The Cornerstone Hospice Foundation has announced the appointment of their new executive director: Raquel “Rocky” McCormick. She is the first Hispanic woman to lead the more than 40-year-old organization. 

Previous to this promotion, she had been the philanthropy director since she joined the Foundation in 2021.

McCormick has more than 31 years of experience in the human services sector, more recently serving as vice president of corporate donor engagement at Heart of Florida United Way. 

There, she led fundraising campaigns that provided $14 million in support for health, financial, and education needs of families in Central Florida. 

Prior to this position, she worked in Chicago as a community development director for Metropolitan Family Services for 24 years. 

During her time there, Metropolitan worked with multiple nonprofits dedicated to expanding school-based community centers and increasing access to health services.

“Our board of directors is thrilled to introduce a leader of Rocky’s caliber into our community to guide the Cornerstone Foundation,” said Cornerstone Hospice Foundation board chair Heath Nailos in a statement. 

“Rocky [possesses] the qualifications and expertise to grow the foundation into an even greater, more successful organization. Her passion for the mission is contagious and her strategic vision for the foundation will help our community address the growing need for quality hospice services in central Florida.”

The Foundation was founded in 1980 and supports Cornerstone Hospice by finding suitable donors to meet the hospice's needs, create permanent charitable funds, and connect people together to solve community problems.

Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care are an affiliate of Chapters Health System and a community-based, non-profit organization that provides care and support for those suffering from life-shortening conditions, serving over 7,000.

Cornerstone Hospice operates throughout Central Florida and in Georgia, in the area north of Atlanta, serving multiple counties in both states. 

“I could not be more grateful to accept the position as the first Hispanic executive director to this well-established and loved organization that consists of an extremely talented team and long history of dedicated donors, corporate and not-for-profit partners,” said McCormick. 

“My goal in leading this organization is to build on the achievements over the past 30 plus years. The Cornerstone Hospice Foundation will not only maintain its high level of standards in philanthropy but will continue to expand upon our impact in central Florida,” she concluded.