The Board of Directors of the Rhode Island Foundation has elected Dr. G. Alan Kurose of East Greenwich as chair effective Jan. 1. The president and CEO of Coastal Medical will succeed Polly Wall.

G. Alan Kurose, M.D.

“I am delighted to pass the baton to Al Kurose, who has demonstrated a deep and thoughtful commitment to the Rhode Island Foundation’s mission. I know what an honor it is to serve and support the foundation, working with its exceptional staff and leading our accomplished board. And I am certain Al will be an outstanding addition to an outstanding team,” said Wall, whose three-year term will expire Dec. 31, and who has completed 11 years of board service to the Foundation.

As the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofits in the state, the Foundation focuses on three strategic priorities: educational success, economic security and healthy lives. Among the Foundation’s recent initiatives are long-term plans for improving health and pre-K-12 public education in Rhode Island, an $8.5 million plan to promote equity and inclusion and reduce disparities and achievement gaps, and grant programs that respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

Dr. Kurose will bring substantial community and business leadership as chair of the foundation, where he has served on the board since 2017. He is president of Coastal Medical and senior vice president for primary care and population health at Lifespan, which Coastal joined in April. Coastal is a primary-care-driven Accountable Care Organization (ACO) that is nationally recognized for its performance in population health management.

Dr. Kurose was a practicing primary care physician in a community-based office in East Providence for 20 years and has been president of Coastal since 2008. He is a member of the board of Healthcentric Advisors and co-chairs the R.I. Health Care Cost Trends Steering Committee. He has worked on healthcare transformation and payment reform both locally and nationally.

“The Foundation’s focus on health, education and economic security will transform key elements of quality of life in Rhode Island,” said Dr. Kurose. “It is an honor to lead an organization that works closely with donors to respond to the long-term needs of Rhode Islanders as well as emerging issues like the pandemic and aid for the Afghan refugees settling in our state.”

Dr. Kurose was elected to a three-year term as chair. The 15-member board is responsible for setting policy at the Foundation, which raised $68 million and awarded a record $87 million in grants to 2,200 nonprofits in 2020.

Dr. Kurose is a graduate of the Washington University School of Medicine and the Brown University Internal Medicine Residency Training Program at Rhode Island Hospital. He is also a graduate of the Yale MBA for Executives: Leadership in Healthcare program and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice at Brown University.

“It’s been a privilege to work with Polly as board chair over the last three years, and as a board member for the last decade – the entire team at the foundation is grateful for her service and leadership,” said Neil D. Steinberg, the foundation’s president and CEO. “We are also thrilled that Dr. Kurose will be stepping into the role of board chair and look forward to continuing – and growing – our work to meet the needs of all the people of Rhode Island under his leadership.”

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. Since its centennial five years ago, the Foundation has awarded more than $284 million in grants and has raised more than $328 million. Through leadership, fundraising and grant making activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit rifoundation.org.