Welcome to the Scleroderma Foundation of California

Laura Fuhrman,

President of Scleroderma Foundation of California

Hello!
I am honored to step into the role of President, and I am thankful to have a strong and supportive Board of Directors to foster growth and development in ways that support our mission and communities we serve.

I was born and raised in California, attending school and college in Southern California. My husband, Howard, and I live in West Los Angeles (in the same house for 50 years). We have two amazing sons, one incredible daughter, a beloved daughter-in- law and son- in- law and 7 extraordinary grandsons.

I have been associated with the Scleroderma Foundation of California since 2016. My good friend, Sharon Friedman, introduced me to the group when I shared with her that a dear and close family member had passed away from this disease. She then introduced me to Helen Greenburg and what can I say? I was “hooked” of course!

Most of my professional life has been as a fundraiser and special events producer in the nonprofit sector of Los Angeles, primarily for social service and health care organizations. Upon retirement, I have spent years as a consultant, particularly to small and start up nonprofits, focusing on leadership coaching, fundraising, and strategic planning.

I participated in the nearly year-long negotiations to evaluate our chapter’s position with national leadership. Choosing to separate and proceed on our own was not an easy decision. Being involved in the nonprofit world, I knew the challenges that independent and small organizations can face in this ever- changing environment. In the end, I saw the incredible dedication and devotion of the board and our professional staff to our mission and patient centric services and to “making this work.”

We have our work cut out for us. To succeed and be competitive, we must actively work to grow and expand our board; increase our revenue streams; strengthen our professional infrastructure and strategically plan to expand our services. This will take the determination and efforts of everyone. My heartfelt appreciation to our Support Group Leaders, Board of Directors and all our committee members for their tireless work. The time and effort that they are willing to volunteer is admirable and extraordinary. We are lucky to have all of you on our team.

I am optimistic we will be successful!

Sincerely,
Laura Fuhrman
President, Board of Directors
The Scleroderma Foundation of California