SPEAKER LINEUP

The Region IX Clinical Excellence Conference is bringing together respected clinical and administrative members of the health center community and beyond to present and discuss timely issues facing the nation's healthcare systems. These industry innovators and leaders have been expertly vetted to provide you with an unforgettable learning experience covering a wide range of topics. 
OPENING GENERAL SESSION Monday, June 5th
​Conference Blessing and the Role of Tradition and Ceremony in Primary Care
Carlos Gonzales, MD, FAAFP, Assitant Dean, Curricular Affairs
University of Arizona, Tuscon
Carlos is an Adviser on Traditional Indian-Western Medicine Collaboration at the College and
has previously held the position of Medical Director at the El Rio Neighborhood CHC. In 1997,
he was Arizona Family Physician of the Year, and has served on the AAFP Board of Directors. In
addition, he was initiated into the Association of American Indian Physicians.​
My Journey as a Clinical Leader
Ron Yee, MD, MBA, FAAFP, Chief Medical Officer
National Association of Community Health Centers
Dr. Yee received his MD from Oral Roberts University, obtained his MBA from Golden Gate
University, and achieved the distinguished Degree of Fellow of the American Academy of Family
Physicians. Prior to joining NACHC, Ron was employed by United Health Centers, a Community-
Migrant health center in California, for two decades. Through these years of service, Dr. Yee
developed a passion for patient care and communicates a unique blend of clinical practice style
efficiency, care team focus, practical financial applications, and organizational transformation.​
GENERAL SESSION Monday, June 4th

Strengthening and Sustaining Practice Transformation
Jay W. Lee, MD, MPH, FAAFP, Chief Medical Officer,
Venice Family Clinic

Jay W. Lee, MD, MPH, FAAFP, is Chief Medical Officer at Venice Family Clinic. Founded in 1970, Venice Family Clinic fulfills its mission to provide quality primary care to people in need by serving over 26,000 vulnerable patients at twelve sites in Los Angeles, CA. Before joining the leadership team at Venice Family Clinic, Dr. Lee was Director of Health Policy and Assistant Program Director at the Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program and Associate Medical Director of Practice Transformation at MemorialCare Medical Group, where he led implementation of the patient-centered medical home model in practice sites from Long Beach to San Clemente. He is active in physician leadership having served as 2015-2016 President of the California Academy of Family Physicians and is a member of Family Medicine for America's Health Core Tactic Team on Practice Transformation and Cross-Tactic Team on Health Equity. Dr. Lee is board-certified in Family Medicine and is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
Keith Parker, Chief Information Officer
​Health Current

As the CIO, Mr. Parker is responsible for all information system functions at Health Current, which include core HIE services, as well as population health and data analytics. Mr. Parker Joined Health Current in November 2015 and has over 30 years’ experience in healthcare. His area of expertise is in health information technology implementation and use, process improvement, along with change management methodology and implementation in healthcare. He holds undergraduate degrees in business administration, economics and an MBA from Saint Martin’s University.
Caleb Sandford, MBA, Chief Operations Officer
Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, Inc.

Caleb Sandford joined the executive leadership team at Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center in September 2016. In his role as Chief Operations Officer (COO), Caleb is responsible for the operational success of the organization, and for improving access to health services for patients.  He has successfully led initiatives in empanelment, reducing appointment no-shows, bi-directional texting with patients, call center optimization, team-based care, and pre-visit planning.​
CLOSING SESSION Tuesday, June 5th
A Personal Narrative of Addiction and Recovery
​​Katie Hirst, MD, trained in Family Medicine and Psychiatry at UCSD's Combined Residency Program. She established the UCSD Maternal Mental Health Clinic in 2007, treating women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. She left UCSD in 2013 and now works in private practice at Bold Health in Encinitas, CA, where she teaches Mindfulness Meditation and focuses her psychiatric practice on substance use disorders and women's reproductive mental health.
Katie Hirst, MD, Psychiatrist
BOLD Health

Breakout Session Speakers

John Bachman, PhD
Trouble Shooting MAT Integration
Carl Heard, MD, MMM
Using Integrated Behavioral Health as a Template for Organizational Development
Teena-Marie
​Benitez-Gonzalez
Lessons Learned from an Employer-Driven Partnership Between a Workforce Development Non-Profit and La Clinica de la Raza
Leinaala Kanana
Bridging the Gap: Lessons from Assessing and Addressing the Social Determinants of Health
Tyree Davis, DDS
True Integration: Oral Health and Behavioral Health
Chrisina Lasich, MD
Troubleshooting MAT Integration
Agi Erickson, MS
If You Build It, Change Will Come: Building a Strong Quality Improvement Foundation for Implementing Dynamic Change
Huong Le, DDS, MA
True Integration: Oral Health and Behavioral Health
Patti Feeney, MS
If You Build It, Change Will Come: Building a Strong Quality Improvement Foundation for Implementing Dynamic Change
Dorit Leavitt, MPH
Lessons Learned from an Employer-Driven Partnership Between a Workforce Development Non-Profit and La Clinica de la Raza
Viola Lujan
Bridging the Gap: Lessons from Assessing and Addressing the Social Determinants of Health
Patricia Patrón
Bridging the Gap: Lessons from Assessing and Addressing the Social Determinants of Health
Javier Luna, PhD
Using Integrated Behavioral Health as a Template for Organizational Development 
Eladio Pereira, MD, MBA, FACP
True Integration: Oral Health and Behavioral Health
Anna Marjavi
Project Catalyst and Improving Health Outcomes Through Violence Prevention
Terri Stratton, MPH
Troubleshooting MAT Integration
Melissa Marshall, MD
Project Catalyst and Improving Health Outcomes Through Violence Prevention
Jackie Wong, LCSW
True Integration: Oral Health and Behavioral Health
Anitha Mullangi, MD, MHCM, FAAFP
Why is Organizational Structure and Design Important
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C​alifornia Primary Care Association
​The California Primary Care Association (CPCA) represents more than 1,300 not-for-profit Community Health Centers and Regional Clinic Associations who provide comprehensive, quality health care services, particularly for low-income, uninsured and underserved Californians, who might otherwise not have access to health care.
​Western Clinicians Network
​The Western Clinicians Network (WCN) is a peer-led, volunteer, professional association of medical and dental leaders of community health centers in Region IX of the Bureau of Primary Health Care. WCN members are clinical leaders driving improvements in preventative and chronic disease care in community health centers and working to develop integrated systems of care and a health home for the medically underserved members of our community.
Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers
AACHC has served as Arizona’s Primary Care Association since 1985 and continuously strives to fulfill its mission of promoting and facilitating the development and delivery of affordable and accessible community-oriented, high quality, culturally effective primary healthcare for everyone in the state of Arizona through advocacy, education, and technical assistance.