A moment with: Charanjit Singh

Charanjit “CJ” Singh is the Manager of Philanthropy at Mark Twain Medical Center Foundation in San Andreas, Calif. Still in his first year at Mark Twain, CJ is a self-described “non-traditional philanthropy guy” who says that what he lacks in formal philanthropy education and experience, he makes up for in an ability to “read the room” … to understand where people's aspirations lie and what they want to do and then to engage them in that way.

Earlier this year CJ and the Mark Twain Medical Center Foundation closed a $4.5 million transformational gift, the largest in the foundation’s history.

Philanthropy is…
Philanthropy is many things, but most importantly it's giving back to causes that you really believe in.

Can you tell us a bit about your role and your work?
I am the Manager of Philanthropy and, on-site at least, a one man team. I have a Chief Philanthropy Officer who provides coaching and leadership to teach me the ways of traditional philanthropy. I report to my CPO along with the CEO, but it's me and the foundation board that do all the fun stuff here to enhance health care in our community. Whether it be through the golf tournament or meeting individual donors, it's all about attracting the right people and presenting the right opportunity at the right time to move forward with our goals and the donors’ goals as well.

Tell us about your background before you came to Mark Twain.
I have been a Calaveras County resident for 15 years. My parents moved to Calaveras County when I was in the fifth grade. Ultimately, like most high school kids in rural California who tend to not like where they live, I eventually moved outside of the area. I went to Los Positas Junior College to receive my associate’s degree. I realized the [San Francisco] Bay Area really wasn't what I thought it was when I was a kid so I ended up transferring to Sacramento State for two years, got my bachelor's degree in economics and then had my “what now?” moment.

I realized Calaveras County was where my heart is so I moved back home and landed a job with the county. I've spent most of my career in public service for local government offices. When this opportunity came up I couldn't pass it up. Dignity Health is the largest private employer in Calaveras County … it's the equivalent of working at Salesforce in San Francisco, so for a small town kid like me this is huge.

Is there a project or donor story that stands out to you?
I preface this by saying I think any and every donor is important. It's not about the gift size … it’s about the heart’s size. I think that's a really important thing to understand. Just because somebody gives you five dollars … it’s very important to remember that they might only have seven!

With me being so early in my career, I think our recent $4.5 million dollar gift does stand out most to me. I laugh and I call myself a freshman because it's only been six months since I started and, you know, the freshman comes in and closes a $4.5 million gift. A lot had to do with opportunity, timing and luck. I was in the right place at the right time and I have the ability to network and connect with people.

The donor is very, very private but our relationship began with a laugh about the fact that we both have really good taste in watches and cars. A very casual conversation turned into an hour and half discussion and eventually they asked, “What does the hospital need?” They were clear that they want a world-class facility in our county. The following week they came to the hospital for a private tour and at the conclusion agreed to fully fund our new surgical center.

What do you love most about your job?
I grew up in the community that I work in. I told the folks in my final interview, I think, that I didn’t know where the other candidate was from but if it was an outsider I could guarantee them that they haven't cried, they haven't prayed and they haven't heard critical news in Mark Twain’s ER. I’ve taken my brother here. I've taken my mother here. I've used this health system. I actually have a beautiful picture in my office with the medical assistant who was a part of my pediatric care and she's from Dignity Health. The most rewarding thing about philanthropy to me is giving back to the community that I grew up in.

What makes your foundation and your hospital special?
We're a small community … a low resource, high output kind of community. Not just the foundation, but the community. So what makes us special is that we work to bring the best health care to our community. We are the one and only hospital in the entire county. We’re the only healthcare system that has a hospital and clinics in our county so for us it's all mission driven … it's all health care driven. That’s what makes us unique and that's what makes us us.

When you were a child, what did you dream of being as an adult?
The funny thing is that my family is in the retail and gas station business so I used to tell people that I wanted to take over the world, one gas station at a time. My goal was to be a multi-unit retail entrepreneur but when you're a child your aspirations are different and you see life differently. As I've grown, it's more about community and how I can uplift others to enhance the life that we live.

If you weren’t in this job, what would you like to be doing?
Honestly, I think this field is so rewarding. This is exactly where I want to be, because it helps me enhance the community I live in. This is the best place for me. I'm living the dream.

What does relaxation look like for you?
Relaxation is family time. I really value my family. My wife and I enjoy traveling, whether it be going on major trips or weekend getaways locally. I enjoy spending time with my brother and my parents as well. My brother likes to golf, so I like golfing with him. Family time is the most important thing to me.