ROBERTA JANE BESSETTE, former Chief Executive Officer for the San Mateo County Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) and Hospice, has been involved in public health services for more than thirty years. As visiting Nurse Director in San Mateo County since 1988, she has worked to support equal access to home health care for everyone, regardless of race, religion, place of residence or ability to pay. She promotes cultural diversity in hiring and has expanded the VNA home care program to areas where other agencies do not serve, including rural and high crime areas. She started and fosters the home pediatric and psychiatric programs in VNA, filling an important gap in services. Her nominator speaks of her “big heart” for everyone in the community, especially her staff. She has also served as a member of the Other Services Committee of the Health Plan Committee of San Mateo, the United Way County Leadership Board, the Foster City Friends of the Library, and was named The April 1991 Employee of the Month by the Visiting Nurse Association.
