Medica Foundation Names Pleasant Radford Jr. as Executive Director

Minnetonka, Minn. - The Medica Foundation announced today that Pleasant Radford Jr., MBA, has been named Executive Director, bringing more than 15 years of leadership experience at the intersection of healthcare, philanthropy, and community investment.

Radford will assume the role on June 1. He joins the Foundation from UCare, where he most recently served as Health Equity Officer, leading strategy to advance health equity through community partnerships, grantmaking, governance, and care delivery. His background spans nonprofit health plans, philanthropy, and public health systems, with a strong track record of stewarding community investments, strengthening trust based philanthropy practices, and partnering with boards and executive leaders to drive systems level impact.

In his new role as Executive Director, Radford will lead the Medica Foundation's strategy, grantmaking, and community partnerships with a focus on advancing health equity, strengthening trust based and community led solutions, and supporting long term outcomes across Minnesota.

"Pleasant brings the rare combination of deep community knowledge, strategic rigor, and principled leadership," said Alicia Reuter, Chief Legal Officer at Medica. "He understands the responsibility that comes with stewarding philanthropic resources and has consistently demonstrated how trust based, community centered approaches can deliver lasting impact. We're confident his leadership will strengthen the Foundation's role as a partner, convener, and catalyst for healthier communities."

Radford has led and advised multimillion dollar community investment portfolios addressing maternal and child health, behavioral health, early childhood wellbeing, healthy eating, and rural health access across Greater Minnesota. He is widely recognized for his ability to build genuine trust across communities, systems and institutions.

Prior to joining UCare, Radford held leadership and consulting roles with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, UnitedHealth Group (Optum), Mayo Clinic, and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, among others. He began his career in community health, including Peace Corps service in Nicaragua. Radford is a 2024 Emerging Leader in Healthcare Award and a 2025 Aspen Health Fellow, and he has served on multiple civic and advisory boards focused on equity and community wellbeing.