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¡Salud por Vida!

2015 BIENNIAL CONFERENCE

JANUARY 16, 2015

LOS ANGELES, CA

#SALUDPORVIDA

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SPONSORS THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS ¡SALUD POR VIDA! SPONSORS

conference sponsors

PLATINUM LEVEL

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SILVER LEVEL

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PARTNER

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get connected

Latino Coalition for a Healthy California @LCHC_CA

Visit www.lchc.org/get-involved to stay involved!

Sign up for updates and alerts

Impact policy via the rapid response network

Support our work by making a donation

STAY IN TOUCH Join the conversation today and keep the discussion moving forward

online by using the hashtag #SaludporVida on Twitter and Facebook!

Latino Coalition for a Healthy California 1225 8th St., Suite 375

Sacramento, CA 95814

(p) 916.448.3234

(f) 916.448.3248

www.lchc.org

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leadership team

Genoveva Islas, MPH

LCHC Board Chair

Cultiva LaSalud

Xochitl Castañeda

Health Initiatives of the Americas

UC Berkeley, School of Public

Health

Carmela Castellano-García, Esq.

California Primary Care Association

Irma Cota, MPH

North County Health Services

Robert García, Esq.

The City Project

Howard Kahn

LA Care Health Plan

Mary Maddux-Gonzalez, MD, MPH

Redwood Community Health

Carmen Nevarez, MD, MPH

Public Health Institute

Michael Rodríguez, MD, MPH

UCLA Dept. of Family Medicine

Brenda Solórzano, Esq.

Blue Shield of California Foundation

Adela de la Torre, PhD

University of California, Davis

LCHC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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Welcome to LCHC’s ¡Salud por Vida! Conference!

We are very excited to host the Salud por

Vida conference in partnership with many of

our closest advocate partners and allies who

work tirelessly to advance health justice. At

its core, this conference is designed to help

us move beyond the status quo of health

inequity— where the social and economic

conditions where we live, work, learn and

play result in the health disparities endemic

to many of our communities and determine

our life expectancies.

When we consider that among California Latinos, heart disease, cancer, stroke,

and type 2 diabetes account for over 54% of all deaths, we are stirred to action.

That these diseases are all preventable adds even more urgency to our work.

With the conscious understanding that the complex roots of good health are

determined both by access to affordable health care as well as by environmen-

tal factors and opportunities, we believe that no single organization—working in

isolation—can improve the current status quo of health disparities.

Fortunately for our community, there are many advocates working to make

positive change. It is our pleasure to bring together thought and action leaders

to highlight all that is right with the world and the incredible work taking place in

our backyards to improve health and equity for all.

I want to thank LCHC’s Board members for their guidance in helping to plan the

conference, our sponsors who continue to show their unwavering commitment

to improve Latino health, our allies and partners who bring their passion and

knowledge about what works, and our staff, whose hard work and dedication

have made today possible.

¡Adelante!

welcome

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AGENDA

8:00 - 9:00 AM Breakfast & Registration

9:00 - 9:30 AM Welcome & Opening Remarks

Xavier Morales, PhD, MRP, Executive Director, LCHC

Genoveva Islas, MPH, Board Chair, LCHC

9:30 - 10:00 AM Keynote Address

Sandra Hernández, MD, President & CEO, California HealthCare Foundation

10:15 - 11:45 AM Morning Breakout Sessions

The Immigrant Experience & Latino Health (Mojave Room)

Michael Rodríguez, MD, MPH (Moderator), Professor & Vice Chair, UCLA David

Geffen School of Medicine

Alvaro Huerta, Esq., Staff Attorney, National Immigration Law Center

Ronald Coleman, JD, Government Affairs Manager, California Immigrant Policy

Center (CIPC)

Alma Leyva, DRC Research Coordinator, UCLA Labor Center

Improving Latino Health through Educational Initiatives (Catalina Room)

Maria Guada(Lupe) Gallegos-Diaz, MSW (Moderator), Director, Chicana Latino

Student Development, University of California Berkeley

Maria Elena Meraz, Executive Director, Parent Institute for Quality Education

Catherine Martinez, CC Trainer/Coordinator, Puente Project

Angela Chen, PhD, Undocumented Student Programs Coordinator, UCLA

Claudia Vargas, Coordinator, UCLA CIRCLE Project

Increasing Food Security to Improve Latino Health (Yosemite Hall)

Justin Rausa, MPH (Moderator), Policy Director, Roots of Change

D’Artagnan Scorza, PhD, Executive Director, Social Justice Learning Institute

Frank Tamborello, Executive Director, Hunger Action Los Angeles

Climate Justice and Latino Health (Cabrillo Room)

Robert García, Esq. (Moderator), Founding Director & Counsel, The City Project

JR DeLaRosa, Assistant Secretary for Climate Change, California Natural

Resources Agency

Linda Escalante, Policy Advocate, National Resources Defense Council

Rafael Aguilera, Legislative Director, California State Assembly

Martha Guzman-Aceves, Deputy Legislative Secretary, Governor Brown’s

Office

conference snapshot

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12:00 - 1:00 PM Lunch & Keynote Address

Cástulo de la Rocha, JD, President & CEO, AltaMed

1:10 - 2:30 PM Afternoon Breakout Sessions

Innovative Strategies to Engage Youth in Policy & Systems Change (Catalina Room)

Brenda Solórzano, JD, (Moderator), Chief Program Director, Blue Shield of CA

Juan Gomez, Senior Policy & Strategy Analyst, MILPA

Sarah Fine, Project Director, The Bigger Picture

Luis Ojeda, Statewide Coordinator, California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance

How California’s Justice System can Partner to Improve Latino Health (Mojave Room)

Ignacio Hernández, Esq. (Moderator), Founder, Hernández Strategy Group

Fabian Debora, Substance Abuse Counselor, Homeboy Industries

Milena Blake, JD, Policy & Legislative Advocate, Californians for Safety and

Justice

Tiffany Johnson, Community Organizer, A New Way of Life

Anticipating Tomorrow’s Workforce Needs and Latino Health (Catalina Room)

Carmen Nevarez, MD, MPH (Moderator), VP of External Relations and

Preventive Medicine Advisor, Public Health Institute

Marco Lizarraga, Executive Director, La Cooperativa Campesina

Masha Chernyak, MPA, VP of Programs & Policy, Latino Community Foundation

Sarah de Guia, JD, Executive Director, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network

Maintaining California’s Safety Net and Getting to Health4All (Yosemite Hall)

Gil Ojeda (Moderator), Director, California Program on Access to Care

Nancy Gomez, Southern CA Program Director, Health Access

Betzabel Estudillo, MSW, Health Policy Coordinator, CIPC

Myra Gissel Durán, Policy Coordinator, California Latinas for Reproductive

3:45 - 4:00 PM Call to Action to Improve Latino Health

Xavier Morales, PhD, MRP, Executive Director, LCHC

2:45 - 3:45 PM Local Efforts to Address Chronic Disease Disparities by

Addressing Consumption of Sugar Loaded Beverages (Yosemite Hall)

4:00 PM Evaluations & Adjourn

Xavier Morales

(Moderator)

Martin Bourque

Sara Soka

Josh Daniels

Roberto Vargas

Larry Tramutola

Lolis Ramirez

Vicki Alexander

Christina Goette

Maureen Erwin

conference snapshot

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

10:15 - 11:45 AM Morning Breakout Sessions

The Immigrant Experience & Latino Health (Mojave Room)

This discussion explores the characteristics of immigrants and the impact of immigration

on health. Panelists will delve into the nuances of the immigrant experience and how we

can integrate this experience into efforts to improve Latino health. Topics discussed will

include: the state of immigration reform and existing uncertainties; the experience of

different immigrant groups within California and the United States; the role of narrative

and the need for research and narrative to come from within our communities.

Improving Latino Health through Educational Initiatives (Catalina Room)

This discussion covers the importance of educational initiatives that make space for

Latinos and support the health and wellness of our communities. Panelists will explore the

importance of education by looking at models for parent engagement; improving

transfer rates to four year universities among Latino youth; and discussing strategies for

student retention through creating safe spaces in schools.

Increasing Food Security to Improve Latino Health (Yosemite Hall)

Access to healthy, affordable food is an ongoing issue across California, especially for

communities of color and low-income communities. This panel will discuss strategies to

improve food access in order to prevent chronic disease and improve health. Panelists

will share examples of local programs in Los Angeles that are successfully increasing

access to nutritious foods, as well as cover statewide policy advocacy efforts that seek

to expand access to healthy, nutritious food for all.

Climate Justice and Latino Health (Cabrillo Room)

The quality of our physical environments undoubtedly impacts our health. This panel will

provide an overview of current climate justice issues related to the health of our air,

water, and physical spaces. Panelists will delve into strategies to improve the health of

communities living near potentially hazardous sites, as well as cover recommended

solutions such as increasing park space, revitalizing natural spaces, and ensuring that all

communities have the ability to advocate for the health of their neighborhoods.

session breakouts

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1:10 - 2:30 PM Afternoon Breakout Sessions

Innovative Strategies to Engage Youth in Policy & Systems Change (Catalina Room)

We know that youth engagement is critical to advancing Latino health, but how do we

engage youth most effectively? This panel will provide successful models that have

gained momentum within communities and across the state to bring youth into the fold

and keep them engaged in promoting health. Panelists will share what has worked to

inspire youth movements, ranging from focusing on self-identification, culture and artistic

expression, and how these efforts have inspired youth and created a critical movement

to address inequities in policies and systems that impact Latino health.

How California’s Justice System can Partner to Improve Latino Health (Mojave Room)

California’s justice system plays a major role in the health of our communities. By

partnering more effectively with health advocates, the system can be an effective lever

for change. Panelists will discuss strategies to move sentencing reform legislation

forward, such as Proposition 47 and Senate Bill 1310; ways that organizations can

provide services to parolees and the formerly incarcerated to prevent reentry; and how

public health can more effectively support women in the justice system.

Anticipating Tomorrow’s Workforce Needs and Latino Health (Cabrillo Room)

As California’s diverse population continues to age, demand for culturally and

linguistically appropriate healthcare will continue to increase. This panel will cover

current trends in California and how our workforce will need to adapt to meet the

health needs of tomorrow’s population. Topics will include a model for community-

based care via health promotores; understanding technology’s role in our changing

healthcare environment; and a discussion on how to ensure that new jobs in the health

field are distributed in communities of color.

Maintaining California’s Safety Net and Getting to Health4All (Yosemite Hall)

How many people are uninsured in California? This panel will attempt to answer this

complex question by providing an overview of California’s Health4All campaign suc-

cesses and next steps, as well as present on what California counties, such as Los Ange-

les and San Francisco, are doing to improve health for all. The panel will also provide

perspectives on advancing health for all through strategies that thoughtfully and inten-

tionally include young parents and immigrant Latinas.

2:45 - 3:45 PM Local Efforts to Address Chronic Disease Disparities by

Addressing Consumption of Sugar Loaded Beverages

LCHC is proud to host members of the Berkeley and San Francisco teams behind the efforts

to address the growing obesity and diabetes epidemics through taxing sugary drinks. With

Berkeley's Measure D winning over 75% of the vote, and San Francisco's Measure E captur-

ing over 55%, there are many lessons to be learned about what worked and what didn't

and how to advocate for the necessary support to advance local legislation.

session breakouts

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Opening Keynote—Dr. Sandra R. Hernández

Dr. Sandra R. Hernández became president and CEO

of the California HealthCare Foundation in January

2014. CHCF is an independent foundation with assets of

more than $700 million, headquartered in Oakland,

California, and dedicated to improving the health of

the people of California.

Prior to joining CHCF, Hernández was CEO of The San

Francisco Foundation, which she led for 16 years. She

previously served as director of public health for the

City and County of San Francisco.

Hernández is an assistant clinical professor at the Uni-

versity of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine and maintains a clinical practice at

San Francisco General Hospital in the AIDS clinic. She is a graduate of Yale University, the

Tufts School of Medicine, and the certificate program for senior executives in state and

local government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Originally from Tucson, Arizona, she spent much of her childhood in rural New Mexico with

her grandparents. There she came to honor and appreciate her Mexican culture and the

intrinsic values of community and public service. Her love of science and math was

nourished by her father, a self-educated engineer.

Hernández serves as a trustee of the Reno-based Asbestos Settlement Trusts and as an

independent director of First Republic Bank, Blue Shield of California, and the Blue Shield of

California Foundation. She is a member of the Public Policy Institute of California's

Statewide Leadership Council, the Yale University President's Council, the UCSF

Chancellor's Advisory Board, and the UCSF Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Advisory Board.

Her earlier affiliations include President Clinton's Commission on Consumer Protection and

Quality in the Healthcare Industry, and two Institute of Medicine committees — on the

Consequences of Uninsurance and on the Implementation of Antiviral Medication

Strategies for an Influenza Pandemic.

She is a former board member of Grantmakers In Health, the Council on Foundations, and

the California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB). She co-chaired San

Francisco's Universal Healthcare Council, which designed Healthy San Francisco, an

innovative health access program for the uninsured."

morning keynote

Dr. Michael A. Rodríguez is Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Family Medicine

at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Director of the UCLA Blum Center on

Poverty and Health in Latin America and Co-Director of the Center of Expertise on

Migration and Health. His research activities include ethnic/racial health disparities,

immigration, food insecurity, violence prevention, and development of research capacity

in low and middle income countries. He completed his undergraduate training at the

University of California, Berkeley; received his medical degree from the David Geffen

School of Medicine at UCLA; completed his residency at UC San Francisco's Family

Medicine Residency Program; received his Master of Public Health degree at the Johns

Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health; and was a Robert Wood Johnson

Clinical Scholar at Stanford University.

Alvaro M. Huerta defends and advances the rights of low-income immigrants and their

families to access quality health care as federal health care reform takes place. His

practice includes litigation on due process, equal protection and civil rights, and he is

currently co-counsel on cases challenging anti-immigrant state legislation. Before joining

NILC as a Skadden Fellow in 2011, Mr. Huerta clerked for Judge Harry Pregerson of the

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to law school, Mr. Huerta worked

at CHIRLA, where he directed the organization’s communications, community education,

and advocacy strategies at various levels: local, state, federal. Mr. Huerta holds a B.S.

from Yale College and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. He is the son and grandson of

Mexican immigrants to the United States.

Ronald Coleman is California Immigrant Policy Center’s Government Affairs Manager,

based in Sacramento. Formerly, Mr. Coleman was the Legislative and Policy Director for

the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), and most recently

with the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE). He has over 8

years’ experience advocating on a wide-range of issues to protect the interests of low

income communities and working families. Mr. Coleman received his Juris Doctorate from

Southern University Law Center, and his BA in Political Science from Xavier University of

Louisiana in New Orleans. He is also a member of the State Bar of New Jersey.

Alma Leyva is a research coordinator for the Healthy California Project at the Dream

Resource Center of the UCLA Labor Center. She is an undocumented muxer raised in

Orange County, California. She began doing health work as a Dream Summer intern at

Latino Health Access in 2012. At the Dream Resource Center, Alma was a lead researcher

on Undocumented and Uninsured: Immigrant Youth and the Struggle to Access Health

Care in California. Undocumented and Uninsured was the first statewide study by and

about immigrant youth and their access to health care. She is currently working on the

development of the third year of the Healthy California Dream Summer Cohort.

The Immigrant Experience & Latino Health

get connected

Lupe Gallegos-Diaz is currently the Director of Chicana Latino Student Development and a

Latino Community Affairs Liaison at the University of California, Berkeley. She teaches

courses in Chicano/Latino Studies and in the School of Social Work. She has served in

various leadership and advisory roles for a number of national and local organizations and

is currently the board chair to the Bay Area Hispanic Institute for Advancement. Mrs.

Gallegos-Diaz has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Santa Clara University; a

Master’s from the University of California, Berkeley in Social Work; and a Certificate of

Fundraising from the University of San Francisco.

Maria Elena Meraz is the Executive Director for the Los Angeles office of Parent Institute for

Quality Education (PIQE). Under her leadership, over 90,000 parents have graduated from

PIQE’s signature 9-week Parent Engagement in Education Program. Ms. Meraz has part-

nered with various community-based organizations, private foundations, and businesses to

improve the quality of education and the quality of lives of children and youth in Los

Angeles and Ventura counties. She is an alumna of Escuela Libre de Derecho, a law

school in Mexico, and an alumna of the National Hispana Leadership Institute. In 2012 Ms.

Meraz was recognized by La Opinion’s editorial series, Mujeres Destacadas and was also

nominated by the Eva Longoria Foundation as a Local Hero in the unite4:good national

campaign.

Catherine Martinez has been working professionally in the field of higher education for over

20 years at such institutions as CSU Fullerton, UC Riverside, UC Office of the President and

currently with UC Berkeley, coordinating academic preparation programs. She joined the

Puente Project staff in 2001 and has focused primarily on the program’s quality assurance,

training, and educational partnerships. She has provided numerous presentations to

students and parents on admissions requirements, financial aid, parenting skills, and study

skills to assist and motivate youth to attend college. In 2008, she co-founded the UCRP

Leadership Conference for community college students. She holds a B.A. in Child

Development and is currently a graduate student in Collaborative Educational Leadership.

Dr. Angela Chen is the Undocumented Student Program Director at University of California,

Los Angeles (UCLA) and has served as a consultant for various institutions that have sought

to create undocumented student resource centers on their campuses. Her research has

defined the concept of “institutional allies,” which has served as the basis of her work train-

ing student affairs practitioners throughout the University of California system.

Claudia Vargas was born in Michoacan, Mexico and immigrated to the United States 20

years ago with her parents and her younger brother. She was raised in Los Angeles

obtaining her undergraduate degree in Sociology and minor in Women’s Studies from

California State University Northridge. Ms. Vargas is currently finishing her second year of

graduate school at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health in the Community Health

Sciences Department. She also works at UCLA’s Bruin Resource Center as the CIRCLE

Project (Collective of Immigrant Resilience through Community-Led Empowerment)

coordinator for the Undocumented Student Program. After graduate school, Ms. Vargas’s

goal is to continue working in the field of immigrant health, helping the undocumented

community access comprehensive health services.

Improving Latino Health through Educational Initiatives

welcome

Robert García is an attorney who engages, educates, and empowers communities to

achieve equal access to public resources. He is the Founding Director and Counsel of The

City Project, a non-profit legal and policy advocacy team based in Los Angeles,

California. He has extensive experience in public policy and legal advocacy, mediation,

and litigation involving complex social justice, civil rights, human health, environmental,

education, and criminal justice matters. He has influenced the investment of over $41

billion in underserved communities, working at the intersection of equal justice, public

health and the built environment. He graduated from Stanford University and Stanford Law

School, where he served on the Board of Editors of the Stanford Law Review. Stanford Law

School called him a "civil rights giant" and Stanford Magazine "an inspiration."

JR DeLaRosa is the Assistant Secretary for Climate Change at the California Natural

Resources Agency. Mr. DeLaRosa served as an Advisor for Renewable Energy in the

Governor’s Office from 2011 to 2014. He was an Executive Fellow in the California

Governor’s Office from 2010 to 2011 and served as a Field Representative for California

State Assemblymember Anna Caballero from 2008 to 2010. Mr. DeLaRosa was an intern at

the Office of Assemblymember Joe Coto from 2006 to 2007.

Linda Escalante is a Policy Advocate for NRDC’s California and Latino Outreach and

Advocacy programs. She works with NRDC’s legal and policy experts to support

campaigns that protect and promote the welfare of communities of color and the

environment they depend on. She works with state leaders, local elected officials,

coalition partners, and grassroots groups to promote sustainable solutions to curb pollution,

revitalize communities, and safeguard our natural resources. She represents NRDC among

Latino leaders at a local, state, and national level. She is also a well-regarded

environmental expert in the Spanish language media. Prior to NRDC, Linda worked for the

UCLA/RAND Program on Latino Children with asthma. She obtained a degree in Biology

from UCLA.

Rafael Aguilera is a trailblazer for Latinos seeking climate justice. As one of the lead

advocates of California’s landmark climate bill, AB 32 (Nunez), Rafael helped negotiate

the first economy-wide carbon cap in the world with community and public health

protections, provisions that call for an equitable share of investments in disadvantaged

communities, and a standing environmental justice committee. Rafael also co-founded

the Verde Group in 2007 and worked on behalf of many progressive non-profits who

shared his vision for starting a clean energy revolution in California. Currently, Rafael serves

as Legislative Director for a California Assemblymember.

Martha Guzman-Aceves is Deputy Legislative Secretary in the office of Governor Jerry

Brown.

Climate Justice & Latino Health

As policy director Justin Rausa works in partnership with members of the California Food

Policy Council and Roots Of Change’s key stakeholders to achieve food movement ob-

jectives through California’s statewide agencies and legislature. Prior to joining ROC in

2014, Mr. Rausa was a program manager for The Greenlining Institute, and served

California’s Health in All Policies (HiAP) Task Force by working on land use and healthy food

access in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. He received his MPH from UC

Berkeley in 2012, where he also interned for California Food Policy Advocates and

graduated in 2007 with honors from UC Riverside with a BS in Biology, where he received

the Marguleas/Weiman Commencement Award.

Dr. D’Artagnan Scorza is the Founder and Executive Director of the Social Justice Learning

Institute as well as the Founder of Urban Scholar Advisors, LLC in Inglewood, CA. Dr. Scorza

is a US Navy Iraq-War Veteran, obtained his Ph.D. in Education from UCLA, has a B.S. in

Liberal Studies with a concentration in Business Management from National University, and

a B.A. in the Study of Religion. Dr. Scorza’s extensive program development, research and

policy experience extends throughout the state having passed policies that established

veteran’s service centers across UC campuses, prioritized $160 million for student services,

and expanded programs for boys and men of color throughout LA County. He’s currently

engaged in grassroots policy efforts through the Healthy and Sustainable Inglewood

Collaborative (HSIC) to expand business opportunities through local economic develop-

ment, to improve health in the built environment and to improve outcomes for boys and

men of color.

Frank Tamborello spent several years in the print-

ing trade before getting involved in issues affect-

ing low-income people. Arriving in California with

little more than the shirt on his back, Frank

became a leading advocate on legislative is-

sues around hunger. This included fighting for

immigrant access to food benefits and working

to end the lifetime ban on people with past drug

felonies from the CalFresh program. He also

worked with homeless residents in Hollywood to

attract more low income housing to the area. In

2006 he co-founded Hunger Action LA with

other local food advocates. HALA was able to

pass a city ordinance diverting surplus food from city departments to charity, and began

the Market Match program which is now providing access to fresh food for low income

people at 12 LA area farmers markets by supplementing their CalFresh, WIC and SSI cash

benefits.

Increasing Food Security to Improve Latino Health

16

Lunch Keynote: Castulo de la Rocha, JD

Mr. Cástulo de la Rocha is President and CEO of

AltaMed Health Services Corporation and a long

standing community health leader for more than 35

years. During this time, he has taken AltaMed, a non-

profit community health clinic, from two employees to

a fully-accredited Federally Qualified Health Center

(FQHC) with over 2,000 employees. Today, AltaMed is

the largest FQHC in the United States, delivering more

than a million patient visits annually from 46 sites in Los

Angeles and Orange Counties, including 21 clinic sites

and 11 senior care service centers.

Mr. de la Rocha’s dedication to and success in

providing high quality, affordable and accessible health and human services to

underserved communities has earned him national recognition in the health field including

the U.S. Surgeon General’s Gold Medallion for Public Health; the Pioneer for Justice award

by the Mexican American Bar Foundation. In 2012, he received the Los Angeles Business

Journal Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. de la Rocha was named one of the Top 10

Latinos in the health care industry by Latino Leaders Magazine and one of the top 100

Latino Influentials by Hispanic Business Magazine in 2008. AltaMed Health Services has also

ranked number one in Hispanic Business Magazine’s list of “Top 25 Nonprofits” every year

since 2006. In 2013, AltaMed was named among Los Angeles’ Top 25 Places to Work by

the Los Angeles News Group. In 2014, AltaMed was honored to receive a Silver Level

Eureka Award from the California Awards for Performance Excellence and a Four Star

Rating by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the organization’s

commitment to quality.

Mr. de la Rocha currently serves on the boards of the California Association of Physician

Groups, the National Immigration Forum and the General Electric National Medical

Fellowship program. He is also a Senior Fellow at UCLA School of Public Affairs and has

served on the Board of Governors of L.A. Care Health Plan, as a Corporate Board Member

of Blue Shield of California, as Regional Chair of the Surgeon General’s Hispanic/Latino

Health Initiative, as a board member of the Los Angeles Center Theatre Group, and the

Latino Theater Company.

Mr. de la Rocha holds a Juris Doctorate from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of

California, Berkeley, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California,

Santa Barbara, and a Certificate in Management from Stanford University.

lunch keynote

17

Brenda Solórzano is Chief Program Director at Blue Shield of California Foundation. Ms.

Solórzano has extensive experience working on health policy issues, particularly on topics

related to health coverage, the health care safety net and public health issues affecting

vulnerable populations in California. As chief program director, Ms. Solórzano is a member

of the Foundation’s Leadership Team and is responsible for leading the strategy, design,

evaluation and management of the Foundation’s programmatic and grant making

activities. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science from

the University of San Francisco and her juris doctorate from Whittier Law School and is a

member of the California State Bar.

Juan Gomez is currently a Policy and Strategy Analyst and co-

founder of MILPA. He is functioning as part of this

intergenerational "collective” that is braiding the wisdom of

spiritual elders into a modern day health equity framework

that makes sense for this generation’s emerging leaders of

color. Juan is also part of the National Compadres Network

working as a Senior Training and Program Associate focused

on developing culturally grounded movement building

strategies. Prior to this he served as a Fellow for The California

Endowment working on the Boys and Men of Color portfolio.

Mr. Gomez was born in Watsonville, CA where he was raised

by his grandparents Amelia and Ampelio.

Sarah Fine has over ten years of experience advancing social

initiatives both locally and internationally, including education

advocacy in Argentina and public health in Nicaragua and

Bolivia. She currently oversees multiple projects for UCSF’s

Center for Vulnerable Populations’ Health Communication Program at San Francisco

General Hospital. She directs the award-winning The Bigger Picture campaign (TBP), a

collaboration between the Center for Vulnerable Populations and Youth Speaks. TBP aims

to end type 2 diabetes in young people by harnessing authentic youth voices to re-shape

the type 2 diabetes conversation through spoken-word, exposing the social and

environmental drivers of the epidemic and fomenting change. Under her leadership, TBP

has garnered national attention, including a feature on the home page of The Huffington

Post, over 1 million video views, recognition on Upworthy.com and the Food Farms Films

Festival.

Luis Ojeda came to the United States with his family over 20 years ago, at the age of four,

from Colima, Mexico to reunite with his father. Luis graduated from Chowchilla Union High

School in 2008 and went on to attend Merced Community College and California State

University, Fresno, where he received his B.A. in Political Science in December of 2011. He

was fortunate enough to receive deferred action in May 2013. Luis embraces his queer

identity and lives by a philosophy of peace, love and understanding. Luis Ojeda is CIYJA's

Statewide Coordinator and is committed to expanding CIYJA's presence throughout

California and encourages immigrant youth to uplift their own voices in the movement.

Innovative Strategies to Engage Youth in Policy & Systems Change

Ignacio Hernandez Esq. founded Hernandez Strategy Group (HSG) in 2003 as a full-service

lobbying and communications firm specializing in the representation of non-profit

organizations. From the establishment of the human right to water, to the extension of

overtime rights to domestic workers, and the expansion of legal rights for immigrants,

Ignacio and his team have worked on dozens of groundbreaking laws. He has worked on

criminal justice policy for more than 15 years. Before HSG, Ignacio served as a Chief of

Staff in both the California State Assembly and State Senate.

Born in El Paso, Tx and raised in Boyle Heights, Ca, Fabian Debora has been creating art

since his childhood. Beginning his art career in 1995 as a member of the East Los Angeles

Streetscapers, Fabian was mentored by many Chicano artists and muralists and was

introduced a creative expression in all forms, from graffiti to murals to sketching and fine

art painting. He is currently a substance abuse counselor and mentor at Homeboy

Industries in Los Angeles and works in collaboration with LPAN (Latino Producers Action

Network). By conceptualizing and interpreting his personal experiences as well as the

experiences of his community, Fabian believes that he too can effect change. He is

determined to continue to expand his horizons and to fully and honestly express himself

through his art.

Milena Blake is the Policy and Legislative Advocate for Californians for Safety and Justice,

where she directs policy and advocates for legislation in Sacramento. Since 2012, she has

helped to shepherd legislation related to increasing access to health care services for

people in the criminal justice system, increase alternatives to incarceration, and improve

access to victim services in diverse communities. Before joining Californians for Safety and

Justice, Milena served for three years as Committee Counsel to the California Assembly

Committee on Public Safety. She has also worked as a Public Defender in Solano County,

where she specialized in juvenile clients, and prior to law school, worked as a research

analyst at UC San Francisco and interned with the Child Welfare League of America in

Washington, D.C. She graduated from the UC Davis School of Law (King Hall) with a Public

Interest Certificate, and received a B.A. in History and Political Science from UC San Diego.

Tiffany Johnson first heard about A New Way of Life Reentry Project (ANWOL) on the

grounds of Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), while serving a 15 to life sentence.

After 10 years of incarceration, she contacted ANWOL to ask if a bed would be available

if she became eligible for parole. Susan Burton wrote back, extending a bed in her home.

On April 28, 2010, Tiffany walked through the doors of ANWOL to start her new life. It was a

cultural shock being back in society, but through ANWOL’s guidance and connections,

she went on to begin a career in electrical assembly and to live on her own. In 2011,

Tiffany was asked to become a board member of A New Way of Life. In December of

2013, she left her career in electrical assembly to join ANWOL’s staff as a full-time

community organizer for All of Us or None-Southern California (AOUON-SC).

How California’s Justice System Can Partner to Improve Latino

Health

Dr. Carmen Nevarez has over 36 years of experience as a physician and 30 years as a

public health practitioner, having served as the Director of Department of Health and

Human Services and Health Officer, City of Berkeley, California, as well as in various clinical

settings including Medical Director at La Clinica de la Raza in Oakland. She is Past

President of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Her areas of expertise include

women's reproductive health, Latino health, community based strategies for chronic

disease prevention, and social media for public health.

Marco Cesar Lizarraga is currently the Executive Director for La Cooperativa Campesina

de California where he has worked for the past 16 years. La Cooperativa is non-profit

organization representing and providing funding for federally designated Farm Worker

Grantees in California who deliver employment and training services to farm workers

throughout the State. Born in Mexicali, Mexico, Marco migrated to the United States of

America in 1959 at the age of 13. He completed an M.A. in Educational Technology at the

California State University of Sacramento. He has experience in employment and training,

political consulting, advocacy, as well as city planning and housing consulting. Previously,

Marco was an associate of PBS & Associates doing planning, grant writing and engineer-

ing. There he ran the Planning Department for the City of Calexico where annexations and

subdivisions were processed establishing a fast track system that was widely appreciated

by the city fathers and those in the development industry.

Masha V. Chernyak is a strategic visionary, community organizer, and experienced

advocate for the Latino immigrant community. An immigrant herself, Masha served in the

Peace Corps in rural Guatemala, was trained as an organizer on Chicago’s South Side,

and is now working to build Latino philanthropy in California. While working at UNO,

Chicago's largest Latino education and advocacy organization, she led the creation of a

Parent University for Latino immigrants, graduating more than 1,000 individuals annually. In

her current position as VP of Programs and Policy at the Latino Community Foundation, she

manages the organization’s investment portfolio and helps lead its change-making

strategy. She was instrumental in launching the California Latino Agenda, a campaign to

connect diverse Latino leaders to shape and amplify a unified agenda for change. She is

a photographer, has a marketing background and a Masters in Public Affairs and Politics

from the University of San Francisco.

Sarah de Guia, Executive Director of CPEHN, is a graduate of Santa Clara University School

of Law, where she was awarded the 2011 Student Award for Social Justice and was the

2010 recipient of the Herman Wildman Social Justice Writing Award. She earned her

Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley in Ethnic Studies and Public

Policy. She previously worked with CPEHN in 2008 as Project Manager for the Having Our

Say Coalition, where she organized the statewide coalition to advocate on behalf of

communities of color for health care reform. Sarah has also served as the Health Program

Manager for Latino Issues Forum and as Legislative Analyst for the Mexican American

Legal Defense and Educational Fund. She has advocated on women's health and

reproductive justice, language access, immigrants' rights, and expanding health care to

communities of color through legislative, budgetary and regulatory processes.

Anticipating Tomorrow’s Workforce Needs and Latino Health

Gil Ojeda currently serves as Director of the California Program on Access to Care (CPAC),

a public service policy research program housed in the University of California Berkeley,

School of Public Health. In 1997, Mr. Ojeda founded CPAC which provides assistance to

the State Legislature and State health agencies on access to health care issues as they

relate to immigrants and the working poor. Mr. Ojeda previously served on the board of

the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, the California Pan Ethnic Health Network, and

the Center for Oral Health and the State Office of Border Health. His PhD training is as a

physiologist and bioengineer at University of Illinois, Chicago and as an industrial engineer

and health systems planner at the University of California, Berkeley.

Nancy Gomez, Southern California Program Director, joined the Health Access Staff in

2008. Educated in North and South America, she brings a cross-cultural perspective and

twenty years of experience in the social/human service field. She has worked for

organizations focused on pediatric AIDS, chronic illness, domestic/spousal/child abuse,

and affordable housing. In 2011 she received La Opinion’s “Mujer Destacada” award for

her advocacy in Health Care Reform. Nancy also specializes in Spanish media, having

made numerous appearances on national and local news programs including radio,

television, and print media. A pragmatic and creative problem solver, she credits her

tenacity and resourcefulness to having served in the U.S. Navy, and counting on the

support of a loving and passionately opinionated family.

Betzabel Estudillo is the California Immigrant Policy Center's Health Policy Coordinator

based in Los Angeles. Previously, she was the Community Coordinator for the CLEAN

Carwash Campaign organizing immigrant carwash workers in Los Angeles. While in

graduate school she interned with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health

analyzing health policies and providing best practices when working with immigrants. She

has also been a community organizer in multiple immigrant youth groups. She obtained

her M.S.W from the University of California Los Angeles, Luskin School of Public Affairs and a

B.A. in Political Science from the University of California Los Angeles

Myra Durán is the Policy Coordinator for California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, a

statewide organization committed to honoring the experiences of Latinas to uphold our

dignity, our bodies, sexuality, and families. CLRJ builds Latinas’ power and cultivates

leadership through community education, policy advocacy, and community-informed

research to achieve reproductive justice. Ms. Durán graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in

Women’s Studies with a concentration in Women of Color Feminism and a minor in Labor

and Workplace Studies. She is a strong advocate for passionate politics where love is at

the center of the work and believes in the power womyn of color can co-cultivate in order

to achieve full liberation from oppressive systems.

Maintaining California’s Safety Net and Getting to Health4All

Josh Daniels JD served as co-chair of the Berkeley Healthy Child Coalition as well as co-

chair of the Yes on D Campaign. In that capacity, he oversaw most political aspects of

the Coalition and Campaign, including general campaign strategy, polling, the drafting of

the measure, guiding the measure through the City Council, media, messaging, mailing,

and fundraising. Josh was one of the original initiators of the push for a soda tax in

Berkeley, and has been working on the effort since late 2012. Josh currently serves as a

member of the Berkeley School Board, having been elected in 2010 and re-elected in

2014. In his day job, Josh is an attorney with the California School Boards Association and

previous worked for a law firm specializing in election law and campaign finance law.

Martin Bourque has been the Executive Director of The Ecology Center in Berkeley, CA for

14 years. The Ecology Center is a 45 year-old community-based organization with a mission

to inspire and build a healthy, sustainable, and just future for the East Bay, California, and

beyond. Martin hosts the Berkeley Food Policy Council, one of the initiators of the soda tax

ballot measure. Martin is on the executive committee of the Measure D campaign, and

the Ecology Center has provided significant cash and in-kind contributions to the

campaign. Martin is a parent of two Berkeley kids, was raised in Berkeley, and has been a

Berkeley resident for nearly 40 years. He is a graduate of the University of California, San

Diego with a degree in environmental science and holds a Master’s Degree focused on

environmental policy from the University of California, Berkeley.

As the daughter of a shoemaker and union organizer Dr. Vicki Alexander overcame many

obstacles to become a physician. After receiving her MD degree and completing a

residency at the University of California at San Francisco, she served on the faculty of San

Francisco General Hospital, then Harlem Hospital, focusing on nutrition in pregnancy. In

2006, she returned to the Bay Area as Director of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health

for the City of Berkeley. She retired in 2006 and continues to volunteer in areas of social

justice and health equity. Social activism is the most important thread throughout Dr.

Alexander's life. In 2011 she received the Outstanding Woman of the Year Award in

Berkeley, and in 2014 received the prestigious Martin Luther King Lifetime Achievement

Award from the City of Berkeley. She was also the Co-Chair of the victorious Soda Tax

Campaign in Berkeley in November 2014.

Sara Soka, MS the campaign manager for Berkeley vs. Big Soda, brought experience in

coalition engagement, chronic disease prevention, and strategic public health

communication. Prior to joining the campaign in Berkeley, Soka worked on several large

community health projects, collaborating with community coalitions to build farm to

school programs, work with school districts to allow open gyms, and convince landlords to

designate smoke free apartments. She's also traveled nationwide as a trainer for

Prevention Speaks project, coaching local- and state-based public health coalitions and

advocacy organizations, such as the American Lung Association, in story-centered

strategic messaging techniques. Soka has a Master’s of Science in Population Health

Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Local Efforts to Address Chronic Disease Disparities by

Addressing Consumption of Sugar Loaded Beverages

Roberto Ariel Vargas, MPH, leverages University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) science

expertise toward supporting health equity in partnership with policymakers, public health

partners and community-based collaborators. Vargas connected these stakeholders to

education, policy and advocacy efforts, and has worked to include community-

leadership from SF communities carrying the burden of disease disparity -- communities he

is from and calls home. Vargas participated in the SF Soda Tax effort as a volunteer

advocate, representing his own communities in debates against the American Beverage

Association, doing phone banking and grassroots organizing. Prior to joining UCSF, Vargas

served low-income SF communities as Director of a non-profit serving high-risk youth; as a

teacher in public schools and Juvenile Hall; and as a Danzante Azteca and poet.

Maureen Erwin is a partner at Erwin and Muir, a San Francisco-Bay Area political consulting

and public affairs firm. Founded in 2008, Erwin and Muir hold a 90% win record and have

secured over half a billion dollars in financing for schools, roads, transportation infrastruc-

ture and parks improvements through 2/3rds voter approval. Erwin and Muir managed San

Francisco’s November 2014 soda tax measure, Proposition E, which garnered 56% of the

vote despite being outspent 30:1 by the beverage industry. Their portfolio includes success-

ful campaigns for US Congress, state assembly, county supervisor, city council, and com-

munity outreach for non-profits, school districts and trade associations.

Christina Goette, MPH, Senior Health Program Planner at SF Department of Public Health,

co-founded and directs the Shape Up San Francisco Initiative. Her work focuses on policy

and environmental prevention strategies to address chronic disease health disparities.

Christina worked with policymakers to develop SF’s 2014 excise tax on sugary drinks and

worked as a volunteer on the campaign. Christina led the initial Bay Area Regional Soda

Free Summer campaign in 2008, and serves on local, state and national groups: American

Health Associations 2020 Task Force, California Center for Public Health Advocacy SSB

Oversight Committee the National Association of County and City Health Officer’s SSB

work group.

Larry Tramutola is recognized as one of the country’s top strategists in grassroots

organizing, political strategy, and passing difficult tax measures. He is an advisor to elected

officials of all levels and his list of clients includes school districts, transit agencies, counties,

and cities (including the City of Berkeley’s historic victory against Big Soda in the

November 2014 election). Larry has helped clients win over 500 local elections, including

over 300 tax elections. He is the author of Sidewalk Strategies – A practical guide for

candidates, causes and communities, and Now What? A practical guide for newly

elected officials. Larry worked for eleven years as an organizer with Cesar Chavez and the

UFW. He graduated with distinction from Stanford University.

Lolis Ramirez has worked with TRAMUTOLA for over three years, first as a fellow with The

Organizing and Leadership Academy (TOLA), and now as a political strategist for public

and private sector clients including school districts, counties and cities, and local

developers. She was the project lead for Alameda County’s Hayward Firehouse Clinic

project; Measure AA, the renewal of countywide funding for healthcare services in

Alameda County; and Berkeley’s victory against Big Soda, Measure D. She believes in the

active engagement of minority groups in the Democratic process, enjoys working with

multicultural groups and continues to advocate for the well-being of individuals who share

her immigrant experience. Lolis is a graduate of CSU Chico.

Latino Coalition for a Healthy California

1225 8th St., Suite 375

Sacramento, CA 95814

(p) 916.448.3234

(f) 916.448.3248

www.lchc.org