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Event Description

At the height of the pandemic, all eyes were on public health. Four years later, the public profile may have lessened, but public health departments continue to provide vital community services, addressing reproductive healthcare, trauma and violence prevention, the opioid epidemic, management of infectious disease outbreaks, and more. Recently, new state and federal funding has increased regional capacity to address ongoing public health issues, but challenges remain, including workforce morale, leadership transitions, performance and accountability, and scrutiny of health equity efforts. Join us to regroup on the status of public health infrastructure in our region: how are new collaborations increasing capacity, where do vulnerabilities remain, and how can philanthropy be an active partner in shoring up these systems for the long-haul?

This program will be hosted in-person at the California Community Foundation in Los Angeles, with ample time for attendees to network and (re)connect with peers in the health funding space.

2024 Quarterly Programming

About the Health Funders Group

The SCG Health Funders Group convenes multiple times a year to explore emerging issues in healthcare and health policy through an intersectional approach. The group hosts topic-based and peer-to-peer learning sessions. These facilitated sessions will provide a forum for updates on critical issues, highlights of promising programs and opportunities for collaboration.

Speakers

Dr. Barbara Ferrer

Barbara Ferrer

Director of Public Health, Los Angeles County

Dr. Barbara Ferrer is the nationally recognized Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which prevents disease and promotes health equity and wellbeing among more than 10 million county residents. She oversees a department with a $2 billion budget and 4,600 staff, and currently guides the region’s COVID-19 pandemic response.

Dr. Ferrer has partnered with others for over 40 years to foster racial, social, and economic justice; she has been a public health leader, high school principal, philanthropic strategist, researcher, and community organizer.
Susan Harrington Headshot

Susan Harrington

President, Communities Lifting Communities

Susan is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and has worked in public health for over 37 years. She is a former director of the Riverside County Department of Public Health. In July 2018, Susan joined the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) as the Executive Director for Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) and since February 2021, serves as President of CLC, an affiliate nonprofit organization of HASC. Susan leads the development of strategic initiatives and projects to advance community health and reduce health inequities across Southern California. Susan develops and manages the CLC organization, staff, and strategic partnerships. Susan received her bachelor’s degree in nutrition from University of California Davis and Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition and Food Services Management from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Susan earned the DiversityFIRST™ Certified Diversity Executive (DFCDE) designation in June 2022.

Susan’s interests include astronomy and astrophotography, and she is a member of the Riverside Astronomical Society. Susan also enjoys RVing, boating, sewing, and spending time with her husband, three children and five grandchildren.
Alexander Li

Alexander Li

Chief Health Equity Officer, L.A. Care

Alexander (Alex) Li, M.D. currently serves as the Chief Health Equity Officer at L.A. Care, the nation’s largest public health plan with nearly 2.6 million members. He is responsible for the implementation and oversight of L.A. Care’s health equity initiatives and recognized as a national thought and action leader on health equity. Previously, he served as the Deputy Chief Medical Officer at L.A. Care. Prior to his time at L.A. Care, he was the CEO of the newly formed Ambulatory Care Network of Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS), the second largest municipal health system in the United States. For a period of time, he also served as the Deputy Director of the newly formed L.A. County Health Agency-which sought to combine the Departments of Health Services, Mental Health and Public Health in one umbrella agency.
He is committed to improving access to health care services low-income and uninsured individuals and implementing process and systems improvement within a social justice and health equity framework. Alex is widely credited with leading L.A. Care’s designation to be the federally designated Regional Extension Center (HITEC-LA) to support the implementation of electronic health records among providers for L.A. County in 2011. He has been recognized as a leader in driving changes with primary care and specialty care for Medi-Cal and uninsured individual. He is also thankful that he is able to serve and see patients in South LA as well as mentor future generations of medical professionals at LAC-USC’s Med/Peds clinic.
Photo of Rosemary Veniegas.

Dr. Rosemary Veniegas SCG Member

Director of Health Programs, California Community Foundation

With 25 years of experience in health promotion, Rosemary Veniegas currently serves as Director of Health Programs at the California Community Foundation (CCF). CCF’s mission is to lead positive systemic change that strengthens Los Angeles (LA) County. Dr. Veniegas serves on the Healthcare Delivery and Disparities Research Panel of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, which was established as part of the Affordable Care Act. She is a member of the LA County Commission on Hospitals and Healthcare Delivery and the California Department of Health Care Services Behavioral Health Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Previously, Dr. Veniegas was an implementation scientist and researcher in academic departments of family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, psychology, and psychiatry. She received her Ph.D. in social psychology from UCLA.

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