On April 20, 2023, American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley presented Chris Wilder (Class XXI), the former CEO of the Valley Medical Center Foundation, with the 2023 John W. Gardner Award.
The John W. Gardner Award, named for John W. Gardner (1912 – 2002), is awarded to Senior Fellows in recognition of those individuals who do an exemplary job of inspiring and motivating other leaders and building bridges between diverse communities.
About Chris Wilder
Chris Wilder was the Executive Director of the Valley Medical Center (VMC) Foundation until a stroke in 2021 forced his early retirement. The VMC Foundation solicits donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations in order to support the growing needs of patients served by the Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System. Chris led the VMC Foundation in raising millions of dollars and starting many new programs in his 20 years at the helm.
Chris’s 40-year career in the Public Benefit Sector began as a consumer activist (Fund for Public Interest Research, 1990-1996), running the Vanished Children’s Alliance (1996-1999), a national missing children’s agency, leading City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley – the nation’s premiere AmeriCorps program (1999-2003), then joining the VMC Foundation. Chris served as Chairman of San Jose Jazz and has performed music of many genres in over two dozen nations.
Chris has hosted and produced two award-winning cable TV talk shows and spent nine years on Santa Clara County’s Child Abuse Council. Chris lives in Los Gatos with his wife Kate and many, many animals. He proudly serves on the boards of Norcal SCI and the Stroke Awareness Foundation.
