California Health Care Personnel News Update for October 2011
Blue Shield of California
Kathy Swenson has been appointed to the position of senior vice president of Blue Shield of California's individual, small group and government business unit, Payers & Providers reports.
She has held the position under an interim post since last spring. Swenson previously served as a development officer for the Mayo Clinic and chief marketing officer at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (Payers & Providers, 10/13).
Brown & Toland Physicians, San Francisco
Brown & Toland Physicians medical group has named Jackie Bright as its new senior vice president, Payers & Providers reports.
Bright formerly served as CEO of Sutter Health's self-funded employee medical plan. In her new role, Bright will manage Brown & Toland's health plan and network strategies (Payers & Providers, 10/6).
California Air Resources Board
On Oct. 20, Gov. Jerry Brown (D) appointed former Assembly member Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate) to the Air Resources Board.
De La Torre served in the Assembly from 2004 to 2010 and served as a South Gate city council member from 1997 to 2004. His new position requires Senate confirmation, and annual compensation is $40,699 (Office of the Governor release, 10/20).
California Department of Public Health
On Oct. 21, Brown appointed Anita Gore (R) as deputy director of the state Department of Public Health's Office of Public Affairs.
Since 2004, Gore has served as deputy director of external affairs at the California State Board of Equalization. Her new position does not require Senate confirmation, and annual compensation is $114,024 (Office of the Governor release, 10/21).
California Department of Social Services
On Oct. 21, Brown appointed Todd Bland as deputy director of the state Department of Social Service's Welfare to Work Division.
Bland most recently served as deputy legislative analyst in the health and human services section of the Legislative Analyst's Office. His new position does not require Senate confirmation, and annual compensation is $138,300 (Office of the Governor release, 10/21).
California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison
On Oct. 25, Brown appointed Kathleen Allison (R) as warden at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran.
Allison has served as acting warden at the treatment facility and state prison since 2009. Her new position does not require Senate confirmation, and annual compensation is $129,108 (Office of the Governor release, 10/25).
California Veterans Board
On Oct. 20, Brown appointed John Farrell (D) to the California Veterans Board. Farrell previously worked as a private practice attorney. His new position requires Senate confirmation, and compensation is $100 per diem.
Brown also appointed Alexander Tsao (D) to the California Veterans Board. Since 2010, Tsao has worked as a partner for Venerable Counselors at Law. His new position requires Senate confirmation, and compensation is $100 per diem (Office of the Governor release, 10/20).
California Wellness Foundation
Diana Bontá has been named president and CEO of the California Wellness Foundation effective January 2012, according to David Barlow, chair of the foundation's board of directors.
Bontá has served as vice president of public affairs for Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region since October 2004. Previously, she served as director of the California Department of Health Services and director of the Health and Human Services agency for the city of Long Beach (California Wellness Foundation release, 11/2).
The foundation also announced that Sandra Martinez has been named director of public policy. Martinez had served as program director for special projects since 2003 (California Wellness Foundation release, 10/31).
CalPERS
On Oct. 17, Mary Ann Burford was named principal adviser to Rob Feckner, CalPERS' board president, the Sacramento Business Journal reports. She will examine recommendations and policies on health care, investments and pensions (Anderson, Sacramento Business Journal, 10/18).
CalPERS also has named Katrina Hagen chief of human resources. Hagen has worked at California Prison Health Care Services, where she served as deputy director of human resources (Wiese, Sacramento Business Journal, 10/18).
Children's Hospital Central California, Madera
Gordon Alexander is stepping down from his position as CEO of Children's Hospital Central California, effective Nov. 15, the Fresno Bee reports.
Jeff Mayer, chair of the hospital's board of trustees, did not comment on why the CEO is leaving but said Alexander and the board "mutually agreed to end their association."
Alexander was hired in 2010 to replace William Haug, who announced in 2009 that he would not renew his contract (Rodriguez, Fresno Bee, 10/24). Mayer said it might take four to six months for the hospital to name a new CEO (CBS 47 News, 10/24).
Health Net Federal Services, Rancho Cordova
Health Net Federal Services -- part of Health Net's government contracts segment -- has named Thomas Carrato as its new president, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
Carrato joined Health Net Federal Services in 2006 as the program officer for Department of Defense contracts. He has more than 27 years of experience managing government health care programs (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 10/24).
Oak Valley Hospital District, Oakdale
The Oak Valley Hospital District's governing board has placed CEO John Friel on paid administrative leave for the four months remaining in his contract, virtually ending his nine-year tenure at the district, the Modesto Bee reports.
The board also voted to name CFO John McCormick as interim CEO of the district. Board President Wendell Chun said that the board hoped to take the district in a new direction. Friel declined to comment on the board's decision.
Friel's last day working for the district was Oct. 31, but he will remain available to consult with McCormick until his contract ends on Feb. 28, 2012 (Valine, Modesto Bee, 10/28).
UC-Davis School of Medicine
Claire Pomeroy, dean of the UC-Davis School of Medicine, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Pomeroy is part of the global One Health Initiative, which brings together health professionals to study and find treatments for health issues (Smith, Sacramento Bee, 10/18).
UC-San Diego Health System
Tom Jackiewicz will step down from his position as CEO of UC-San Diego Health System on Dec. 1, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Jackiewicz joined UCSD in 2001 as chief financial officer and was named CEO in 2009. On Jan. 1, 2012, he will join the University of Southern California as senior vice president and CEO for USC Health.
A 15-member panel made up of administrators, faculty and community members will perform a nationwide search for Jackiewicz's replacement, according to David Brenner, UCSD's vice chancellor for health sciences. Thomas McAfee -- UCSD's dean for clinical affairs -- will serve as interim CEO effective Nov. 7 (Lavelle, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11/2).
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