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Marin Healthcare District race pits critics against defenders of status quo — Marin Independent Journal
Marin Healthcare District race pits critics against defenders of status quo
Marin Healthcare District - Director
Director — Marin Healthcare District
Get the facts on the California candidates running for election to the Director — Marin Healthcare District
Find out their top 3 priorities, their experience, and who supports them.
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Debate
— October 19, 2018 CMCM
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Candidates
You can vote for 3 of these 5 candidates.
Jennifer Rienks
Public Health Researcher
Top 3 Priorities
- Ensure that the rebuilding of MGH into a state of...
- Maintaining and increasing access to primary care.
- Supporting and expanding mental health programs.
Profile
Endorsed by
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Marin Independent JournalDemocratic Central Committee of MarinMarin Women's Political Action CommitteeMarin County Young DemocratsBruce Ackerman, Fairfax Town CouncilLarry Bedard, MD, Marin Healthcare District BoardJennifer Hershon, RN, Marin Healthcare District BoardFord Greene, San Anselmo Town CouncilHank Simmonds, MD, Marin Healthcare District BoardAnne Sparkman, RN, JD, Marin Healthcare District BoardPamela Meigs, Ross Valley Sanitary DistrictCatherine Way, Larkspur City CouncilJohn Reed, Fairfax Town CouncilBarbara Coler, Fairfax Town CouncilRenee Goddard, Fairfax Town CouncilLarry Bragman, Marin Municipal Water DistrictKatie Rice, Marin County Board of SupervisorsDamon Connolly, Marin County Board of Supervisors
Top 3 Priorities
Larry A. Bedard's priorities are not yet available.
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Profile
Endorsed by
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Top 3 Priorities
Brian W. Su's priorities are not yet available.
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Profile
Endorsed by
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Edward J. Alfrey
Surgeon
Top 3 Priorities
- Increasing access to Marin's community clinics. Many...
- Ensuring a successful affiliation with UCSF Medical...
- Continuing Marin General's excellent trauma care....
Profile
Endorsed by
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Melissa Bradley
Business Owner / Mother
Top 3 Priorities
- Bringing diversity and oversight without any conflict...
- Bringing attention to the hospital many issues that...
- Communicating all my constituents concerns to the...
Profile
Endorsed by
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Incumbent
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My Top 3 Priorities
- Ensure that the rebuilding of MGH into a state of the art, environmentally friendly “green” hospital, is on track and on budget and will open in 2020
- Maintaining and increasing access to primary care.
- Supporting and expanding mental health programs.
Experience
Experience
Profession:Public Health Researcher
Assoc. Director, Family Health Outcomes Project, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (1996–current)
Marin Healthcare District Board Member, Marin Heatlhcare District — Elected position (2006–current)
Council Member, Health Council of Marin — Appointed position (2006–current)
Council Member, White Hill Middle School Site Council — Elected position (2005–2006)
Board Member, Social Justice Center of Marin — Elected position (1995–2001)
Education
University of California, Santa Cruz — PhD, MS, Social Psychology (2004)
Who supports this candidate?
Organizations (4)
- Marin Independent Journal
- Democratic Central Committee of Marin
- Marin Women's Political Action Committee
- Marin County Young Democrats
Elected Officials (14)
- Bruce Ackerman, Fairfax Town Council
- Larry Bedard, MD, Marin Healthcare District Board
- Jennifer Hershon, RN, Marin Healthcare District Board
- Ford Greene, San Anselmo Town Council
- Hank Simmonds, MD, Marin Healthcare District Board
- Anne Sparkman, RN, JD, Marin Healthcare District Board
- Pamela Meigs, Ross Valley Sanitary District
- Catherine Way, Larkspur City Council
- John Reed, Fairfax Town Council
- Barbara Coler, Fairfax Town Council
- Renee Goddard, Fairfax Town Council
- Larry Bragman, Marin Municipal Water District
- Katie Rice, Marin County Board of Supervisors
- Damon Connolly, Marin County Board of Supervisors
Candidate Contact Info
Director, Marin Healthcare District
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Candidate Contact Info
Spine Surgeon
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Candidate Contact Info
Surgeon
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My Top 3 Priorities
- Increasing access to Marin's community clinics. Many county residents use the emergency department for their primary care rather than the established Community Clinics. This practice is costly, inefficient and can lead to dangerous overcrowding.
- Ensuring a successful affiliation with UCSF Medical Center. The partnership will provide the residents of Marin County access to all specialties available at UCSF, improving their health options.
- Continuing Marin General's excellent trauma care. As the nearest Trauma center to most of Marin's residents, the standard of care should stay excellent.
Experience
Education
Harvard University — MS, Health Care Management (2005)
University of Pennsylvania — Fellowship, Transplantation (1991)
University of Colorado — MD, Medicine (1984)
University of Denver — BA, Chemistry (1976)
Community Activities
Assistant Professor Surgery, Stanford University (1991–2000)
Director for Student Clerkship in Surgery, Stanford University (1995–2000)
Resident in Surgery, University of Arizona (1984–1989)
Paramedic, City and County of Denver (1976–1980)
Biography
Ed began his career on the front lines as a paramedic, then after medical school became a physician. Combined, Dr. Ed Alfrey has more than 40 years of experience in healthcare.
Throughout his career, Ed has devoted himself to caring for the uninsured and under-insured. He even received the Legacy Award from Operation Access, an organization that serves the uninsured throughout Northern California.
Under Ed's careful guidance as the Medical Director for Trauma at Marin General Hospital, the program was rated as the number one Trauma Program in the Bay Area for the last two years.
Ed also has an advanced degree in Healthcare Management. He held faculty positions at Stanford, Penn State, Southern Illinois University, and U Penn, where he instructed in surgery.
When not saving lives, Ed mentors students. He's mentored twelve students so far and enjoys helping others build their careers. He has also overseen the publication of 46 scientific papers and helped write over 100.
Ed is uniquely qualified to serve on the Marin Healthcare District Board. He spends every day on the front lines of healthcare delivery and witnesses firsthand the concerns of Marin's residents. Furthermore, Ed has dedicated his life to bettering healthcare and spent his career serving those who lack sufficient insurance.
Candidate Contact Info
Community Volunteer
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My Top 3 Priorities
- Bringing diversity and oversight without any conflict of interest to the board for the protection of all the constituents.
- Bringing attention to the hospital many issues that have not been properly addressed such as lack of sufficient mental health services, lack of a dedicated pediatric trauma center, lack of first class treatment of our military veterans, and much more
- Communicating all my constituents concerns to the hospital including the patients,nurses, doctors, and entire hospital support staff.
Experience
Experience
Profession:Business Owner / Mother
Business Owner / Chairwoman, Melissa Bradley Real Estate, Inc. doing business as Bradley Real Estate (1993–current)
Owner, Bradley Real Estate (1993–current)
Volunteer and Political Activist, Community (2017–current)
Community Activities
Volunteer, American Red Cross (2018–current)
Volunteer for Children's Theatrical Productions, Performing Stars of Marin City (2017–current)
Volunteer, CA State Parks and Marin County Parks (2018–current)
Member, Rotary 5150 Marin County, San Rafael Mission (2018–current)
Member, League of Women Voters Marin (2018–current)
Biography
I’m the Owner & Founder of Bradley Real Estate. I hold the prestigious (at least in my industry) CRS and CRB designations. I was also awarded the 2008 Women’s Initiative Pacesetter Award, the 2007 North Bay Business Journal’s 40 Executives under 40 Years Old Award ( yes, that was a while ago), the 2013 Most Influential Women in Business Award, and the San Francisco Business Times Top 100 Women Business Owner in the Bay Area 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.
I have the past success of running one of Marin's largest businesses that will bring a level of business experience to the board that is currently lacking, as it is made up of all medical professionals that for majority lack business acumen.
The Marin Healthcare Board is an oversight board. The board members oversee the budgets, salaries, and executive decisions that the privately owned Marin General Hospital Board makes for the hospital and its ancillary clinics.
Political Beliefs
Political Philosophy
I am running for this office because I made a decision over a year ago to devote a good portion of my free time to be an advocate for people that are not being treated fairly and with dignity and respect in a myriad of our public systems including our judicial systems, the criminal justice system, health care system and in particular the mental health system. as well as public education systems and more. Due to my own personal unfortunate situation when I separated myself from an abusive marriage, I learned first hand that there are many deficiencies and flaws in our government that negatively affect many people's lives, and need improvement in order to uphold our constitutional rights and protect the public. I plan to be a true voice not only for myself but for all my constituents. In fact, I offer any member of our district in Marin County to talk with me via phone, email, text or in person to discuss any of your concerns regarding healthcare, MGH business decisions or related items. You can count on me to truly represent you, every single one of you, no matter what you do for a living, how old you are, your political affiliation, or your background. Everyone's opinion is important to me.
Videos (1)
Policy Positions
— October 25, 2018 League of Women Voters Marin County
This video includes all the candidates' opening statements for why they feel they are the best candidate for this office. There is also a discussion of a myriad of issues related to healthcare. In the video, I do bring attention to the fact that most of the issues discussed in the forum have actually not been discussed at prior Marin Healthcare District meetings, and that the decision makers on many of the issues are left to the privately owned MGH board and to other governmental entities. The Marin Healthcare District is limited in its ability to make business decisions for the public because the Marin Healthcare District Board is not the hospital board, it is an oversight board, that oversees the hospital and its ancillary clinics. The key point I make in the video is that I believe the current board, including the incumbents that are running against me, are failing to exercise their full oversight capacity as well as questioning many of the decisions made by the privately owned and operated hospital and clinic that it operates.
