CHA issue managers and legislative advocates serve as “on-call”
consultants to members on a wide range of key hospital issues. To
identify and contact CHA staff with expertise on a particular
issue, please consult the Member
Resource Guide.
BJ Bartleson, RN, MS, NEA-BC, provides leadership in the
development and implementation of CHA’s public policies in
nursing and clinical specialties. Previously, Bartleson served as
director of patient care services and chief nurse executive for
Shriners Hospitals for Children in Sacramento. She has been
active in CHA for years through her leadership role on the board
of the Association of California Nurse Leaders and numerous other
professional organizations.
Patricia Blaisdell provides membership support and advocacy for
hospital-based medical rehabilitation and skilled-nursing
services, policy analysis and interpretation, communication with
regulatory bodies and third-party payers, and planning and
implementation of educational programs.
Patricia has more than 20 years of experience in hospital and
health care management in acute and post-acute settings. She has
expertise in rehabilitation and therapy services reimbursement
and clinical operations across the continuum of care.
Gail Blanchard-Saiger provides leadership for state legislative
and regulatory issues related to hospital human resources (HR)
and labor relations. She has more than 15 years of experience as
a labor and employment law attorney representing hospitals and
health systems.
Gail served as special counsel/senior counsel at Foley and
Lardner, LLP, and principal of Blanchard Saiger Law, P.C. Prior
to attending law school, she worked as an HR manager at a
nonprofit senior service agency.
Peggy Broussard Wheeler serves as vice president of CHA’s Rural
Healthcare Center. She is responsible for developing, advocating
and executing public policies, legislation and regulations on
behalf of small and rural hospitals at the state and national
levels.
Connie Delgado represents the interests of CHA member hospitals
before lawmakers and their staff in the California Legislature.
Her main areas of advocacy include trauma/emergency medical
services, privacy, nursing issues and hospital closures. She also
testifies on behalf of CHA at legislative hearings on issues of
importance to the hospital industry.
Jana Du Bois brings to CHA a broad foundation of health law experience, including in-house counsel for a large integrated hospital health system and regulatory counsel for state public health and managed care departments. Prior to becoming an attorney, Jana was a registered nurse for more than 10 years. She is an active community and legal volunteer, and recently ended her appointment to the Public Health Executive Committee of the California State Bar. She currently serves on the executive committee of the Sacramento County Bar Association, Health Law Section.
Jana received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a juris doctor degree from McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific.
Jan Emerson-Shea serves as chief spokesperson for CHA, overseeing
the association’s media relations activities. She also is
responsible for developing and implementing strategic
communications and public affairs initiatives that support CHA’s
advocacy objectives. In addition, Jan provides communications
counsel to the Hospital Council of Northern and Central
California, Hospital Association of Southern California, and
Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties.
Ruth Ferguson is the assistant to the CHA President/CEO, C. Duane
Dauner. She manages the administrative affairs of the
Office of the President, and organizes the activities of the
various committees, workgroups and task forces.
Allison Fleming is responsible for managing and editing the
publication of the daily CHA News and for identifying,
developing, and communicating information to the CHA membership.
She has more than 20 years of communications and editorial
experience serving local non-profits, including crafting
messages, managing publications and writing for both print and
electronic media.
Allison has a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from
Sacramento State University.
Dr. Martin Gallegos has an extensive background in both health
care and government. Prior to joining CHA, he served in Gov.
Davis’ administration as director of the California Office of the
Patient Advocate. In November 1994, he was elected to the 57th
Assembly District, making history by becoming the first doctor of
chiropractic elected to the California Legislature.
1215 K Street, Suite 800
Sacramento, California 95814
Barbara Glaser represents the interests of CHA member hospitals
before lawmakers and their staff in the California Legislature.
Her main areas of advocacy include the state budget, hospital
finance and reimbursement, rural hospitals, clinics, prisons and
post-acute care. She testifies regularly on behalf of CHA at
legislative hearings on issues of importance to the hospital
industry.
As a member of the CHA executive management team, Dietmar
Grellmann is responsible for developing legislative and
regulatory policy regarding financial and legal matters. He works
closely with the California Legislature and regulatory agencies,
including the Department of Managed Health Care and Department of
Health Care Services.
Cheri Hummel is the Vice President of Disaster Preparedness at
CHA, and is the Executive Director for CHA’s Hospital
Preparedness Program.
Prior to joining CHA, she worked at the California Emergency
Medical Services Authority Disaster Medical Services Division and
the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. She has
a background in health care and has worked at acute care
hospitals and outpatient clinics.
Alyssa Keefe is responsible for policy development and analysis
of federal regulation impacting California hospitals and health
systems, and serves as a liaison between CHA and federal
agencies, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services.
Prior to joining CHA, Alyssa was managing director of the
Hospital Quality Alliance, a national public/private
collaboration committed to making meaningful, relevant and easily
understood information about hospital performance accessible to
the public, and to informing and encouraging efforts to improve
quality.
499 South Capitol Street SW, Suite 410
Washington, D.C. 20003
Amber Kemp provides advocacy and support regarding
government-funded programs and other health care coverage policy
issues affecting California hospitals and health systems. She has
an extensive background in Medi-Cal and previously worked in the
director’s office at the Department of Health Care Services
(DHCS) where she managed implementation of the Medi-Cal Section
1115 Waiver for the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payments
(DSRIP) for designated and non-designated public hospitals. Prior
to joining DHCS, she served as a special assistant to state Board
of Equalization member Betty Yee.
Kemp has a master’s degree in business administration from Mills
College in Oakland.
Sheree Kruckenberg monitors federal and state regulatory and
legislative impact on general acute-care hospitals serving
individuals with behavioral health issues. She is also
responsible for advocacy efforts on behalf of hospital-based
outpatient clinics (HBOC) and women and children. Sheree staffs
CHA’s HBOC Committee and Center for Behavioral Health (CBH)
Advisory Board.
As a member of CHA’s Education and Publication Department, Amy
Larsen is responsible for publishing and marketing legal and
informational manuals for hospitals and health systems throughout
California. She is the advertising manager and lead for the
annual Membership Directory and assists with planning
various CHA events. She is also responsible for the publications
web page and online store.
Amy has more than 10 years of experience in various strategic and
tactical marketing positions.
Cathy Martin is responsible for leading the CHA Healthcare
Workforce Coalition, a broad, statewide coalition that identifies
and implements coordinated, strategic solutions to address the
long-term needs of allied health professionals in
California.
Cathy has worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly 20 years with
the last eight directly related to health care or public health.
Anne McLeod serves as CHA’s health care reform resource for
member hospitals. Using her knowledge of both federal and state
health care reform legislation and regulations, she coordinates
CHA’s efforts on the development, communication, and
implementation of policies related to health care reform. She
also provides leadership for the design, development and
implementation of the hospital fee and other financing
programs.
Anne joined CHA in 2007 and immediately began working on health
policy and financing issues with then Gov. Schwarzenegger’s
health care reform team. She works closely with the California
Legislature, the Executive Branch, and regulatory agencies,
including the Department of Health Care Services. She also
represents hospitals’ interests with the management and governing
board of the California Health Benefit Exchange.
Before joining CHA, Anne served as a financial executive at
several of California’s hospitals and health systems, and in
California’s banking industry. She earned an undergraduate degree
in finance, a post-graduate degree from the prestigious Pacific
Coast Banking School held at the University of Washington’s
Graduate School of Business and a master’s degree in public
health policy and management from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Jennifer Newman brings more than 20 years of financial management
and accounting experience and expertise to CHA as well as to the
Hospital Council of Northern and Central California and Hospital
Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties. She directs all
internal financial matters of the associations, including
accounting practices and internal controls, budgeting, and
monitoring of financial performance.
Based in Washington, D.C., Anne O’Rourke manages CHA’s Federal
Relations Office, represents CHA members before Congress and the
White House, and serves as the liaison to other state and
national health organizations.
Before joining CHA in 1998, Anne spent 10 years as a senior
lobbyist for the American Hospital Association (AHA). Part of her
responsibilities included covering AHA’s Region 9 on the West
Coast. In the 1980s, Anne was the health legislative assistant to
Rep. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, handling health issues for the
Ways and Means Committee and organizing the House Rural Health
Coalition.
Anne has a bachelor’s degree in political science and American
history from Drew University in New Jersey.
499 So. Capitol Street, S.W., Suite 410
Washington, D.C. 20003
Amber Ott represents members’ financial interests related to
Medicare, Medi-Cal, commercial payers and other government
entities. She is responsible for providing advocacy and support
on financial and reimbursement issues affecting California
hospitals and health systems, and represents CHA with state
agencies and other stakeholders when hospital finance and
technical knowledge is needed. She is also involved with the
development and implementation of the hospital fee and other
financing programs.
Prior to joining CHA, she worked for ten years at Triage
Consulting Group, a hospital revenue recovery firm in San
Francisco, where she served as a director.
Amber is also a Certified Professional Coder and earned her
undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from the University of
California, Davis.
Dr. Perrott’s responsibilities at CHA include all clinical issue
areas including the Center for Hospital Medical Executives,
Hospital Quality Committee, Medication Safety Committee, and the
Joint Committee on Accreditation and Licensing. He oversees the
California Hospital Engagement Network, is actively involved in
the California Hospital Patient Safety Organization, and was
recently appointed to The Joint Commission (TJC) Board of
Commissioners.
Prior to joining CHA, he was senior vice president/CMO at Salinas
Valley Memorial Healthcare System, a TJC hospital surveyor, and
maintained a part-time practice. In addition, he spent 10 years
as a full-time faculty member at UCSF and Harvard
University/Massachusetts General Hospital.
Julie Reppas is responsible for ensuring CHA and the Regional
Associations hire the best employees and maintain a positive
culture and work environment, enabling staff to deliver
outstanding member service and personally thrive. She has
responsibility for managing all human resource (HR) activities
and supporting the general operations of the association.
Julie joined CHA in 2002 and has specialized in HR for more than
16 years.
Lois Richardson has served as CHA’s legal resource for the past
19 years, primarily as legal counsel and most recently as vice
president of legal publications and education. She is the author
of numerous CHA publications, including the Consent
Manual, California Hospital Compliance Manual,
California Health Information Privacy Manual and
Mental Health Law.
Roger Richter is responsible for energy, facility, environmental
and related disaster planning issues. He represents hospital
interests by serving as a liaison between member hospitals and
state regulatory agencies, including the Office of Statewide
Health Planning and Development, Hospital Building Safety Board,
California Buildings Standards Commission, State Fire Marshal,
Cal/OSHA, Cal EPA, Emergency Medical Services Authority,
Department of Public Health, California Energy Commission and
California Public Utilities Commission.
Nancy Robinson is executive assistant to CHA’s Executive Vice
President/Chief Operating Officer Lois Suder. She handles
activities relating to the CHA Board of Trustees and Executive
Committee, California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems
Board of Trustees, California Health Foundation & Trust Board
of Directors, and California Hospitals Committee on Issues Board
of Directors.
Terry Sherb is responsible for the overall management of
computing and information technology for the California
Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (CAHHS) and
CAHHS-affiliated organizations, including CHA.
Lois Suder has been with CHA since 1999. Her
responsibilities include operations, accounting, information
systems, education and publications, volunteer programs, CHA’s
website and other member communications, board of trustee
meetings, issue management and CHA’s charitable organization,
California Health Foundation and Trust (CHFT). She manages
CHA’s subsidiaries and related companies. She also directs CHA’s
political action committees, including the candidate PAC, the
issues committee and an independent expenditure committee.
