Toni Harper joined the Friends of Mercy Foundation staff as the Director of Philanthropy/Major Gifts and Campaigns. In this role, she served as a liaison between patients, community members, physicians, hospital staff and donors. Her responsibility was to raise awareness about the mission and outcomes of Friends of Mercy and to cultivate major gifts and connectedness to the hospital. In November, 2017 she was honored to step into the role of Vice President, Philanthropy. Toni has been associated with Mercy Hospital for more than 25 years, as a volunteer, contract social worker, donor and former foundation board member.
Toni is a licensed Clinical Social Worker by trade having worked in health care administration for more than a decade, including managed care, IPAs, TPAs, and ACOs in the commercial, Medicare and Medi-Cal markets. Her focus is patient centered care through medical homes, care management and behavioral health integration. She is honored to support excellence in patient care through the efforts of the Friends of Mercy Foundation.
Toni received her Bachelor of Science in Non-Profit Management from Arizona State University (ASU). She then studied at the Institute of Economic and Political Studies at Cambridge University in England; received her Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University in New York City and then returned to ASU for her Doctorate in Behavioral Health.
Toni is a Bakersfield native who loves spending time with her family and her two teenage daughters, especially outdoors. Her passion is continuing education, traveling, running and yoga.