Foundation Announces 2016 Graduates of The Clinic Leadership Institute

San Francisco, CA (June 29, 2016) – Today Blue Shield of California Foundation announced the 2016 graduating class of the Clinic Leadership Institute’s (CLI) Emerging Leaders program. The announcement marks the culmination of the 18-month program designed to provide promising healthcare professionals with the practical skills, networks, and training to effectively lead their organizations as they navigate the dynamic landscape of California’s healthcare safety net.

“Community health centers continue to be a cornerstone in delivering quality care to low-income, traditionally underserved populations,” said Peter Long, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Foundation. “As coverage expands across the state, these organizations are uniquely positioned to provide care to a new population, making strong leadership more important than ever—this year’s CLI graduates exemplify the spirit of leadership and innovation necessary to drive improvements in California’s healthcare safety net.”

Since its inception in 2007, CLI’s Emerging Leaders program has provided a unique learning opportunity for California’s community health center professionals, with a curriculum that stresses the importance of strategic thinking, financial management, health policy, innovation, public speaking, and other essential leadership skills. This year’s graduates make up the eighth cohort of CLI’s Emerging Leaders program, joining the more than 150 graduates who have preceded them.

The Emerging Leaders program selects participants each year based on their leadership potential, commitment to serving their community, and willingness to fully engage in expanding the capacity and efficacy of their organizations. The program guides each participant in the development of an innovative, independent project that is then implemented in their community health center post-graduation.

Fully funded by Blue Shield of California Foundation, the Emerging Leaders program is administered by the Center for the Health Professions at the University of California, San Francisco.

Introducing CLI’s Emerging Leaders Class of 2016: 

North Coast
Donald Gollihue - Open Door Community Health Centers
Stacy Pollina-Millen - Mendocino Coast Clinics

Far North
Susie Foster - Hill Country Health and Wellness Center
David Lavine - Health Alliance of Northern California

Bay Area
Wilfredo Cerrato - Indian Health Center of Santa Clara County
Andrey Chow - North East Medical Services
Jennifer Durst - Marin Community Clinics
Patricia Espinosa - LifeLong Medical Care
Steven Ghidinelli - Santa Rosa Community Health Centers
Elena Guzman - Community Health Partnership
John Hunsaker - San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium
Tamar Kurlaender - Native American Health Center
Thu Quach - Asian Health Services
Andrea Schwab-Galindo - Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, Inc.

Central Coast
Susanna Farina - Community Health Centers of the Central Coast

Central Valley
Susy Loya - Golden Valley Health Centers
Charles Meza - United Health Centers
Aida Monarrez - Community Medical Centers, Inc.

Los Angeles
Rosa Arzu - Altamed
Jason Hua - Venice Family Clinic
Bettina Lewis - Los Angeles Christian Health Centers
Jocelyn Loren - Los Angeles LGBT Center (Formerly L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center)
Angela Moreno - The Children's Clinic
Nicole Ressa - Planned Parenthood Los Angeles
Brenda Sandoval - JWCH Institute, Inc.

Southern California
Joanne Barron - St. Vincent de Paul Village, Inc.
AnnMarie Carlisle - Neighborhood Healthcare

Sacramento
Meaghan McCamman – California Primary Care Association
 

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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/
 
 
Press Contact:
Christine Maulhardt
(415)-229-6145

Christine.Maulhardt [at] blueshieldcafoundation.org