Kai Tao, Vice President of Clinical Operations
Kai Tao started her career at Planned Parenthood in 2008 as the Associate Medical Director for Planned Parenthood Chicago/Area. During her tenure as Associate Medical Director, she was instrumental in ensuring transition for patients and staff when five Illinois affiliates became Planned Parenthood of Illinois. Kai accepted her current position in September 2010, and is responsible for the daily operations of Planned Parenthood of Illinois' 17 health centers across the state.
Prior to joining Planned Parenthood, Kai spent several years serving underserved women by delivering full scope obstetrical care as a certified midwife. In the 1990's she started a birth center in South Phoenix, Arizona to improve the outcomes for low birth weight infants. Just prior to joining Planned Parenthood, she served as head of the midwifery department at Erie Family Health Center, where she still works per diem.
Kai holds a masters of science in midwifery, a doctorate of nursing from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and a masters of public health in international health from Harvard University. She has traveled extensively overseas and is conversant in Chinese, Spanish, and Japanese
Pam Sutherland, Vice President of Public Policy
Pam started her career with Planned Parenthood in 1980 as a public affairs specialist for the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council (IPPC), the statewide lobbying office for Planned Parenthood, becoming its President/CEO in 1986.
Pam has been instrumental in passing several reproductive health laws, including contraceptive coverage in private insurance plans. Under her leadership, Illinois became the first state to pass compassionate care for rape victims legislation. She was also responsible for garnering the first ever family planning funding in the state budget. She was successful in working with Governor Blagojevich to mandate that pharmacies fill all birth control prescriptions without delay, lecture, or hassle. She also successfully stopped state funding for abstinence only educations programs.
From 1997 until 2009, Pam has been chair of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund Federal PAC Committee, which is responsible for making endorsements of all federal candidates, including President of the United States, U.S. Senators and U. S. Representatives. She remains a member of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund Federal PAC Committee.
She accepted her current position as Vice President of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Illinois in June 2008. All of the Planned Parenthood Affiliates in Illinois merged into one statewide organization in June 2008.
