Maya Angelou said “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” Here are the reflections of people who have worked with Mike to improve health care and create a more just world.
From Vivent Health
“During his tenure, Mike has led the transformation of Vivent Health from a social service agency into the nation’s premier HIV health care provider. Known as an HIV leader who applies the best principles of for-profit management and leadership to the non-profit sector.”
Vivent Health application naming Mike a Top 100 CEO in Wisconsin
“Lots of people have really good ideas about how to change the world, but not so many have the ability to turn their good ideas into reality. Mike Gifford is that exceptional person who can actualize ambitious goals aimed at making the world a better place.
Serving on the Vivent Health Board under Mike’s leadership was exciting because it afforded an opportunity to see him bring to life his sometimes-grandiose yet always inspiring visions for the organization. Among those visions: A dynamic and rapid expansion of the HIV medical home model of care that joined the former AIDS Resource Center Wisconsin with similar agencies in four states, resulting in an integrated system that now provides wraparound services in all locations. Growth at that rate is difficult to accomplish and to sustain, and Mike’s ability to set the path and remain on course was impressive; never did he lose sight of Vivent’s mission and purpose, and always present was his profound and compelling dedication to serving the community.“
– Jane Appleby, Vivent Health Board member, Associate General Counsel, Advocate Health
“One of my proudest professional accomplishments has been serving on Vivent Health board for the last 5 years. When I am asked about the organization, I proudly talk about the mission, the vision, and the people. My clear perspective has not waivered at any point during my tenure.
The leaders and staff at Vivent are committed to making the world a more equitable, inclusive, and just place. As a leader and provider of the health care community, I believe that receiving timey, appropriate, and holistic care is something we all deserve, regardless of where we are on the journey. This is what Vivent provides. And, this is what Mike Gifford built over several decades. His commitment to the community and cause was a remarkable demonstration of dedication and leadership. I was not only proud to serve alongside him, I learned from him as a leader.
Vivent is now a national company and an example of what can happen when a once small group of determined people, with a strong and caring leader at the helm, is unwavering in their goal.”
– Mike Romano, Vivent Health Board member, COO at Orthopedic Centers of Colorado
“Mike is a passionate leader who successfully combines strong strategic and operational skills with financial acumen. I first worked with Mike as a Board members of Saint Louis Effort for AIDS when we were considering merging with Vivent. Mike’s commitment to the patient, his ability to communicate his vision for the future and the track record of his organization were decisive in our decision to merge. This merger was highly successful and was the best possible outcome for delivering on our mission. I have served on many not-for-profit boards and observed many CEOs in my long tenure in banking. Mike is the rare individual who not only has the passion for the cause, he also has the focused commitment and operational skills to deliver on his vision. He successfully scaled up the business model thru rapid acquisitions and successful integrations delivering outstanding financial results.”
– Gordon Myers, Vivent Health Board member, US Bank Senior Executive
“As a board member of AIDS Services of Austin, which merged with Vivent Health in 2020, and then as a member of Vivent’s board, I had the privilege of learning firsthand what makes Mike Gifford such an exceptional CEO and leader. Across the negotiating table, Mike was honest, forthright, and fair, but most of all visionary. From the first time I met Mike, I was inspired by his deep commitment to the work of serving people living with HIV, and working to make HIV infection a thing of the past.
I saw how Mike made a point of building strong relationships with board members, getting to know all of us personally, the better to encourage our active participation in charting a strategic course for Vivent Health, leveraging our expertise to tap into the diverse skills and experience we brought to Vivent as board members. That our board was so diverse (racially, geographically, professionally) was due largely to Mike, who made diversity of the board as much a priority as diversity of Vivent’s staff, the better to meet the different needs of the communities Vivent serves.
I have served on a few nonprofit boards, working with different CEOs and executive directors, and Mike without doubt was exceptional at cultivating a productive and collaborative relationship with our board, ensuring effective communication, informed decision-making, and the overall success of Vivent Health.”
– Kevin Haynes, Vivent Health Board member, University of Texas Professor of Law
“Mike’s greatest attributes – he can see what’s possible and imagine programs and services that are beyond what is available anywhere, then he can make it come to life. He took the lead to make Vivent and all of the locations that merged with Vivent into something exceptional for thousands of people whose lives are better for it.”
– Mike Hughes, Vivent Health Board member, Independent Business Owner
“I have worked with Mike for over twenty years at ARCW prior to the establishment oaf Vivent Health. I saw Mike develop from a governmental liaison in Madison to the president of a dynamic multi-state health agency. Mike is a visionary leader, very demanding of excellence for himself and his associates. He has established a footprint for Vivent that will continue to provide the services needed by the LBGTQ community in multiple states into the future. I look forward to working with him in his next endeavor.”
– Cary Silverstein, Vivent Health Donor
“As CFO, I had the privilege of working alongside Mike for 8 years at Vivent Health. Without a doubt, he is the best CEO/leader I have worked for in my 30+ year career. He has a unique ability to combine vision, drive, compassion and humility. Mike’s strategic vision is extraordinary. He set aspirational goals for himself and the organization and always exceeded them. Without Mike’s leadership and drive, we could not have achieved our goals, serving over 14,000 patients in 5 States. His emphasis on consistent, quality care is born from a deep compassion for the people we serve. As a relentless champion for employees, Mike adopted living wage standards long before it was popular to do so. Mike understands what it is to be a leader, using his position to constantly advocate for causes he believes in, including advocacy for under-served communities, social justice and corporate responsibility. Mike’s humility masks his success, but his record of accomplishments speaks for itself.”
– Tim Dyer, Vivent Health Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
From OCHIN
“I have had the blessing to work closely with Mike Gifford through various work experiences for over 6 years. Mike is one of the best leaders anyone will encounter. His courage, thoroughness, business acumen, caring and thoughtful/inclusive approach inspires me to be a better leader. He models how to do the CEO role with integrity and authenticity. Mike gets results but what is even more powerful is his understanding of the process and people involved in achieving those successes. I can’t imagine a world where others do not get to experience him as a leader. This is a time when our Country needs leaders and the truly great ones are rare.”
– Abby Sears, CEO, OCHIN
“Mike is a visionary leader with a genuine passion for the traditionally marginalized populations we, as FQHCs serve. As the CEO of a Community Health Center in rural North Carolina, I recognize the need for an effective and sophisticated electronic medical record system as an essential tool. Mike’s ability to grasp the complexities of health centers nationally and the moving target of COVID and other critical issues is clearly demonstrated in his thoughtful listening and proposals. He has readily gained the respect of the other highly esteemed members of the board in such a short time and has been overwhelmingly endorsed as our 2023 Chair. “
– Kim Schwartz, CEO, Roanoke Community Health Center
“I am delighted to recommend Mike Gifford. He and I have served on an on the advisory board of a small growing business for several years, and during that time, I have been impressed by his strategic thinking, goal setting, and people orientation. He understands how a company serves people through its operation and how it treats the people who comprise.
Mike is an exceptional leader. I watched him demonstrate the value of and a skill for setting long-term goals and developing a clear plan to achieve them. He’s shown a penchant for identifying opportunities that generate impact, even outside of his areas of expertise.
While advising on the board, he was also growing his company’s operation exponentially. And he made it look easy. I believe he’s powered by vision and a calling for service. I’ve been so inspired by his leadership and management that I seek out his counsel when I’m tackling a goal. I value Mike’s assessment of a situation and, more importantly, I trust his intentions. He takes seriously his responsibility to be a good community citizen doesn’t let wrongs go unaddressed.
Leadership, management, and performance – the trait trinity for successful (impactful) CEOs. Mike has each of these in abundance and he still invests time in developing.”
– Elmer Moore, President & CEO of WHEDA, Gov. Evers Appointee
“Mike’s institutional knowledge, vision, integrity, and effective stakeholder management skills make him an exceptional and effective leader, as demonstrated during a period of tremendous growth for the organization, now Vivent Health. Mike has been battle tested from those first few years justifying much needing funding to help those impacted with AIDS, to funding necessary in expanding and sustaining services to benefit clients not only in Wisconsin but across several States. I was always impressed by the fact that he communicated effectively with any stakeholder. I appreciated how he would present complex issues and information in a manner that made it easy to understand and act upon. Mike has been a transformational leader. His vision and goals are clear. He is an effective communicator and makes sure stakeholders are aligned in achieving goals that improve the lives of many in the health industry.’
– Juan Carrasquillo, Former Vivent Board member, Retired Director-Administrative Services, We Energies
“When Mike sits at the table everyone’s voice is heard. His ability to articulate day to day minutia as well as global perspective to the board helped us make decisions that revolutionized the scope of the medical home. Not only for Wisconsin, but cities across the country. I can confidently say that Vivent health has saved many lives in the Colorado area that wouldn’t have been possible had we not merged. For me as an African American in the LGBTQIA+ community Mike’s focus on improving the lives of queer POC and closing the healthcare gap was profound. Through managing and scaling organizations with a purpose and positive culture, it’s apparent that Mike is passionate about making the world a better place.”
– Booker Gatson, Former Vivent Health Board member, Apple, Inc.
“Through Mike’s leadership, insight and forward thinking he has directly and indirectly improved the quality of life of thousands of patients with HIV disease. From the early dark days of HIV thru the more optimistic days today, Mike had the vision to expand health care and services to patients with HIV disease outside of Wisconsin. This care has provided quality medical and dental care, social support, food banks, pharmacy services, prevention care and needle exchange all in the setting of well being for patients in many regions of our country. I thank Mike for his insight, devotion and dedication through the many years.”
– Dr. Ken Greenberg
“As CEO I worked with Mike for 20 years. I observed his enormous talent and outstanding success in leading a rapidly growing organization through the perils of a deadly pandemic and the fears of a worrisome public. His intelligence, dedication, hard work and determination to succeed made him an executive leader with unique talent. His tenacity in achieving goals is unlike any I have known. Whether lobbying Congress for funding, building innovative services, developing revenue generating subsidiaries or leading the fight against discrimination – Mike’s tenacity to succeed always assured that our goals and mission were achieved. As a strong executive leader he always cared deeply for the people being served and the staff who delivered the services. He is the finest leader I have ever known.”
– Doug Nelson, Retired CEO, AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin
“Mike is that rare leader who combines inspired vision, heart-felt commitment, and a discerning intellect. He consistently achieves outstanding outcomes and is a relentless advocate for patients and clients, who always asks “what more can we be doing to help?”. In the almost 10 years we worked together, Mike supported, challenged, and inspired me in a way that not only nurtured my own growth as a leader, but which allowed us to achieve national expansion of an integrated model of care. Mike’s passion, business acumen, and genuine commitment to others make him a remarkable leader, who achieves extraordinary results and inspires others to do the same.“
Dr. Debra Endean, Vivent Health Retired EVP & COO
“I have known and worked with Mike Gifford on a professional level for over 15 years. I have always been extremely impressed with how he has identified opportunities to grow his organization through the lens of helping HIV patients receive the best care possible. He accomplished this through creating a new care model that expanded the services that his organization provided, extended the reach of his organization through mergers and acquisitions and created a positive culture for the team members to be supported and successful in their roles. Mike is an incredible leader and visionary.”
Michael Wolaver, Owner Magellan Enterprises
“Mike is an entrepreneurial leader with an enduring commitment to social justice and human rights. He has an impressive record of successful mergers and acquisitions at Vivent Health and of mentoring community-based organizations through AIDS United’s sector transformation work. He is a proven go-to leader and a man of vision with a heart for uplifting the marginalized.“
Jesse Milan, Jr., AIDS United CEO
“Mike is an innovative, compassionate and visionary leader in the field of HIV/AIDS. He led his team on the development of a medical home model that transformed HIV/AIDS care throughout Wisconsin and then nationally through a series of mergers with smaller community-based organizations across various states. These mergers not only strengthened community response to the endemic but offered clients high-quality, integrated care with impressive results. He was thoughtful but quick to respond when action was required.”
Christopher Price, Former Vivent Health Board Member
“Innovation, tenacity and commitment are hallmarks of Mike Gifford’s approach to leadership and service. I have known Mike for 20+ years, serving on (then) ARCW’s Board of Directors for 6 years. Building on his record of operational excellence and innovation, he expanded the organization’s strategic vision beyond metro-Milwaukee to Wisconsin state-wide and then to a national HIV/AIDS service footprint – a model that is transforming access to patient-centered care for those that turn to any AIDS service organization. He has been steadfast in his commitment to saving and improving lives.“
Mike Gifford 