Anne L. Bakar
President and Chief Executive Officer
Telecare Board of Directors Member
Anne Bakar is President and Chief Executive Officer of Telecare Corporation, a leading national provider of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health care services, dedicated to the recovery of those with complex needs, since 1965. When Anne assumed leadership of the company in 1987 upon the unexpected death of her father, Telecare operated five programs in California. Over the ensuing decades, it has grown from $25 million to $700 million in annual revenue, offering 173 programs in five states, serving 45,000 individuals, and employing 5,600 people.
Anne’s leadership success over the decades has been the result of her continuous dedication to creating a company culture that delivers excellent and effective services, partners closely with its health plan partners to deliver systemic solutions, and respects and rewards its diverse employees. The company has consistently been ranked as a best place to work in the Bay Area.
Anne has always attached importance to innovation and Telecare has a history of pioneering new services in transformative public/private partnerships that have expanded access and improved efficiency. Hallmarks of her leadership include a recovery-oriented clinical system; the establishment of an independent physician services organization; the first national “pay for success” program, an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP); and a mission that is focused on effective treatment of co-occurring conditions. Additionally, Anne consistently advocates in public and private arenas for equity, funding, and rights of persons served.
Anne’s business acumen and leadership benefit organizations beyond Telecare. She is a Board Director of the Steinberg Public Policy Institute and previously served on the Kennedy Satcher Center for Mental Health Equity, as well as a Commissioner on the California Future Health Workforce Commission. She is also a Board Trustee for the UC Berkeley Foundation and an active member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO Gold) and the Bay Area Business Council.
Anne’s CEO legacy at Telecare is featured in Jim Collin’s 2020 book B.E. 2.0, Turning Your Business into an Enduring Great Company. Anne’s contributions were also recognized by the Bay Area Business Council in 2017, when she was inducted into the Bay Area Business Hall of Fame. She is currently working on her Oral History at the UC Bancroft Library that was funded with a grant from the Koret Foundation, among others. Anne has commendations for leadership from United States Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, as well as former State Senate Pro Tempores, Darrell Steinberg and Don Perata. Anne has also received recognition from the Alameda and Los Angeles County Boards of Supervisors.
She received her B.A. at the University of California at Berkeley, graduating with honors and the Kenneth Priestly Award for outstanding student leadership. Anne started her career as an investment banker at Montgomery Securities.