Sarasota hospice foundation names new president

Tidewell Foundation has named Delesa Morris president, removing the interim tag. 

Morris replaces Debbie Mason, who left the organization in November 2022. Morris, according to a statement, had been interim president since December 2022 and was senior vice president for six months before that.  

The Tidewell Foundation Inc. is an independent nonprofit charitable foundation established, it says, “to ensure perpetual philanthropic support to Tidewell Hospice and its family of health care companies.” It had $18.64 million in revenue in its most recent fiscal year, according to public tax filings. It had $59.66 million in assets. 

Morris has 25 years of experience in philanthropy, with previous fundraising roles in health care and higher education. That includes overseeing philanthropy for three hospitals at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health in Stuart and Port St. Lucie. The Tidewell Foundation recruited her in July 2022 after a national search for a senior vice president, the release states.

“Appointing a new president is always a complicated process, but we have the rare luxury of knowing that we’re already in safe hands,” Tidewell Foundation Board Chairperson Renee Eppard says in the release. “We are confident Ms. Morris will make a seamless transition into the permanent role.”

Tidewell Hospice is the only nonprofit hospice serving the Sarasota, Manatee, Desoto and Charlotte areas. “It is important to me to serve at an organization that is community focused, enhancing our collective health and wellbeing,” says Morris in the release. “This is a calling for me to lead with diligence and empathy. The need has never been greater, and I’m honored to be selected as the leader at the Tidewell Foundation.”