People on the Move

people oN the Move Modesto gospel Mission adds New staff Members

doctors Medical Center appoints New Chief

The Modesto Gospel Mission is pleased to announce the following staff members who have been hired for the following key positions at the Mission.

Markku Heikkila joined the Mission executive team in July as the new Director of Programs, overseeing staff and programs for all of the Modesto Gospel Mission’s services to the poor and homeless – the emergency shelter services and case management for men, women, markku heikkila and fathers and mothers with children; the 18-month residential New Life Program for men and women; the Freedom Road Day Program; respite care and the medical clinic; and the after-school Youth Center program.

Heikkila moved to the Central Valley from the Bay Area at the age of 3. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, Heikkila found himself on the wrong side of the criminal justice system at 13 years old, continuing down this path for almost another 2 decades dealing with probation, incarceration, and abuse of drugs, ending up homeless on the streets of Modesto. By Providence, Heikkila was offered the opportunity to accept a year-long residential program at City Team in the Bay Area in lieu of a 4-year prison sentence. Heikkila wanted to finally make a real and positive life change, and he seized every opportunity and resource put before him.

After graduation, Heikkila became an intern with City Team, and worked his way up through the ranks of that organization for the next nine years, ending as the Director of Men’s Programs at City Team Oakland.

Heikkila is certified for Drug and Alcohol Counseling, and is registered as a CADC II counselor. He will complete his college degree in Psychology at the end of this year. Heikkila was able to restore his relationship with his wife (whom he remarried) and his daughter, who now only knows her father as a man who is passionate about helping others. If you would like to hear more about Heikkila’s testimony, you can reach him at markku@mymission.org or 209-225-2923.

Renee Cowan joined the Modesto Gospel Mission in July as the new Development Manager, working with each team member of the Development Department to coordinate all projects, events, and calendars, to oversee external and internal communications, and to ensure that all the moving parts run efficiently and smoothly.

renee cowan

Cowan was born and raised in Jamaica, and migrated to the United States in 2008 where she settled in Sunderland, Massachusetts with her family. She attended The Art Institute of Atlanta, Georgia in 2012, where she earned a degree in Culinary Arts.

After graduating, she returned to Massachusetts and worked in the food and beverage industry for seven years. She spent two years at Amherst College in the position of Garde Manger and five years at Smith College as the Catering Coordinator in the Catering and Events Department.

Cowan then transitioned out of the culinary field and into the role of Office Manager at Home Health Aide Company in Amherst. Cowan recently moved to the Central Valley to work at the Mission.

She is excited to work toward making an impact in her new community and use her experience, training, and skillset to affect life transformation in the lives of struggling men, women, and children. Cowan can be reached at renee@mymission.org or at 209-225-2921.

Krishnaswamy assumes responsibility for all hospital operations, executive planning and directing medical services. Warren Kirk will remain the Group CEO of Tenet Healthcare’s Northern California Group hospitals, which includes Doctors Medical Center, Doctors Hospital of Manteca, Emanuel Medical Center, San Ramon Regional Medical Center, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and Twin Cities Community Hospital.

“Jay has extensive experience in healthcare administration and has been with Tenet Healthcare for 20 years,” Kirk said. “With our hospital’s expertise in providing a higher level of care for our patients, Jay will be working closely with our sister hospitals to help us broaden the care we provide as a market. We look forward to continuing to grow within our community and expanding the services we provide.” Krishnaswamy joins Doctors Medical Center from Tenet’s home office in Dallas where he has been serving as the Vice President of Hospital Operations since 2020. He previously served as CEO of other hospitals within Tenet, as well as other executive roles. Krishnaswamy jay krishnaswamy also served as Associate Administrator at Doctors Medical Center from 2004 to 2008, as well as the hospital’s Chief Quality Officer from 2002 to 2004.

Krishnaswamy earned his Masters of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University – Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, and his M.S. in Health Services Research from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.