Chicago-born Kasdan to lead agency which helps needy residents

BRADENTON -- Registered nurse Victoria Kasdan officially became the new executive director of We Care Manatee on Wednesday.

Kasdan, who grew up in Chicago, replaces Jill Gass as leader of the non-profit, which assists Manatee's uninsured residents with a breast health program, a primary care clinic and referrals to specialists.

"I'm very excited," said Kasdan, who moved to Bradenton two and a half years ago after living in a suburb of Minneapolis for the last 20 years "I'm sleepless in Bradenton. It's a lot to learn. I'm drinking from a fire hose right now."

Although Wednesday was her first official day on the job, Kasdan said she has been coming to the We Care Manatee office at the Riverside Medical Center, familiarizing herself with her position.

"We have a big fund-raiser coming up at the end of January and I can't stop that train so I have to jump right in," Kasdan said.

Gass was with We Care Manatee for more than seven years.

"It was just time to move on," Gass said Wednesday. "My tenure at We Care Manatee was the most rewarding job I have ever had and I will be forever grateful for the experiences, lives and successes I was part of. It was not an easy decision to leave something I was so passionate about, but in the end it's time for someone else to take the reins. I wish Victoria and the rest of the We Care Manatee team my best."

Gass started her new job as Advancement and Stewardship Officer at The Out-of-Door Academy in December, she said.

"I will be working on all the fundraising efforts for the school most specifically the annual campaign," Gass added.

Kasdan is a registered nurse and still holds a Florida license to sell health insurance.

"We Care provides care for the working poor," said Kasdan who was introduced as We Care Manatee's new leader at Tuesday's first Healthcare Advisory Board meeting. "It's for people ages 18 to 64 who have no health insurance. If they have private insurance or are on Medicaid or Medicare they are not eligible.

Kasdan also volunteers at Bradenton's Turning Points, helping out in the medical clinic as a nurse.

In the two and a half years Kasdan been in Bradenton, she has divided her time between volunteering at Turning Points, Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center and Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County and selling both private insurance and insurance from the Affordable Care Act on the health exchange.

When Kasdan was in Minneapolis she worked for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and for other large Fortune 500 groups.

"In this area we don't have corporations that size so I had to reinvent myself," Kasdan said.

Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7072 or contact him via Twitter@RichardDymond.

This story was originally published January 6, 2016 at 4:06 PM with the headline "Chicago-born Kasdan to lead agency which helps needy residents ."