Dr. Kathy Hull, the staff Psychologist, Member of the Board, and founder of George Mark Children’s House, is a practicing clinical psychologist and adjunct staff member of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, where she served as a part of an interdisciplinary team treating young oncology patients and their families.
It was through this experience, that Dr. Hull recognized the unmet need for a more peaceful setting to help families cope with the death of a child, grieve more freely, and find strength to move forward. George Mark is named for two of her brothers, who died at ages 30 and 16 respectively. Founded in 2004, GMCH is the first free-standing pediatric palliative respite care center in the United States.
Since then, she has devoted her professional life to sustaining George Mark Children’s House and truly redefining how pediatric palliative and end-of-life care are provided in this country. George Mark serves as a national role model for other pediatric palliative care homes developed throughout the United States.
Set in San Leandro, CA on five beautifully landscaped acres in a home-like setting, George Mark has provided care for more than twelve hundred children and their families who rely upon its expansive programs-including respite, transitional and end of life care. Dr. Hull and the George Mark care team are committed to providing daily life-affirming moments of joy. Quality of life for gravely ill children is optimized with palliative care activities like art, music, swimming, and pet therapy. Services are provided at no cost to the children and families.
Dr. Hull also served as a staff member at Ann Martin Children’s Center, a local nonprofit organization that offers low-fee counseling services to the culturally diverse Oakland community.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Santa Barbara; a Master of Arts in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling from Santa Clara University; and a Doctor of Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology.
Among the honors Dr. Hull has received are Maria Shriver’s Minerva Award; Traditional Home Magazine, Classic Woman Award; Purpose Prize Fellow and the Jefferson Award. She is also a Regent Emeritus of Santa Clara University. Dr. Hull was a TedTalk Speaker at the TEDWomen’s Conference in 2016.
Kathy and her husband, Bill Gisvold, live in the San Francisco Bay Area. They have seven daughters, one son, and twelve active grandchildren.
