Thanksgiving 2016 in appreciation of Daphne Radfar
Eighteen years ago, I interviewed Daphne Radfar for a position with ITUP; she was to become ITUP’s second employee and my right hand for the last eighteen years in leading the organization from a tiny fledgling to a highly respected health policy think tank. As ITUP grew, we had a staff of four in an office built for two. Eventually we grew to a staff of 12 in a space designed for 7.
One year, when we were short on funding, Daphne and I stuffed all the conference binders over the Christmas holidays. Some of you may remember the wealth of materials and the weight of those early binders.
Daphne played key roles in staff and board management, fundraising and finance, event planning and organizing our annual conference. She became highly respected among health policy leaders throughout our state and in the nation’s capital. She had extraordinary ability to achieve difficult tasks with tact, grace and persistence. She played a key role in supervising the ever-evolving ITUP staff that came from a wide variety of backgrounds, educational achievement, skills and skill levels. She has had enormous drive and worked tirelessly with our funders and conference sponsors. She organized ITUP’s annual conference with over 800 attendees and many distinguished speakers. She oversaw staff preparation of our eleven regional and six issue workgroups. Daphne thank you for all you have done with such joy, commitment and passion; it has been such an extraordinary adventure.
Lucien Wulsin Jr.
Founder and Executive Director (retired)
Insure the Uninsured Project