Dr. Charles Fenzi, the most publicly known face of the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics for the past 10 years, announced he will be stepping down sometime this summer as CEO and chief medical officer of the critical health-care system that provides care and treatment to those without means or documentation.
Fenzi, who turned 80 this past December, said he’d never really sought the chief executive spot when he was promoted from chief medical officer in 2015. “I got my arm twisted,” he explained.
Until recently, Fenzi — famous for working 12-hour days — still saw patients, putting in half a shift a week. “It was one of the most pleasurable parts of my job,” he said.