strategic planning. For most of her career, which began at Children’s Hospital Colorado, she has specialized in start-ups and turnarounds for philanthropic organizations. Early on, Linda led a cutting-edge fundraising effort to create what is today the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, cultivating a $25 million gift — at the time, the single largest donation in Colorado’s history from The Anschutz Foundation. Most recently, Linda served as Executive Director of the Denver Health Foundation.Linda also has left her professional mark in California, where she served as CEO of Natividad Foundation, which supports a large safety net hospital in the Salinas Valley. While there, she led a team that developed Indigenous Interpreting+, one of the first healthcare interpreting programs for Indigenous people in the United States — an initiative that was showcased on BBC World News. Linda also has provided her expertise in consulting for Scripps Medical Center and Philip Glass, and worked with Carnegie Hall. Throughout her busy career, Linda has participated in medical missions around the world. She accompanied Open Heart Project to Kazakhstan. In Uganda, she worked with a medical team performing fistula surgery for women in need. And in China, she was one of the first lecturers on the subject of philanthropy. Linda also has served as a board member at several nonprofit agencies, including Special Olympics and Project PAVE. A Trained Executive Coach since 2002, Linda also completed Brown University’s Advanced Leadership Coaching Course. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in gerontology.