Paying it forward: a combined gift creates a bright future for IU Health and community leaders

Just when IU Health South Central Region (SCR) President Brian Shockney and his wife Angie were having a conversation about their legacy, Chairman of the SCR board of directors Dan Peterson and his wife Tina were was having a very similar discussion.

“The Shockneys were talking about setting up a leadership fund that could be used for leadership education for years to come,” said Dan. “And I thought, that’s just what Tina and I want to do—so our ideas came together very serendipitously.”

As for why both the Shockneys and Petersons feel so strongly about leaving this legacy of leadership, Angie Shockney said it best: “People invested in us. Then we invested in other people.”

The Leadership Legacy Fund will combine the Shockney and Peterson gifts to benefit IU Health SCR leaders and other leaders in southern Indiana communities. The fund’s first symposium, in 2024, will feature national speakers, authors and researchers.

Tina Peterson, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, said the impact of the gift will be even bigger than what individuals can accomplish on their own.

“IU Health has done a great job of trying to really engage in the broader issues and communities and addressing some of those social determinants of health,” she said. “But to get everybody in the same room together, to be inspired to step away from their everyday jobs, to begin to think about the ways that we can collectively and individually address challenges and opportunities in our communities, is just something that doesn't happen very often.”

Her husband, Dan Peterson, agreed. “It’s become very evident how interconnected and how critical all aspects of healthcare are to the well-being of the citizens and the community in the region that we serve. When you think about a leadership fund, there couldn't be anything more important to ensure that the regional health system is prepared and capable and responsive to the needs of the community and region.”

When it came time to choose an organization to steward their gift, they all agreed IU Health Foundation was the right choice.

“There's no other organization that when you give a dollar, that dollar goes to do what you want it to do,” said Brian. “It really does ensure that the dollars you give go to what you directly want to impact with your gift.”

“Oftentimes, investment in education and training specifically outside of your organization becomes a difficult thing to fund because it's so expensive,” said Brian Shockney. “But there's so much power in getting leaders together.”

To support the IU Health Leadership Legacy Fund, please contact Diane Buzzell, SCR Director of Philanthropy, at 812.353.9567.