Health Forward announces Christie Briscoe Zarkovich as chief administrative, financial, and investment officer

Kansas City, MO — Health Forward Foundation is pleased to announce Christie Briscoe Zarkovich as its chief administrative, financial and investment officer. Zarkovich will replace Rick Zimmer who is retiring this month after a distinguished financial and investment career.

Zarkovich joins Health Forward with experience in private equity, family office, and foundation management.

With more than 20 years of experience, she has directly advised foundation and private clients ranging from $250 million to $12 billion in total portfolio construction including strategic and tactical asset allocation, manager selection across asset classes, and risk management.

Zarkovich was the head of impact and sustainable investments/mission-related investment research at Cambridge Associates where she led the investment firm’s efforts to integrate environmental and social objectives into investment portfolios.

Her previous philanthropic positions include:

• Director at Chinquapin Trust Company
• Head of impact and sustainable investments/mission related investing at Cambridge Associates
• Managing director at Perella Weinberg Partners
• Associate director of public investments at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
• Associate director of investments at the Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust

Zarkovich also serves as a board member of the Children’s Mercy Hospital Foundation and as a finance committee member with the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA).

“We are quite fortunate to have Christie join the Health Forward Foundation team,” said Qiana Thomason, Health Forward President/CEO. “Her executive experience in institutional asset management with large foundations and her national thought leadership in social impact investing is the right skill set at the right time. I look forward to working with her toward impactful positive change with our communities of focus throughout the region.”

In this newly redefined role, Zarkovich will apply visionary leadership to reimagine and diversify Health Forward’s investment methods, tools, capital partnerships, and guide expenditures within administrative and operational spending policies. She will also oversee and enhance the effectiveness of finance, accounting, investment, human resource, information technology, real estate/ facilities, and operational and administrative practices.

“I am elated at the opportunity to join Health Forward Foundation, and I’m inspired by the impact the organization has in our community,” Zarkovich said. “I look forward to continuing this work by supporting existing and new initiatives that further advance health equity in the Kansas City region.”