Candidate for
Board Member; Marin Community College District

Dr. Harold Hassin embodies the precept of the life-long student. He is living proof that education transforms lives. His mother was the first family member who not only graduated college but also earned a Master of Education. Time spent trailing after her in college libraries inspired him to pursue his academic dreams.

As a graduate electrical engineer Dr. Hassin helped launch the Atlas rocket into space. However, a budding interest in bioengineering could not be ignored so he left aerospace technology and returned to undergraduate college + the first inkling he would continue to re-enter college repeatedly + to prepare himself for medical school. After graduating from the University of Southern California School of Medicine with subsequent sub-specialty training in the medical and surgical treatment of children's eye problems he opened his medical practice, mentored doctors-in-training and assumed multiple leadership roles at the local children's hospital.

In his clinical role Dr. Hassin came to appreciate the invaluable and frequently under-appreciated role hospital administrators played in supporting the high quality patient care he and his colleagues were providing. He came to understand how administrators could impact the care provided to large numbers of lives. He wanted in. Back to school where he earned a Master of Public Health degree, which resulted in receiving a position as Assistant Medical Director. In this position Dr. Hassin introduced the concepts of quality improvement programs to the medical staff that many years later resulted in this hospital being recognized with a national award for its high standards of care.

During this tenure Dr. Hassin was appointed to the Hospital Board of Directors where he introduced and participated in discussions that addressed the need for an active Board role in monitoring and assuring the quality of healthcare provided in the institution.

Upon completion of his MPH, Dr. Hassin was awarded a Health Policy Fellowship to work with Senator Edward Kennedy in the United States Senate. During his tenure in the Senate Dr. Hassin assisted Senator Kennedy in his efforts to provide health care insurance to all Americans. Dr. Hassin once again called upon his knowledge of quality improvement techniques to demonstrate that federally sponsored universal healthcare insurance could be attainable by all Americans without increased expenditures if already existing demonstrated best clinical practices were uniformly applied to all patients.

Since moving to Marin County almost 10 years ago Dr. Hassin has twice run for seats on the Marin Healthcare District Board; helped organize and served as president of the Marin Health Policy Forum; served a one year term on the Marin County Civil Grand Jury where he worked on Grand Jury reports that highlighted shortcomings: in Marin County's environmental health system; the state of repair of the Marin Civic Center; the Marin County Paramedic program and accounting systems at the College of Marin and was a volunteer Big Brother to a 7-year-old Little Brother, the son of a single mother.

Currently Dr. Hassin is an avid student of dance at the College of Marin taking classes in modern dance and ballet while also taking acting, voice, and tap dance lessons + classes that have not only changed his life but propelled his family on adventures they could hardly imagine.

There is a very different way of describing Dr. Hassin. Here is what his children said on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

He Is:

Calm - Strong - Thoughtful - Tasteful - Patient - Smart - Focused - Keen - Understanding - Proud - Informative - Cool - Important - Honest - Clear - Worldly - Interesting - Informed - Balanced - Prudent - Himself - Clever - Ambitious - Open - Driven - Hardworking - Forgiving -Relentless - Motivated - Inventive - Moral - Confident - Young - Knowledgeable - Responsible - Praiseworthy - Brave - Serious - Curious - Upright - Corny - Happy - Reasonable - Undaunted - Smooth - Faithful - Supportive - Philanthropic - Progressive - Funny - Boundless - Wise - Loving - Resourceful - Caring - Human - Motivating - Handsome - Real - Kind