Salinas Valley Health Board of Directors Adds Subject Matter Experts to Committees, Increasing Public Involvement in Governance

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

Salinas Valley Health’s (Salinas Valley Health) publicly elected Board of Directors is adding subject matter experts to board committees to further the expertise and community involvement in District governance. In the past, Salinas Valley Health Board Committees were comprised of two elected Board members as well as Salinas Valley Health administrative staff. The expanded committees will now include a Salinas Valley Health physician, as well as members of the community who have a background in the committee subject area. Committees make recommendations to the full Board, and all final decision-making power rests with the five publicly elected directors.

“Considering the current pace of change and transformation in our industry, it is prudent to leverage the experience of community leaders from various sectors that have successfully managed similar challenges to those we face,” says Rafael Garcia, President of the Salinas Valley Health Board of Directors. “The Central Coast community is rich with skilled professionals whose varied backgrounds will provide important input to Board members as we oversee the future of this organization and the health of our community.”

Following a public vote in December 2014 to expand the number of committees serving the Board, and subsequent public votes to modify the charters of those committees to include subject matter experts, new committee members will begin work this month. The committees reporting to the Board are as follows:

• Quality and Efficient Practices
• Personnel, Pension, and Investment
• Compliance and Audit
• Finance
• Transformation and Strategic Planning
• Community Advocacy (new)
• Governance (new)

“I applaud the Board of Directors for increasing the depth and breadth of committee knowledge and gaining input from community members who are subject matter experts,” says Salinas Valley Health President/CEO, Pete Delgado. “The Board has voted to access a valuable resource to better inform their decision making and at the same time increase community input in their governing of this valuable community asset.”

The subject matter experts who will begin their committee work this month are:

Personnel, Pension & Investment Committee:

Karen Hendricks
Chief Human Resources Officer
Carmel Unified School District

Jason Phillips
Vice President of HR Shared Services
Kaiser Permanente

Finance Committee:

Mike Wilson
President/CEO, Director
Pacific Valley Bank

Harry Wardwell
Executive Vice President
Rabobank, N.A.

Glenn Berry, MD
Salinas Valley Health Anesthesiologist

Quality & Efficient Practices Committee:

Travis Pendleton
Vice President of Demand, Supply and Ecosystems

Michele Averill
CEO
American Red Cross of the Central Coast

David Ramos, MD
Salinas Valley Health Vice Chief of Staff, Emergency Department Physician

Transformation & Strategic Planning Committee:

Nik Greenson, MD
Salinas Valley Health co-Chair Salinas Valley Health Department of Emergency Services

Additional subject matter experts to be identified

Community Advocacy Committee:

Misty Navarro, MD
Salinas Valley Health Emergency Room Physician

Additional subject matter experts to be identified

“Serving as a Director on a healthcare system board is more complex than ever,” says Garcia. “It is also more important than ever. As stewards of an indispensable community asset, our Board continues to lead change necessary for exceptional performance. We appreciate the valuable time and input our new committee members will be devoting to our Healthcare System and to the future health of our community.”