In the Spotlight is a HASC-produced series profiling people connected to the association who produce innovative, impactful work in their communities. Segments comprise a combination of audio, visual and/or written pieces.
If you have questions or would like to suggest an In The Spotlight feature, please contact Adam Blackstone.
MLK Community Healthcare’s Cultural Diversity Initiative
In our newest podcast, Susan Harrington, Communities Lifting Communities, speaks with Signe Gilbert and Rachel Villanueva, MLK Community Healthcare, about their groundbreaking initiatives on cultural diversity in the workplace.
Hospital Supplier Diversity Initiative Series, Part Three
Part three of our Supplier Diversity podcast series features Audrey Chang, vendor diversity program specialist, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, and Flora Mayer, manager of supplier diversity, City of Hope. Our guest speakers discuss their experiences in helping their hospitals expand purchasing practices to include more diverse-owned businesses.
Samantha Calvin, PhD(c), on Human Trafficking and Health Care
In this edition of In the Spotlight, HASC’s Teri Hollingsworth speaks with Samantha Calvin, PhD(c), about the connections between human trafficking and health care. Calvin is co-leading HASC’s Essential Human Trafficking Training in Health Care workshops in 2024. The workshops are open to HASC members, law enforcement staff, social services and community based organizations, and anyone who may work with trafficking survivors. Register now for the May 8 workshop in Oxnard.
Hospital Supplier Diversity Initiative Series, Part Two
In part two of our Supplier Diversity podcast series, Gus Escutia, Quality Environmental, Inc., and Chico Manning, PIH Health, speak with HASC’s Adam Blackstone. The two described how they met and have formed a successful purchasing relationship over the past few years. Escutia and Manning are involved with Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) and HASC’s Hospital Supplier Diversity Initiative.
Hospital Supplier Diversity Initiative Series, Part One
In this segment of In the Spotlight, HASC hospital members discuss their efforts to increase business with diverse-owned suppliers. Matthew D. Freede, Kaiser Permanente; Andrew Kwok, Cedars-Sinai; and Mikel Whittier, UCLA Health, speak with HASC’s Adam Blackstone about best practices and lessons learned. As part of HASC and CLC’s Supplier Diversity Initiative, the three are helping to advance health care equity in the region.
LA Partnership and Communities Lifting Communities
In this edition of In the Spotlight, HASC President George Greene speaks with members of the Focus on Homelessness in Los Angeles County collaborative. The program is a joint initiative of Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) and the Los Angeles County Community Health Assessment and Action Partnership (LA Partnership). It unites 30-plus hospitals, health systems, public health departments and community partners aiming to address the region’s continuing homelessness crisis.
Felita Jones, EdD, National Health Foundation (NHF)
Felita Jones, EdD, joined NHF as president and CEO on Aug. 15, 2022. A few weeks into her new role, Dr. Jones shared with HASC’s communications team about what has inspired her life’s work, NHF’s current projects and her vision for the organization’s future.
Lisa Mitchell, HASC
Program Director, Workforce Development
In this edition of In the Spotlight, Lisa Mitchell joins Rebecca Evans, Executive Director of the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County, for a conversation on the county’s employment needs.
Teri Hollingsworth, HASC
Vice President of Human Resources and Education Services
In this issue of In the Spotlight, Teri Hollingsworth is interviewed on KVTA Radio’s Workforce Wednesdays segment. Teri and Cynthia Avila of the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County, HASC’s partner, discussed the Virtual Healthcare Job Fair taking place on Wednesday, June 29.
Read more: HASC Briefs item
Megan Barajas, HASC
Regional Vice President, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties
As HASC’s newest regional vice president, Megan Barajas covers Riverside and San Bernardino counties, the latter of which is almost the size of West Virginia. Barajas is a local, having graduated from high school in Moreno Valley, just east of Riverside. Her path to this role has been unique — she joined the association in 2015 and served as the area’s regional assistant for six years.
Regina Chinsio-Kwong, DO, OC Health Care Agency
Deputy County Health Officer
Since joining the County of Orange, Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong has played a leading role in communicating COVID-19 pandemic information. In this issue of In the Spotlight (including a podcast supplement), she discussed the 2021–22 Omicron variant surge and her sense of mission in communicating science-based information. “We have a role in standing our ground (against misinformation) and making sure that we can give the right recommendations to the community,” she said.
Cathy Chidester, LA County Emergency Medical Services
Executive Director
Cathy Chidester has seen a lot in her 14 years leading Los Angeles County’s EMS agency. But the COVID-19 surge in the winter of 2020–21 topped the list. Yet despite the severe conditions faced by patients and care professionals, hospitals never had to implement crisis standards, which would have forced doctors to make life-and-death triage choices.
Aizita Magaña, L.A. County Department of Public Health
Director of Planning and Public Partnerships, Vaccine Preventable Disease Control Program
Aizita Magaña played a lead role in L.A. County’s fight against COVID-19, overseeing the delivery of vaccines across the region in 2021. In this issue of In the Spotlight, she discussed her part in one of Southern California’s most critical vaccination efforts of the past century.
Michael Marelli, Southern California Edison
Vice President, Business Customer Service
In this issue of In the Spotlight, Mike Marelli reflected on the ongoing pandemic, climate change, the state’s energy needs and other timely issues. As a representative of a wide-ranging utility company, he provided an insight into public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) in Southern California, especially as they pertain to hospital operation.
Read more: HASC Briefs item
Stanley K. Frencher, Jr., MD, Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital
Medical Director of Surgical Outcomes and Quality
In this issue of In the Spotlight, Dr. Frencher reflected on the ongoing pandemic, health and care, and several personal stories. He dug deep and provided insights as to why patients are delaying care during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more: HASC Briefs item
Susan Taylor, College Hospital Costa Mesa
President/CEO
In this issue of In the Spotlight, Susan Taylor reflected on the ongoing pandemic and recounted her push to open one of the region’s first Crisis Stabilization Units. These facilities help support thousands of residents who experience mental and behavioral health challenges – and who mainly turn to hospital EDs for care.
Read more: HASC Briefs item
Susan Harrington, Communities Lifting Communities (CLC)
Executive Director
In this issue of In the Spotlight, Susan Harrington discussed CLC — a HASC initiative aimed at addressing health disparities and upstream factors affecting diabetes, preterm births and other public health challenges. She also discussed the importance of regional strategic partnerships between hospitals and health systems, health plans, public health departments, community-based organizations, community development organizations and community members to meet initiative goals.
Read more: HASC Briefs item
Summary: PDF