Tia Newcomer named CEO of Eagan-based CaringBridge

June 10, 2021 at 10:02PM
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Tia Newcomer, the new CEO of Eagan-based CaringBridge. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Tia Newcomer has been named CEO of CaringBridge, taking the reins as the third leader in the Eagan-based nonprofit's 24-year history.

The organization announced Thursday that Newcomer, who has worked in executive roles for several medical and technology companies, joined CaringBridge last week. She succeeds Liwanag Ojala, who is stepping down after nearly seven years in the top job.

"I believe passionately in the vision of CaringBridge — that no one should go through a health journey alone," Newcomer said in a statement.

She most recently worked as chief commercial officer for Generate Life Sciences, a California-based health care organization.

In 1997, long before Facebook or other social media sites, software developer Sona Mehring started CaringBridge to help friends share information about a premature baby.

The website, which connects family and friends with people struggling with illness or an injury, now has nearly 300,000 active daily users from all over the world, 47 employees and an $11.6 million annual budget.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the site has hosted COVID patients' stories. CaringBridge reported that donations rose by 26% in 2020, a record increase, as more people used the site and donated to it — mirroring a broader trend across Minnesota nonprofits that saw a surge in giving during the pandemic.

KELLY SMITH

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(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Tia Newcomer, the new CEO of Eagan-based CaringBridge. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Tia Newcomer, center, took over as CaringBridge CEO this month. Liwanag Ojala, left, preceded Newcomer in the role and Sona Mehring, right, founded the nonprofit in 1997. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

Kelly Smith

News team leader

Kelly Smith is a news editor, supervising a team of reporters covering Minnesota social services, transportation issues and higher education. She previously worked as a news reporter for 16 years.

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