News
February 16, 2022CEO Transition at Equinox
At a time when she was considering a much less demanding career move after decades in various high-profile leadership roles at St. Peter’s Health Partners, Golden was approached by Equinox to lead the agency in a time of transition. Inspired by Equinox’s mission, she decided to change her intended path and accepted the position of CEO in December 2019.
Golden joined Equinox at a time when it was facing financial and programmatic challenges, and was in the middle of exploring a potential merger. And then the pandemic struck—she was certainly put to the test in leading the organization in her new role during an unprecedented time.
Now that Golden has helped Equinox navigate through some turbulent times, she has decided to return to the path she originally set out on: to continue to work in some capacity to serve the community, but in a less stressful, non-executive role.
Golden has decided to remain with Equinox in a part-time role to work with the new CEO and Leadership Team for an effective and successful transition with the Whitney Young Health and Equinox affiliation, once approvals are gained from several federal and state regulatory entities to enter an official affiliation. Such approvals could take up to 12 months.
The Equinox Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Kathy Fletcher as its new CEO, effective December 18, 2021. In this role, she will have 24/7 accountability for the agency’s emergent needs and to its regulatory agencies and grantors, and the oversight of Equinox’s programs and services. Her focus for the next 12 months will be the day-to-day operations of Equinox as a stand-alone organization, as well as the smooth transition for the affiliation with Whitney Young Health. Kathy has been with Equinox for 17 years, serving as the agency’s COO for the past seven years, and as the Senior Director of Residential Services prior to that. In her 37-year career, Kathy has been the Director of Residential Programs including senior housing, intermediate care facilities, and programs with NYS Department of Health and Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities.
In addition, Christina Buff Rajotte has been appointed Interim Senior Director of Administrative Services to assist CEO Kathy Fletcher in ensuring a smooth transition and efficient operations in 2022. Rajotte will work in conjunction with Fletcher on strategic planning, fiscal stewardship, management processes, and agency communications. She will continue to oversee the agency’s development and marketing department, and have direct supervision of administrative/support leadership, including human resources, information technology, and facilities. Rajotte has been with Equinox for nearly nine years, serving as the Director of Development & Marketing and as a Leadership Team member. In her 33-year career, Rajotte has worked primarily with non-profit organizations in a management role responsible for strategic and fiscal planning, fundraising, communications, and marketing. She has experience in cultivating and stewarding relationships with diverse groups of both internal and external
stakeholders to maximize the non-profit’s impact on the community.
Golden’s insight, vision and deep compassion have been the impetus of the changes initiated at Equinox over the past two years. By identifying and addressing critical staffing needs, enhancing communications, and upholding professional standards and obligations with funding and regulatory agencies, she has set a strong foundation for the future of Equinox. Fletcher will continue this positive trajectory with deep commitment to and passion for Equinox’s mission, as well as bring decades of experience and expertise that will help the agency move forward and best serve those who are most in need.
