Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, St. Joseph Health and the John Jordan Foundation Work together to create ‘On the Verge’

What does the world need from me?

That’s a question Javier Rivera-Rosales asks himself constantly—and it’s a key reason
why the LGBTQI nonprofit director is participating in Sonoma County’s first On the
Verge cohort.

On the Verge is an intensive year-long leadership program that focuses on emerging
leaders’ personal, interpersonal, and professional skills. Participants receive group and
individual coaching, attend monthly meetings that put developing skills into practice, and
culminate the program with a community-based project.

On the Verge is an offspring of On the Move, an organization that partners with
communities and mobilizes emerging leaders to act in pursuit of social equity.

“Our founders were looking out, looking forward, and asking, ‘What is going to happen
when all the Baby Boomers leave their leadership positions?” explains etsuko kubo, On
the Verge program director. “Will we have people who are trained and who have
personal and professional networks built that will help to serve the social good? “

Last fall, with 18 cohorts already established in California, On the Move brought On the
Verge to Sonoma County. The local cohort includes 15 emerging leaders, primarily from
the mental health field, who are experienced in public and nonprofit sectors. The
dynamic group sparked the idea of combating stigma, access, culture, and language
issues by creating a Latino community center that’s focused on increasing awareness
about, and access to, mental health services.

“Our mental health focus relates to shifting paradigms, because in the Latino culture,
there are layers upon layers of stigma,” Javier says. “Mental health practices are not
one size fits all; we need to be able to change with the times and the needs of the
community – breaking down walls and stigmas.”

Javier and his On the Verge teammates are brimming with energy and enthusiasm for
their vision of opening a vibrant and welcoming community center that combines
Western and traditional Latino healing practices. A second cohort, which begins this fall,
will carry out the inaugural vision, with support from the founding participants.

In Sonoma County, On the Verge is supported by Community Foundation Sonoma
County in collaboration with the John Jordan Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, St.
Joseph Health, and Sutter Health.