Leadership message: Always believing in our community, our people
(SACRAMENTO)
Dear Colleagues,
After careful reflection, I announced earlier this week that I would retire from UC Davis on Oct. 1.
Hendry Ton has served as UC Davis Health's associate vice chancellor for Health Equity by Design for Inclusive Excellence for nine years.
This was not an easy decision because this community means a great deal to me and this work has been, and remains, deeply important. Serving as your associate vice chancellor these past nine years has been one of the greatest honors of my life.
We have lived through a lot together. We have seen global, national and local pressures test our values, our sense of community and our purpose. Together, we grieved loss, navigated uncertainty and confronted moments that tested who we are and what we stand for. And together, we consistently chose compassion over indifference, inclusion over exclusion and service over self-interest. These choices matter.
When they are amplified by the countless individuals who show up every day determined to make a difference for others, they have a profound impact on the communities we serve. They uplift. They reassure. They heal. When I look back on my time at UC Davis, it is these moments of human connection that I will remember most.
This is not the work of one person or one office. It belongs to all of us. As proud as I am to have been part of this work, I am even prouder to see the next generation of leaders carry it forward.
This has prompted me to reflect on my role as a leader. Being a leader is not about holding on to a position. It is about creating opportunities for others to grow and lead. One of the most important decisions any leader can make is to step aside when it is time and make room for the next generation.
The decision to retire brings me a deep sense of peace. Not because our work is finished or our challenges are behind us. Rather, my peace comes from believing in our community and the people who will lead it with integrity, compassion and purpose.
Thank you for your partnership, your trust and the many ways you have enriched my life. You have given this refugee a sense of purpose, a place to grow and a community to belong.
While I will step away from my role at UC Davis in a few months, I will remain a proud member of this community ¬– as your neighbor, as your patient and as one of the many who believe in you and what you stand for at UC Davis. For that, and for the privilege of serving alongside you, I will always be grateful.
Yours in health,
Hendry Ton Associate Vice Chancellor Health Equity by Design for Inclusive Excellence (HEDI)
