Joe and Laura Alfieri have been supporting many areas across UCI and UCI Health for years.

All Part of the Anteater Family

The reasons people give are often as unique as the individuals who make the gifts. That’s certainly true for Joseph and Laura Alfieri, who have been giving to UCI for decades.

Joe Alfieri’s first wife, Betty, was a UCI Health nurse for most of her career. Their family made annual gifts to UCI Health during her years at the medical center. When she died young, Alfieri gave a memorial plaque that’s still in place today in the trauma center where she worked.

A few years later, he met and married his current wife, Laura, who shared his passion for supporting UCI. Together, they supported the construction of the UCI Douglas Hospital, a new university hospital for the community. They also joined the Chancellor’s Club, a community of people who care deeply about UCI and help invest in its greatest needs.

“We both truly believe that UCI Health is a No. 1 source of medical care in Orange County.”

Over the years, the two gladly volunteered their service in a variety of roles, him with the UCI Regional Burn Center, laboratory and concierge desk and her with the neonatal intensive care unit and gift shop.

“We both truly believe that UCI Health is the No. 1 source for medical care in Orange County,” said Laura Alfieri. “It’s one of the top hospitals in the nation — but the people feel like our family. We love knowing that our donations are going to such a great institution that does so much good for so many people.”

A community member receives care at UCI Health. “It’s one of the top hospitals in the nation – but the people feel like our family,” said Laura Alfieri. Photo credit: Elena Zhukova

As parents of alumna Stacey McKinley ’74, they have also made a positive and lasting impact for many of the schools and units of UCI, supporting the School of Medicine, the Department of Ophthalmology, H.H. Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center, The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, the UCI Libraries and the Center for Neurobiology of Learning and Memory.

Most recently, the couple made a generous donation to the UCI SeniorHealth Center, where they visit their physicians for ongoing care. The SeniorHealth Center is a total-care center for aging adults, offering primary care, short-term consultations, memory and health assessment programs and a team of senior care experts. A pledged gift from the Alfieris will support two geriatric fellows for years to come, enabling these specialists to further their professional development.

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