California Community Health Professionals Chosen for Leadership Training

Clinic Leadership Institute launches its seventh cohort of emerging leaders

San Francisco, CA (January 15, 2014) – Blue Shield of California Foundation announced today the seventh cohort of the Clinic Leadership Institute’s Emerging Leaders program. The new class – made up of 29 professionals from community health centers across the state - will participate in an intensive 18-month training to advance their skills and ability to lead within California’s healthcare safety net.

“This program continues to produce graduates who are confident, effective, and ready to take community health centers to the next level of success,” said Peter Long, Ph.D., president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Foundation. “As more newly-insured patients rely on these organizations for quality, affordable care, this group of leaders will help drive transformation toward a high-performing safety net system across California.”

A signature project of Blue Shield of California Foundation, the Clinic Leadership Institute's (CLI) Emerging Leaders program aims to prepare up-and-coming health professionals with the tools, networks, and guidance they need to not only advance their careers but expand and enhance the capacity and quality of care their health centers provide.

Launched in 2007, the Emerging Leaders program engages participants in interactive and instructive activities focused on strategic thinking, financial management, health policy, and other essential leadership skills. Since the program’s inception, CLI has trained more than 130 emerging leaders.

This year’s participants were selected for their leadership potential and dedication to building a strong healthcare safety net in California. Each one represents the diverse population and geography of our state. The experience they gain during their 18-month training will enable them to better serve the families and individuals in their communities, and more effectively respond to new challenges as our healthcare system continues to transform.

The Emerging Leaders program is administered by the Center for the Health Professions at the University of California, San Francisco.

The Clinic Leadership Institute’s Emerging Leaders Class of 2015: 

North Coast

  • Sam Fernandez - Mendocino Community Health Clinics, Inc.
  • Fabiola Perez - Anderson Valley Health Center
  • Teresa Ballew - United Indian Health Services, Inc.
  • Koreen Nagle - Open Door Community Health Centers

Far North

  • Sarah Lomen - Northeastern Rural Health Clinics
  • Tamara Wilham - Shingletown Medical Center

Bay Area

  • Sarah Siebold - Women's Community Clinic
  • Judy Nguyen - Asian Health Services
  • Amy Manta-Ranger - La Clinica de La Raza
  • Maribel Baez - HealthRight360
  • Gralyn Jacques, Jr - Ravenswood Family Health Center
  • Aileen Vo - Asian American for Community Involvement

Central Cost

  • Nina Soares - Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura & San Luis Obispo Counties, Inc.
  • Laurie Mireles - Health Improvement Partnership of Santa Cruz County

Central Valley

  • Alex Abarca - Golden Valley Health Centers
  • Mariela Contreras - Livingston Community Health Services, Inc.
  • Christine Howland - Camarena Health

Los Angeles

  • Jackie Provost - UMMA Community Clinic
  • Susana Ramirez - Eisner Pediatric & Family Medical Center
  • Kristie Hernandez - AltaMed Health Services
  • Cynthia Carmona - Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County
  • Gabriela Sundaramoorthy - Cleaver Family Wellness Clinic

Southern California

  • Brenda Zapata - La Maestra Community Health Centers
  • Julius Lam - Alliance Health Clinic
  • Bryan Bol Melgar - Lestonnac Free Clinic
  • Jila Nikkhah - ShareOurSelves
  • Cynthia Aguilar - Clinica De Salud Del Pueblo, Inc.
  • Andrea Chavez - North County Health Services
  • Eriq Nguyen - Hurtt Family Health Clinic

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About Blue Shield of California Foundation

Blue Shield of California Foundation is one of the state’s largest and most trusted grantmaking organizations. Our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians, particularly the underserved, by making health care accessible, effective, and affordable, and by ending domestic violence. For more information, visit www.blueshieldcafoundation.org.

About the Center for the Health Professions at UCSF

Since 1992, the Center has been dedicated to transforming health care by delivering leadership programs to empower change agents at every level and within all sectors of the health care system; and by producing nationally and internationally recognized, unbiased research to help health care decision makers understand today's workforce issues and design actionable strategies to solve them. For more information about the Center, visit: http://futurehealth.ucsf.edu/