(THE DALLES, Ore. – Feb. 15, 2021) — Two local business and community leaders – Victor Mondragon and Dr. Joe Robertson — have been elected to the board of trustees of Mid-Columbia Medical Center.
“With their deep ties to the local community, both of our new trustees make excellent additions to our board,” said hospital President and CEO Dennis Knox. “They are both passionate about enriching the health and well-being of everyone who lives here, and we look forward to working with them as the hospital continues to grow and evolve along with our community.”
Victor Mondragon was born and raised in The Dalles and grew up working with his parents in the local seasonal cherry harvests. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University in 2014, Mondragon returned to the Gorge with the goal of giving back to the same community that helped raise him. He brings to the MCMC Board a background in social services with expertise in serving sexual and domestic violence survivors in rural communities. Mondragon currently works at the Hood River County Public Health Department as an outreach and enrollment specialist for the Oregon Health Plan. He is also a volunteer for the Hood River County Migrant and Seasonal Workers Task Force COVID-19 response team.
Joe Robertson, M.D., grew up in rural Indiana and has lived in the Gorge for many years. He came to Oregon as an OHSU ophthalmology resident in 1979 and rose through the ranks to become department chair in 1997, Dean of the School of Medicine in 2003, and President of OHSU from 2006 to 2018. Dr. Robertson is now semi-retired, but still has an appointment as Professor Emeritus of Ophthalmology and remains clinically active in his role as Director of the Ophthalmic Ultrasound Service. He serves as OHSU Director of Global Health and is also a member of the board of the Ford Family Foundation which is dedicated to improving life in rural Oregon. Dr. Robertson graduated from the Oregon Executive MBA program in 1997 as co-valedictorian of his class. He joined the MCMC board in 2021.
Founded in 1901 and located in The Dalles, Mid-Columbia Medical Center is a nationally recognized hospital dedicated to serving residents of The Dalles and its surrounding communities. In 1992, MCMC became the first hospital in the nation to integrate the Planetree philosophy of patient care, which emphasizes the need to address a person’s intellectual, environmental, emotional and spiritual concerns in addition to their physical needs. As a Planetree-affiliated hospital, MCMC works to provide a caring, nurturing and educational environment; puts great efforts into humanizing and demystifying the medical experience; and strives to empower people to become active partners in their own healthcare. For more information visit mcmc.net.