Staff

Lupe Alonzo-Diaz

Lupe Alonzo-DiazPresident & Chief Executive Officer

Lupe Alonzo-Diaz serves as the President & CEO of Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC). In her existing role, she provides leadership and direction to the overall mission and vision of the organization. Prior to her role at PHC, she was the Deputy Director of Administration for the Department of State Hospitals where she oversaw the daily operations of five state hospitals with a $1.4 billion budget and over 11,000 employees. Before this, she served in various leadership roles at the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), including in acting capacities as the Chief Deputy Director and Deputy Director of Administration. At OSHPD, she also led the state’s efforts on health workforce development overseeing various programs and grants increasing access to care in underserved areas as its Deputy Director of Healthcare Workforce Development. Ms. Alonzo-Diaz initially came to state government as a gubernatorial appointee for the Health Professions Education Foundation as its Executive Director. Prior to public service, she held various leadership positions with the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, Western Center for Law and Poverty, Children’s Advocacy Institute and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Lupe earned a Master’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley. She lives in Elk Grove with her husband, two boys, her mother, her sons’ dog and her mother’s bird.

Lance R. Lewis

Lance R. LewisChief Financial Officer

Lance R. Lewis is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Physicans For A Healthy California (PHC). He is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day financial planning, accounting and financial reporting of PHC working in concert with the President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Lewis also the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the California Medical Association (CMA). A veteran member of the CMA staff for more than 19 years, Mr. Lewis is responsible for the administrative and operational support centers of the organization, including the departments of Governance, Finance and Administration, Human Resources, Information Technology and Facilities Management. He is also the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the CMA and its Affiliates, which comprise more than a dozen non-profit and for-profit companies. Mr. Lewis was named CFO of the Year by the Sacramento Business Journal in 2017. Mr. Lewis earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara and his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. [Full Bio]

Jennifer Turner

Jennifer TurnerSenior Director of Operations

Jennifer Turner is the Senior Director of Operations for Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC). Jennifer provides operational support for all PHC initiatives, while upholding the PHC mission of “improving community health, growing a diverse physician workforce and promoting health equity.” Jennifer is a native of the great state of California. She has acquired over 21 years of operational leadership experience within the healthcare industry. In her previous roles, she managed several primary care and specialty offices within an ambulatory setting. She also had direct oversight of three large call centers and a fulfillment department responsible for contractually supporting disease management efforts across the nation for a number of well-established health insurance companies. Jennifer earned her bachelors degree in Business Administration from Liberty University.

May Yang

May YangExecutive Coordinator

May Yang is the Executive Coordinator to the President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC). May has an extensive background in administrative support and assisting in operational excellence having previously worked for over 13 years as an Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of HISCO, Inc. As the Executive Coordinator, May helps provide support to the President & CEO, assists with operational needs for the programs and identifies and implements efficiencies. Outside of work, May enjoys spending time with extended family and exploring the outdoors with her constantly curious young son.

Dennis Cuevas-Romero

Dennis Cuevas-RomeroPHC Director of Government Relations

Dennis Cuevas-Romero is the Director of Government Relations for Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC). Dennis provides strategic guidance and direction for the organization’s legislative and budget advocacy. Prior to joining the CMA, Dennis worked at the ACLU Center for Advocacy and Policy working on police practices and homelessness issues. Dennis was also appointed by former Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr. as the deputy director for legislation at the California Department of Consumer Affairs. Over his time as a public policy advocate, Dennis has helped enact more than 25 pieces of legislation into law. He is most proud of his work on reducing the adverse immigration consequences related to one-year misdemeanor convictions, fighting for overtime rights for domestic workers, and helping pass one of the strongest sexual health education laws in the country. Dennis has a Bachelor’s Degree from UC Berkeley and a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. In his spare time, Dennis loves spending time with his family and is an avid basketball player, runner, and hiker. He enjoys traveling and hopes to visit all seven continents one day.

Manuel Perez

Manuel Pérez, Esq.PHC Regulatory Compliance Officer

Manuel Perez (Manny) is the Regulatory Compliance Officer for Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC). He is responsible for developing and implementing PHC’s compliance program, drafting and reviewing policies and procedures for PHC programs, and assisting in program audits amongst other duties. Manuel has a Bachelor’s degree in Government, received his Juris Doctorate (JD) from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in May 2018 and was admitted to the California Bar in December 2019.

Sumedha Gulati

Sumedha GulatiDirector of Strategic Initiatives

Sumedha Gulati is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC). In this role, she leads a team that focuses on PHC's strategic priorities in physician diversity, health equity, and business development. She previously served as PHC's Associate GME Program Director and Strategic Initiatives Coordinator. Sumedha came to PHC with ten years of experience in the healthcare industry, including eight years as an operations manager for the Radiology, Lab/Pathology, and Nursing departments in the VA’s Veterans Health Administration. Sumedha earned a Bachelor’s degree from Emory University and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Currently, she is pursuing her Masters in Business Administration from the University of California at Davis. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and traveling with her hubby and two kids, trying a variety of cuisines, and spending time with family and friends.

Robin Simpson

Robin SimpsonCalMedForce Program Director

Robin Simpson is the Program Director for CalMedForce. Robin comes to Physicians for a Healthy California with over 14 years of nonprofit and leadership experience. She previously worked at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services as Director of Volunteer Services and Community Engagement, overseeing a volunteer corps of over 10,000. Robin’s responsibilities included volunteer recruitment, staff training, and developing strategic partnerships with community groups. She enjoys leading teams through organizational growth and change. Robin holds a Bachelor’s in International Relations and Spanish from UC Davis. She earned a Certification for Volunteer Administration in 2012. Currently, she is pursuing her Master of Public Administration at McGeorge School of Law. When she’s not working, Robin is outside exploring nature with her hubby, two kids, and her dog.

David Kert

David KertCalMedForce Program Analyst

David Kert is a Program Analyst for CalMedForce, the Graduate Medical Education Program (GME) for PHC. He is responsible for grant application data management and analysis, research and development of the grant application, drafting policies, and social media management. Prior to his role at PHC, he was an administrative analyst for CalMHSA and George Hills Company. He analyzed contracts, insurance certificates, and grants, and drafted various policies. David has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Nevada-Reno, and has won the Capital One Mascot Challenge. David enjoys gardening, making costumes for events, and loves to travel.

Victoria Chesley

Victoria ChesleyCalMedForce Program Analyst

Victoria Chesley is a Program Analyst for CalMedForce, the Graduate Medical Education Program (GME) for PHC. She is responsible for awardee monitoring, grant application analysis, and program development. Prior to her role at PHC, she served as an analyst for various institutions, including Stanford University, the University of the Pacific, and the California Department of Managed Health Care. Victoria has a Bachelor’s in Political Science and Public Policy from the University of Redlands and a Master’s in Public Policy from McGeorge School of Law.

Fernando Gomez

Liberty

Fernando GomezCalMedForce Program Analyst

Fernando Gomez is a Program Analyst for CalMedForce, The Graduate Medical Education Program (GME) for PHC. He is responsible for awardee monitoring, grant application analysis, and program development. Prior to his role at PHC, he was an analyst for the California Department of Justice Bureau of Firearms Section where he provided technical assistance to California firearm dealers, certified instructors, law enforcement agencies, and the public. Fernando has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Sacramento State and is currently working on his Master’s in Program Evaluation and Data Analytics from Arizona State University.

Liberty Bautista CalMedForce Program Coordinator

Liberty Bautista is the Program Coordinator for CalMedForce, the Graduate Medical Education Program (GME) for PHC. She provides administrative and operational support to the CalMedForce program and coordinates logistics for CalMedForce board, Advisory Council, and other stakeholder meetings. She is also responsible for drafting documentation and prepares materials for meetings. Prior to her role at PHC, she completed her certification in Phlebotomy and worked as a phlebotomist throughout the Sacramento region. Additionally, she has over 5 years of administrative experience. She is currently in school pursing her nursing degree to become a sports nurse. When she is not working, Liberty enjoys spending her free time with her daughter and puppy. She enjoys traveling, training Muay Thai (Thai boxing), recording podcast and dancing.

Nicole Pierce

Nicole PierceCalHealthCares Program Coordinator

Nicole Pierce is the Program Coordinator for CalHealthCares, the Loan Repayment Program (LRP), for PHC. She assists with processing forms, communication with prospective applicants, and scheduling. She has over 11 years of experience doing administrative work in both the public and private sectors. Outside of work, Nicole loves video games and spending time with her two spoiled cats.

Max Huynh

Max HuynhCalHealthCares Program Analyst

Max Huynh is the Program Analyst for CalHealthCares, the Loan Repayment Program (LRP) for PHC. He is responsible for loan repayment application data, research, and analysis. Prior to his role at PHC, Max was Researcher for a consulting firm in Folsom. There he provided market intelligence to private firms around the use of new technology in government. Max has graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from UC Davis and is currently working on his Masters in Public Administration at McGeorge School of Law.

Dasha Tsakke

Dasha TsakkeCalHealthCares Program Analyst

Dasha Tsakke is a Program Analyst for CalHealthCares, the Loan Repayment Program (LRP) for PHC. She assists with monitoring awardees, creating program materials, and conducting data analyses. Prior to her role at PHC, Dasha collaborated on research studies with UCLA and UC Davis. She has also assisted with program development and tracking for students with disabilities and students in research assistantships. Dasha graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree of Psychology and a Spanish minor from Sacramento State. She has an eclectic mix of interests that include outdoor recreation, wilderness first aid, poetry, creative Adobe platforms, and new languages!

Tiffani Saechou

Karen Palmiter

Tiffani SaechouCalHealthCares Program Analyst

Tiffani Saechou is a Program Analyst for CalHealthCares, the Loan Repayment Program (LRP) for PHC. She assists with monitoring awardees, supporting communications needs, and producing data visualizations. Tiffani graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and a minor in Communication from Saint Mary’s College and just recently obtained her Master’s in Public Administration from McGeorge School of Law. Outside of PHC, Tiffani enjoys watching and reviewing films, cooking and baking, and listening to Taylor Swift.

Karen PalmiterBusiness Developement Director

Karen Palmiter is a Business Development Coordinator on the Strategic Initiatives team at Physicians for a Healthy California. She also supports business development and joint providerships for the Continued Medical Education team. Prior to her role at PHC, she spent more than six years in development at the California Dental Association Foundation (CDA) supporting their CDA Cares, Disaster Relief and Student Loan Repayment programs. As a founding partner in a professional staffing company serving the dental, legal and medical professions, Karen built strong long-term relationships with small and large practices, local and state agencies and other entities over the last 20 years. She also created, developed and implemented a continuing education program with an outreach to 20,000 dental professionals in northern California. Always focused on learning and improving, Karen is a huge proponent of personal and professional development. She is a Memphis State University alum and has completed hundreds of hours of professional training. Her wide variety of interests include outdoor activities, sewing, traveling and spending time with her family.