Oklahoma City, OK – At the annual Variety Care Foundation Diamond Donor Event held at the home of Leigh Ann and Paul Albers, Variety Care Foundation Board Chair Jackson Lisle announced Oklahoma City resident Randy Tate as the recipient of the 2024 Bertha Levy Health Care Community Service award.
“We’re proud to bestow this honor to Randy for his decades of compassionate leadership, successful career accomplishment, and advocacy for the underserved in health and human service,” said Lou Carmichael, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Variety Care and NorthCare.
Randy joined NorthCare in 1989 and became CEO in 2001. He was instrumental in fostering many programs and crucial partnerships. He served on the board of the National Council for Behavioral Health from 2013 to 2020, chaired several task forces and represented behavioral health organizations across five states. He provided his expertise to other boards throughout his decades of service, including Daily Living Centers, Count Me In for Kids, University of Oklahoma School of Social Work Board of Visitors and Patient Care Network of Oklahoma.
Chuck Ingoglia, president and CEO of the National Council on Mental Wellbeing, sent remarks for the event. He recognized Randy for his service to the industry at the national level.
“Typical of Randy, his impact has been felt not just in Oklahoma, but nationally as well,” wrote Ingoglia. “He has been a remarkably effective leader and a pioneer in efforts to improve mental health care for people in Oklahoma City and throughout the state. As a result of Randy’s leadership, NorthCare became an early Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in Oklahoma, which allows NorthCare to better serve people with mental health and substance use challenges.”
Jackson Lisle and Leigh Ann Albers, the immediate past chair of the Variety Care Foundation Board, presented the award to Randy for his work leading NorthCare toward an innovative force to change delivery of services for crisis intervention and getting help and treatment options to those who face addiction challenges that can lead to incarceration.
“Randy’s unwavering commitment and passion has transformed innumerable lives of children and adults who have struggled with mental illness, substance abuse, homelessness, criminal justice challenges and disparities and inequities beyond imagination—Randy has been their champion,” said Carmicheal. “He believes in changing the field, new ideas and innovation. He believes it can be done.”
The Diamond Donor event is an annual expression of gratitude for donors who have given $1,000 or more in the last year to the Variety Care Foundation. The Bertha Levy Health Care Advocate award is in honor of Bertha Levy, M.D., who died in 2007 at age 92. Past recipients include Debbie Hampton and the United Way of Central Oklahoma, Nancy Anthony, Sarkeys Foundation, Cassie Bowen, Kim Henry, Dr. Jay Johnston, Dr.Robert Mannel, Mike Fogarty, Good Shepherd Dental Clinic, and Mike Dover, among others.
Variety Care and NorthCare President and CEO Lou Carmichael with Randy Tate, the 2024 Bertha Levy Award recipient.
(Left to right) Jackson Lisle, Variety Care Foundation Board Chair; Lou Carmichael, Variety Care and NorthCare President and CEO and Executive Director of the Variety Care Foundation; Randy Tate, 2024 Bertha Levy Award recipient; and Leigh Ann Albers, immediate past chair of the Variety Care Foundation Board.
About Variety Care, Inc.
Variety Care, Inc. is Oklahoma’s largest community health center with 18 sites in central and western Oklahoma. Variety Care served 79,000 patients in 2022 and provided comprehensive and coordinated social services to over 200,000 people through face‐to‐face and group visits. A United Way partner agency, Variety Care serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, and strives to make health care affordable and accessible for everyone. The Variety Care Foundation provides philanthropic support and community awareness for Variety Care and its efforts. For more information, please visit varietycare.org.
