News

March 1, 2023By Physicians for a Healthy California General

As we settle into the new year, Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC; formerly known as the California Medical Association Foundation) is looking forward to celebrating its 60th anniversary. We have a lot to be proud of as we look back on the six decades of service and financial support that California's physician community has provided the Golden State.

Since its founding in 1963, PHC has evolved to become a key place for medical students, residents and residency programs, and young physicians to turn to in support of their desire to serve California patients and the public health – especially in California’s increasingly diverse communities. 

At the same time, we know that the COVID-19 public health emergency has uncovered deficiencies in California’s ability to provide high-quality health care to all who need it, regardless of their ability to pay. We have an obligation and an opportunity to continue to evolve PHC to even better serve our state and its physician workforce.

So as we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we are also spending important time reflecting on where we want to be in the years to come. That work began in earnest last year as we launched our strategic planning process with a focus on amplifying PHC's successes and leveraging them to develop even greater investments in the important programs that are the cornerstone of PHC’s legacy. 

To that end, I’m pleased to welcome our new Chief Strategy Officer, Emmie Johnson, to the PHC team. Emmie brings more than two decades of experience advocating for health care programs that improve the affordability of and access to care for all. In her role, she’ll partner with me, our Programs Committee and the board in bringing our strategic planning process to fruition and launching programs and partnerships that will carry PHC well into the future.

We look forward to sharing more about our plans to celebrate our 60th anniversary in the months to come.

Lupe Alonzo-Diaz
President and Chief Executive Officer
Physicians for a Healthy California