(Sacramento, Calif.) - Todd Suntrapak, President and CEO of Valley Children’s Healthcare in Madera, has been elected 2023 chair of the California Hospital Association’s Board of Trustees. Suntrapak, who has been with Valley Children’s for more than 25 years, was named CEO in 2012 after serving in various leadership positions. He has championed the organization’s commitment to providing highly specialized and comprehensive pediatric care to 1.3 million children throughout California’s Central Valley.
Suntrapak, who holds a master’s degree in health care management and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from California State University, Fresno, also is a sought-after lecturer for university courses, business roundtables, and national conferences on topics such as pediatric system transformation, health care policy, and leadership. Leading a team of 640 physicians, 3,500 staff, and nearly 800 volunteers and guild members, Suntrapak’s leadership has led to Valley Children’s being named by Becker’s Healthcare as one of the “150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare.”
“In addition to the exceptional privilege I’ve been given to chair the association, I view the honor through the lens of the central role society has entrusted in our institutions,” Suntrapak said. “While the pandemic highlighted the critical role California’s hospitals played in a challenging time, it also underscored our long record of setting high standards of providing paramount health care for the individual well-being of patients. Our hospitals have been historic community anchors — serving as respites in crises, strengthening families, and unfailingly collaborating as active partners in sustaining the economic force of our state. This is one of the singular moments in which health care issues are testing our profession, our researchers, our educational system, and our policymakers. Consequently, I am especially honored to join with my colleagues — hospital leaders of distinction — to work with an extraordinarily talented CHA staff to be creative and tireless in promoting and advocating policies that help generate superior health care for our fellow Californians.”
Joining Suntrapak as CHA officers for 2023 are Chair-Elect Kerry Heinrich, President & CEO of Adventist Health, headquartered in Roseville; and Secretary/Treasurer Siri Nelson, President & CEO of Marshall Medical Center in Placerville.
“As California hospitals continue to face unprecedented workforce and financial challenges, the road to recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is going to be long and difficult,” said CHA President & CEO Carmela Coyle. “CHA is fortunate to have this group of experienced and innovative health care leaders serving on our board during these difficult times.”
Other members of the 2023 CHA Board are:
- Brian Alexander, Hospital Area CEO, North Valley, Sutter Health
- Joe Avelino, CEO, College Medical Center, Long Beach
- Elaine Batchlor, MD, CEO, MLK Community Healthcare, Los Angeles
- Kavitha Bhatia, MD, President & Chair, Prime Healthcare Foundation, and CMO of Strategy, Prime Healthcare, Ontario
- Janelle Blanco, Executive Director, United Hospital Association, La Cañada
- Carolyn Caldwell, Hospital President & CEO, St. Mary Medical Center, Long Beach
- Laureen Driscoll, Interim Division Chief Executive, Providence – California*
- Susan Ehrlich, MD, CEO, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco
- David Entwistle, President & CEO, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto
- Patrick Frias, MD, President & CEO, Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego
- Tom Gammiere, Corporate SVP & Regional Chief Executive, South, Scripps Health, San Diego
- Michelle Gaskill-Hames, RN, COO/SVP and Chief Strategy, Growth and Experience Officer, Kaiser Permanente Southern California & Hawaii
- Diane Hansen, President & CEO, Palomar Health, Escondido
- Gary Honts, CEO, JFK Memorial Hospital, Indio
- Christopher “Chris” Howard, President & CEO, Sharp HealthCare, San Diego
- James E.T. Jackson, CEO, Alameda Health System, Oakland
- Mary Jo Jacobson, CEO, San Joaquin Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Fresno
- David Klein, MD, CEO MarinHealth Medical Center, Greenbrae*
- Marcel Loh, President, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Los Angeles*
- Marcia Manker, CEO, MemorialCare, Orange County Region
- Patty Maysent, CEO, UC San Diego Health, San Diego
- Lori Morgan, MD, President & CEO, Huntington Hospital, Pasadena
- Brad Neet, Group Vice President, Southern California, Universal Health Services, Temecula
- Jorge Orozco, CEO, LAC+USC Medical Center, Los Angeles
- Carrie Owen-Plietz, President, Northern California Region, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland*
- JoDee Read, CEO, Plumas District Hospital, Quincy
- Johnese Spisso, President, UCLA Health and CEO, UCLA Hospital System, Los Angeles*
- Julie Sprengel, Southern California Division President/CEO, Dignity Health Hospitals, Los Angeles
- Warner Thomas, President & CEO, Sutter Health, Sacramento*
- Paul Viviano, President & CEO, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
- Louis Ward, COO/Administrator, Tahoe Forest Health District, Truckee
- Darlene Wetton, CEO, Temecula Valley Hospital, Temecula
- Mike Wiltermood, President & CEO, Enloe Medical Center, Chico
*Indicates new CHA board member for 2023
One of the largest health care trade associations in the nation, CHA represents more than 400 hospitals and health systems in California. The association advocates for patients and hospitals, promotes public health policy, and represents hospitals at the state and federal levels. CHA has offices in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
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