Barbra E. Minch has been living and working in the Upper West Side community for over 30 years. As a single parent raising two children, she first became active in community issues such as affordable housing, and as a public school parent. She has been a public school teacher and administrator, and in 1979, joined the William F. Ryan Community Health Center as Assistant to the Executive Director. On July 1, 1986 she became Deputy Director; in April 1995, she was appointed Executive Director by the Board of Directors, to whom she directly reports; and in 2001, her title changed to President & CEO, which more appropriately reflects the responsibilities she has assumed for the past several years, including providing leadership to the Center's newest affiliate, the Ryan/Chelsea-Clinton Community Health Center. Ms. Minch serves on the Board of Directors of the Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS), and chaired its Legislative Committee for several years. She is a member of the Legislative, Credentials, Ethic and Grievance, and Membership and Rules Committees of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). She also is a member of the Health Care Executive Forum, and the Board of Trustees of the Job Security Fund of the 1199/SEIU Employment Training and Job Security Program, where she is the first and only Community Health Center representative on the Board. In 1998, Ms. Minch played an integral role in helping to establish the Coalition to Preserve Access to Community-Based Health Care Providers, which set the stage for the first direct funding to Community Health Centers from New York State. Her awards include: the Special Recognition Award for her excellent work and dedication in the Community Health Center movement from the New York Field Office of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) (1998); the first annual Jeffrey T. Latman Award from CHCANYS for her work in a model Community Health Center (1999); the Palma Award from the Latino Coalition for Fair Media as "Health Administrator of the Year," for her work in community service (2001); the WESTY (West Side Spirit Thanks You) civic award in recognition of New Yorkers who either live in, work in, or whose accomplishments help improve the neighborhoods of the West Side (2002); and the highly distinguished John Gilbert Community Healthcare Award of Excellence from NACHC (September 2004).