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CIRM was created after voters approved Proposition 71 in 2004 to accelerate stem cell treatments for patients with unmet medical needs.
The Institute is overseen by a 29-member Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee, or ICOC, composed of patient advocates, biotechnology industry professionals, and research leaders. The State Controller appoints five ICOC members.
Ysabel Duron was one of the first Latina journalists in mainstream media. After her own battle with Hodgkins Lymphoma, Duron launched a second career creating nonprofits to address challenges and gaps in cancer education and access to care for the Latino community nationwide, including Latinas Contra Cancer, which hosts the biennial National Latino Cancer Summit.
Now retired from a four-decade career in broadcasting, Duron leads The Latino Cancer Institute, a national network of Latino cancer service agencies addressing the community’s cancer disparities.
“Ms. Duron’s personal perspective as a survivor and her commitment to equity will serve the institute’s mission well,” said Yee, the state’s chief fiscal officer and chair of the Citizens Financial Accountability Oversight Committee that oversees CIRM finances.
In 2011, Duron was appointed to the federal Interagency Breast Cancer and Environment Coordinating Committee.
In 2018, she was appointed to the Institutional Review Board for the federal Precision Medicine Initiative.
She has been recognized for her efforts by the California Latino Legislative Caucus, AARP, Silicon Valley NAACP, California Teachers Association, and Girl Scouts of America. Duron recently was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Women’s Media Foundation she cofounded three decades ago.
CIRM issued its first round of funding in 2006, with a focus on training young scientists and building new research facilities in the state.
By 2009, the Institute began investing in potential future therapies made possible by the initial awards. CIRM-supported research already has led to a cure for severe combined immunodeficiency, and a 2019 independent economic impact report shows the Institute has created tens of thousands of new jobs and produced billions of dollars in additional revenue for the state.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The DS Task Force provides guidance on the delivery of services to Californians who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Forty-one individuals will serve on the task force, and an additional 115 people will serve on the task force’s five workgroups. In the past, 21 individuals served on the task force and workgroups combined.
“This impressive group of leaders embodies the diversity of California and is uniquely dedicated to improving the lives of people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said DDS Director Nancy Bargmann.
“The distinct experiences and perspectives these individuals bring to the table will help ensure the continued success of the Task Force as a vital element of our state’s developmental services system,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.
The DS Task Force was created in 2014 to strengthen community services for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Task force members include self-advocates, family members, advocacy organizations, regional center representatives, community service providers, labor groups and legislative leaders.
Members are charged with examining services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and developing recommendations to strengthen the community services system in light of a growing and aging population, resource constraints, and new state and federal laws and regulations.
The task force is an advisory group only, and members do not receive monetary compensation.
The first meeting of the newly reconstituted task force will be held on Dec. 9 at 10 a.m. at Alta California Regional Center in Sacramento.
Visit the DDS website for a full list of Task Force and workgroup members and additional details about upcoming meetings.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
As the CFO, Watkins will be responsible for managing and administering the overall financial activities of Covered California, including its strategy for financial sustainability.
Watkins will be responsible for planning, implementing, managing and controlling all finance-related activities of Covered California. He will have direct responsibility for accounting, finance, forecasting, budgeting and related government compliance.
As a key member of the Executive Management team, Watkins will advise executive leadership on all financial matters for the organization.
Watkins had served as the deputy director of Financial Planning and Forecasting Operations within the Financial Management Division at Covered California since October, and prior to that was the chief of the Research and Analytic Studies division at the Department of Health Care Services for 12 years.
“Jim has shown deep understanding of health care, independent judgement and strong analytic skill in leadership roles, along with an ability to work in politically sensitive areas under significant pressure and timeframes,” Lee said. “He will be an asset to Covered California and build on the solid foundation we’ve developed.”
Watkins will be replacing the retiring Dora Mejia, who began her service with Covered California as deputy director of financial operations in 2013, just months before the agency began making health insurance policies available to consumers.
Under Mejia Covered California transitioned from an agency initially funded with, and reliant on, a federal grant to a self-sustaining and fiscally sound organization with revenues generated from fees charged to health care plans.
She managed a $340.2 million operating budget that supports marketing programs, our consumer service centers, sales, information technology and a host of other services that has helped make health insurance affordable and accessible.
Watkins is a Certified Public Accountant and received his Bachelor of Science degree from University of San Francisco and his Master of Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Sacramento.
He has 16 years of high-level experience managing both fiscal and health policy issues in state government.
He will earn $180,000 annually, effective Dec. 1, 2019.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Adventist Health Clear Lake has welcomed more than a dozen new providers in 2019, and the latest is board-certified internal medicine physician Catherine Atup-Leavitt.
Dr. Atup-Leavitt is a mission-minded physician who has dedicated herself to caring for the health care needs of her patients.
She has practiced adult internal medicine for more than 20 years and has a special interest in helping patients with complex health needs.
“I am driven by working with my patients to solve the puzzle of their health concerns,” Dr. Atup-Leavitt said. “I enjoy working with a collaborative team of physicians and specialists to ensure patients receive the highest-quality healthcare that is focused on their personal goals.”
A graduate of the Cebu Institute of Medicine in the Philippines, Dr. Atup-Leavitt went on to complete an internship and residency in internal medicine at Rush-Westlake Hospital in Melrose Park, Illinois. While there, she spent a year as chief resident.
“Dr. Atup-Leavitt is a welcome addition to our team and a great fit for the Lake County community,” says Brent Dupper, executive director of physician and outpatient services for Adventist Health Clear Lake. “She brings a personable and dedicated approach to healthcare and strives for the best possible patient outcomes.”
Dr. Atup-Leavitt and her husband relocated to Lake County from Idaho with their two sons. She chose to join the Adventist Health Clear Lake team to be closer to family.
Dr. Atup-Leavitt will see patients at the Adventist Health Clear Lake Medical Office located at 15230 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake.
Patients may schedule an appointment by calling 707-995-4500.