Who We Are

The California Hospital Association, representing more than 400 hospitals throughout California, advocates for better, more accessible health care for all Californians. CHA ensures that hospitals will continue to be able to provide exceptional care to patients and comprehensive health services to communities. Established in 1935, CHA provides information, resources, and perspective to state and federal policy makers to inform decisions that affect 40 million Californians.

CHA is a nonprofit, member-driven organization, led by a 40-plus member Board of Trustees composed of the leaders of California’s hospitals and health systems.

If you need to get ahold of someone at CHA, please contact the front desk at
(916) 443-7401 or email info@calhospital.org.

Board Officers

  • Carmela Coyle

    President & CEO, California Hospital Association, Sacramento

    Board President

  • Kerry L. Heinrich

    CEO, Adventist Health, Roseville

    Board Chair-Elect

  • Siri Nelson

    CEO, Marshall Medical Center, Placerville

    Board Secretary/Treasurer

  • Todd Suntrapak

    President & CEO, Valley Children's Healthcare, Madera

    Board Chair

Board Members

  • Joe Avelino, RN

    CEO, College Medical Center Long Beach, Long Beach

  • Elaine Batchlor, MD

    CEO, MLK Community Healthcare, Los Angeles

  • Kavith Bhatia, MD

    President & Chair, Prime Healthcare Foundation; CMO of Strategy, Prime Healthcare, Ontario

  • Carolyn Caldwell

    Hospital President & CEO, St. Mary Medical Center, Long Beach

  • Laureen Driscoll

    Chief Executive, Providence South Division, California

  • Susan Ehrlich, MD

    CEO, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center

  • David Entwistle

    President & CEO, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto

  • Karen Faulis

    CEO, Hi-Desert Medical Center & JFK Memorial Hospital

  • Patrick Frias, MD

    President & CEO, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego

  • Tom Gammiere

    Corporate Sr. Vice President & Regional Chief Executive, Scripps Health South, San Diego

  • Michelle Gaskill-Hames

    Regional President, Southern California & Hawaii, Kaiser Permanente

  • Diane Hansen

    President & CEO, Palomar Health, Escondido

  • Chris Howard

    President & CEO, Sharp HealthCare, San Diego

  • James E.T. Jackson

    CEO, Alameda Health System, Oakland

  • David G. Klein, MD

    CEO, MarinHealth Medical Center, Greenbrae

  • Marcel Loh

    Governing Board Member, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Los Angeles

  • Marcia Manker

    CEO, MemorialCare Saddleback & Orange Coast Medical Centers

  • Patty Maysent

    CEO, UC San Diego Health, San Diego

  • Lori Morgan, MD

    President & CEO, Huntington Health, Pasadena

  • Jorge Orozco

    CEO, Los Angeles General Medical Center

  • Carrie Owen Plietz

    President, No. Calif. Region, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan & Hospitals, Oakland

  • JoDee Read

    CEO, Plumas District Hospital, Quincy

  • Johnese Spisso

    President, UCLA Health and CEO, UCLA Hospital System

  • Julie Sprengel

    President & CEO, California Division, CommonSpirit Health

  • Warner Thomas

    CEO, Sutter Health, Sacramento

  • Paul Viviano

    President & CEO, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles

  • Louis Ward

    COO, Tahoe Forest Health System; Administrator, Incline Village Community Hospital, Truckee

  • Darlene Wetton

    CEO, Temecula Valley Hospital, Temecula

  • Mike Wiltermood

    President & CEO, Enloe Medical Center – Esplanade Campus, Chico

Board Advisors

  • Dimitrios Alexiou

    President & CEO, Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties, San Diego

  • Bryan J. Bucklew

    President & CEO, Hospital Council – Northern & Central California, Sacramento

  • George W. Greene, Esq.

    President & CEO, Hospital Association of Southern California, Los Angeles

Board Officers

  • Carmela Coyle

    President & CEO, California Hospital Association, Sacramento

    Board President

  • Kerry L. Heinrich

    CEO, Adventist Health, Roseville

    Board Chair-Elect

  • Siri Nelson

    CEO, Marshall Medical Center, Placerville

    Board Secretary/Treasurer

  • Todd Suntrapak

    President & CEO, Valley Children's Healthcare, Madera

    Board Chair

Board Members

  • Elaine Batchlor, MD

    CEO, MLK Community Healthcare, Los Angeles

  • Pete Delgado

    President & CEO, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Salinas

  • Brett McClain

    Executive Vice President & COO, Sharp HealthCare, San Diego

  • Kathleen J. McIntire, CAVS

    Director, Volunteer Services & Gift Shop, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center

  • Louis Peltier

    Volunteer, Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield; Chair, CAHHS Committee on Volunteer Services

  • Carmela Coyle

    President & CEO, California Hospital Association, Sacramento

  • Dietmar Grellmann

    Senior Vice President, Policy

  • Jennifer Newman

    Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

  • Anne O’Rourke

    Senior Vice President, Federal Relations

  • Amber Ott

    Senior Vice President, Data Analytics

  • Julie Reppas

    Senior Vice President, Operations & Human Resources

  • Kathryn Austin Scott

    Senior Vice President, State Relations and Advocacy

  • David Simon

    Senior Vice President, Communications

  • Stacy Arashiro

    Systems Manager

  • Kirsten Barlow

    Vice President, Policy

  • Kiko Barrera

    Education & Publications Assistant

  • Alex Baskett

    Director Information Technology

  • Gideon Baum

    Vice President, Policy

  • David Beard

    IT Senior Help Desk Analyst

  • Kimberly Beard

    Human Resources Coordinator

  • Rony Berdugo

    Vice President, State Advocacy

  • Carrie Bergerot

    Payroll Specialist

  • Patricia Blaisdell, FACHE

    Vice President, Policy

  • Peggy Broussard Wheeler

    Vice President, Policy

  • Kiyomi Burchill

    Group Vice President, Executive Operations

  • Robin Campbell

    Meeting Planner

  • June Channel

    Accounts Receivable Specialist

  • Michele Coughlin

    Administrative Assistant, Policy

  • Sharon Covington

    Receptionist

  • Carmela Coyle

    President & CEO, California Hospital Association, Sacramento

  • Phan Doan

    Help Desk Analyst

  • Robert Ducay

    Vice President, Policy

  • Jan Emerson-Shea

    Vice President, External Affairs

  • Mark Farouk

    Vice President, State Advocacy

  • Jackie Garman

    Vice President, Legal Counsel

  • Lisa Geraty

    Administrative Assistant, Policy

  • Delma Giroski

    Human Resources Manager

  • Trina Gonzalez

    Vice President, Policy

  • Vanessa Gonzalez

    Vice President, State Advocacy

  • Dietmar Grellmann

    Senior Vice President, Policy

  • Ingrid Hamel

    Executive Assistant & Governance Administrator

  • Lisa Hartzell

    Director, Education Operations

  • Nicole Hoffman

    Federal Relations Manager

  • Megan Howard

    Vice President, Federal Policy

  • Kathleen Imhoff

    Assistant to the President

  • Ben Johnson

    Vice President Policy

  • Clinton Lee

    Director, Data Analytics

  • Jessica Lightle

    Education Programs Coordinator

  • Sheree Lowe

    Vice President, Policy

  • Mary Massey

    Vice President, Emergency Management

  • Val Mina

    Creative Director

  • Bob Mion

    Director, Publishing & Education

  • Lindsay Montano

    Administrative Coordinator

  • Chad Mulvany

    Vice President, Federal Policy

  • Jennifer Newman

    Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

  • Anne O’Rourke

    Senior Vice President, Federal Relations

  • Amber Ott

    Senior Vice President, Data Analytics

  • Brianna Parker

    Director, Communications

  • Arian Pierson

    IT Help Desk Analyst

  • Janice Reinarts

    Copy and Mail Center Coordinator

  • Julie Reppas

    Senior Vice President, Operations & Human Resources

  • Alenie Reth

    Data Analytics Coordinator

  • Lois Richardson

    Vice President, Legal Counsel

  • Anthony Roth

    Director Business Systems

  • Barb Roth

    Administrative Assistant, Policy

  • Drew Roth

    Coordinator Communications

  • Emily Schroeder

    Legislative Assistant

  • Kathryn Austin Scott

    Senior Vice President, State Relations and Advocacy

  • Melanie Shanley

    Volunteer Services Manager

  • David Simon

    Senior Vice President, Communications

  • Tobi Steaman

    Business Systems Support Specialist

  • Susie Steffes-Ferri

    Legislative Researcher

  • Robyn Thomason

    Director, Education Program Development

  • Freddy Ventura

    Corporate Accountant

  • Jaime Welcher

    Education Program Manager

  • Justin Ziombra

    Vice President, Data Analytics

  • Center for Behavioral Health
  • Center for Post-Acute Care
  • Rural Healthcare Center
  • Case Management Committee
  • Certification & Licensing Committee
  • CNO Advisory Committee
  • Communications Committee
  • Community Benefit Committee
  • Emergency Management Advisory Committee
  • EMS/Trauma Committee
  • Human Resources Committee
  • HLWI Advisory Group
  • Managed Care Committee
  • Medication Safety Committee
  • Workforce Committee