A Message From Our Honorees,
Ann and Mark Baiada
OUR HONOREES
Ann and Mark Baiada
Ann and Mark Baiada are among Philadelphia’s most generous and caring couples. Their compassion and commitment to boldly helping others while promoting Catholic values makes them outstanding honorees for this year’s 12th Annual Scholarship Gala at Chestnut Hill College.
With their family motto, “Think big, work hard, show love,” the couple has been doing all three for decades, blazing a trail for health care workers, ensuring patient safety and comfort through their revolutionary, patient-centric organization, BAYADA Home Health Care, and being true stewards of the community with their bold contributions, especially in Catholic education.
The values Mark learned from studying such role models as Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Carnegie, and St. Francis of Assisi, guided him to success as a family man, businessman, and philanthropist. Dedicated to the idea that all patients should have a safe home life with comfort, independence, and dignity, Mark Baiada founded BAYADA Home Health Care in 1975. Four decades later, it has grown to become a global leader in home health care. In 2019, in an unprecedented move for the industry, he transitioned the company to a nonprofit organization, ensuring the BAYADA’s mission, purpose, and business model would endure. Mark has faithfully served many and has been recognized with a plethora of awards including the 75 Greatest Living Philadelphians from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2007.
Ann Claffey Baiada, RN, is a champion of the nursing profession. As a certified rehabilitation registered nurse (CRRN), Mrs. Baiada founded BAYADAbility Rehab Solutions, the first and only home health care rehabilitation nursing program, in 1998. Ann lends her expertise and passion to many efforts and has been recognized numerous times including the President’s Award from the Nursing Foundation of Pennsylvania, the Uachtarán Award from the Irish American Business Chamber & Network, and a Papal Blessing from Pope John Paul II.
Though their work in professional health care has kept them busy, Ann and Mark have gone above and beyond by supporting causes close to their hearts. They have served on the board of educational institutions including Neumann University; Loyola University; University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing’s Board of Overseers; and Drexel University College of Medicine; as well as many professional health-related organizations. They have also supported the mission of Catholic Charities and have sponsored various relief efforts that helped people injured in the Kosovo War, Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami disaster of 2004, and the earthquake in Haiti. For 35 years, Ann and Mark have been supporting the BAYADA Regatta—the world’s oldest and largest all-adaptive rowing event that annually attracts athletes from around the globe to the banks of the Schuylkill River.
Ann and Mark have garnered a myriad of awards for excellence in nursing, health care, philanthropy, catholic education and beyond. They are a great model as they boldly live their credo every day, “Think big, work hard, show love.” They have instilled these values in their family and use them to serve the world. Ann and Mark are quick to share their most rewarding success-their family of 5 children and 11 grandchildren.
They are a shining example of Catholic ideals, combining selflessness with humility and compassion. CHC is proud to honor them at this year’s 12th Annual Scholarship Gala.