Our Board

Bringing different perspectives to the table to support critical health infrastructure for Los Angeles County residents.

Jarrett Barrios 

Sr. Vice President, International Services/Services to Armed Forces, American Red Cross

As the Senior Vice President for Service to Armed Forces & International Services at the American National Red Cross, Jarrett provides oversight and direction for all international American Red Cross programs, including international disaster response and recovery efforts, the Global Disaster Preparedness Center, the Measles & Rubella Partnership, disaster risk reduction programming in 15 nations in Asia, Latin America and Oceania, and representation of the American Red Cross within the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - IFRC. In his role managing the Congressionally-chartered Service to Armed Forces programs, he oversees wellness programs supporting servicemembers and their families during deployments, in military hospitals, on installations, and through the operation of the Hero Care Center hotline. 

Previously, Barrios has served as the CEO of the American Red Cross of Los Angeles, Senior Vice-President for Strategic Community & Programmatic Initiatives at the California Community Foundation and as President, and CEO of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts. From 1999 to 2007, he served in the Massachusetts legislature, first in House of Representatives and then in the State Senate, chairing the Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee and vice-chairing the Health Care Committee.  

President and CEO, Blue Shield California

Debbie I. Chang

Debbie I. Chang is president and CEO at Blue Shield of California Foundation, overseeing some $20 million in annual grantmaking in support of its mission to make California the healthiest state and end domestic violence. The foundation is a catalyst for large-scale impact through policy and systems change to positively address the root causes of health inequity and domestic violence in California. Throughout her career, she has championed equity and inclusion in health and health care, drawing on a deep personal commitment to building a more just and equitable world. Prior to joining the foundation in 2020, she served as chief policy and prevention officer for Nemours Children’s Health; as deputy secretary at the Maryland Department of Health, leading Medicaid and other health care programs; and as the first federal director of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). For nearly 40 years, she has established innovative programs, policies, and partnerships with a relentless focus on spreading and scaling impact to promote optimal health and well-being for all, especially the most vulnerable. She is an ex-officio member of the Roundtable on Population Health Improvement at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She currently serves on PPIC’s Statewide Leadership Council. She holds an MPH in policy and administration from the University of Michigan and a BS in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Barbara Ferrer, M.P.H., M.Ed.

Director, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Dr. Barbara Ferrer is a nationally recognized public health leader with over 40 years of experience as a philanthropic strategist, educator, researcher, community advocate, and public health director. She currently serves as Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which works to protect health, prevent disease, and promote equity for more than 10 million residents. As Director, she oversees a $1.9 billion budget and more than 4,400 staff, while collaborating with the Departments of Health Services and Mental Health to integrate care across the county.

Dr. Ferrer leads efforts to address environmental threats, prevent and mitigate disease, and ensure residents have the resources needed for optimal well-being. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she directed countywide response efforts, including vaccinating over 7.5 million residents.

Previously, she was Chief Strategy Officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, overseeing program strategy and investments. She also served as Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission and the Principal of a Boston high school.

She holds a Ph.D. from Brandeis University, along with graduate degrees from Boston University and UMass Boston, and a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Cruz.

Dr. Saree Kayne

CEO & President, R & S Kayne Foundation

Saree Kayne is a medical student, cultural anthropologist and CEO of the R&S Kayne Foundation. She attends the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She received her doctorate in anthropology from Stanford University. At the Foundation Saree focuses on investments in community health broadly conceived. Of note is the Kayne Scholars program (recently renamed Evolve Fellows) which has supported several hundred first generation and low income students in their college to career pathway with comprehensive support, including repayment of loans and extensive coaching. Saree is also particularly proud of the leadership of the Foundation in the wake of the LA fires in 2025. Following the Eaton and Palisades Fires, Saree and her partner Sarah Ali co-founded CAP.LA (http://cap.la/) (Community Action Project Los Angeles), a coordinated, data-driven recovery model providing free, comprehensive soil testing alongside air and water monitoring to enable safer, faster and smarter recovery decisions. Through this effort, 3,430 properties across both fire zones have been tested for soil contamination, 19 air monitors in the Palisades deliver real-time data via the CAP AIR network (https://www.cap.la/capair), public health guidance has been strengthened, and CAP.LA (http://cap.la/) has emerged as a leading model for post-disaster public-private collaboration. In addition to her work at the Foundation, Saree also serves on the board of the KCRW Foundation, a leading NPR affiliate in Los Angeles that serves as a hub of culture, news and music for the community. Saree has volunteered at the Venice Family Clinic and the Telluride Medical Center in Telluride, CO. Saree graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Chicago. She lives with her husband, documentary filmmaker Michael Gregory, and their three children.

Kristin McCowan

Vice President of Government Affairs and Community Relations, The Los Angeles Dodgers

In her role as Vice President of Government Affairs and Community Relations at the Los Angeles Dodgers, McCowan leads the team’s government, civic, community, and  philanthropic efforts with an emphasis on the organization’s relationships with local leaders, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and the many diverse communities that make up the Greater LA region.

On behalf of the Dodgers, McCowan serves on the boards of the Getty House Foundation and the LA Chamber Board of Governors and represents the Dodgers at business organizations, including the Central City Association, VICA, and the L.A. County Business Federation (BizFed). Prior to joining the Dodgers, she served in senior leadership positions in the Office of Mayor Garcetti, the Executive Office of the President under President Obama and with the Committee on House Administration in the U.S. House of Representatives. In addition, McCowan was elected and served as the Mayor Pro Tempore on the Santa Monica City Council from 2020-2022.

Kristin earned her B.A. in Political Science from California State University, Northridge, and her Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California. She currently lives in Santa Monica, with her husband, Albert, and their two children.

Sean Penn

Co-Founder of CORE - Community Organized Relief Effort

Sean Penn is an Academy Award-winning actor, filmmaker and author with a highly regarded career spanning nearly five decades. He has been nominated for six Academy Awards®.

As a filmmaker, Penn’s esteemed work includes INTO THE WILD, which was named to countless Top Ten Films of 2007 lists. He made his directorial debut with 1991's THE INDIAN RUNNER, which he also wrote and produced. Additional directing credits include THE CROSSING GUARD, which Penn also wrote and produced; THE PLEDGE starring Jack Nicholson; and FLAG DAY starring Dylan Penn. Penn co-directed the Emmy®-nominated documentary SUPERPOWER, which provides a front-row seat to the incredible story of President Zelensky and the invasion of Ukraine. 

In January 2010, Penn is founder of the emergency relief nonprofit was renamed CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) and continues to bring immediate aid and recovery to underserved communities across the globe. CORE was named the Philanthropic Organization of the Year at The Hollywood Reporter’s Social Impact Summit in July 2025.

Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith

Dean of Charles Drew University (CDU) College of Medicine

Deborah Prothrow-Stith, M.D., is dean of CDU College of Medicine (COM) and the founding dean of its new MD degree program, the 157th in the United States and the 4th at a historically Black university. In her 7-year tenure at CDU, she built the team and led planning, faculty development, and fundraising to launch the program, fulfilling a 57-year-old CDU dream of establishing its own medical school. In addition, Dean Prothrow-Stith led the restart of CDU’s residency programs in South Los Angeles after a 12-year hiatus with the 2007 closure of the former LA County King Hospital.

Today, CDU runs residency programs in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Psychiatry; fellowship programs in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine; and is planning residency programs in General Surgery and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Prothrow-Stith’s leadership has generated significant growth in the COM faculty, from 100 to over 350, who are appointed in 9 basic science and clinical departments. With the monumental start of a new medical degree program that opened with an inaugural class of 60 diverse students in July 2023, Dr. Prothrow-Stith and CDU have earned considerable recognition from peers and the media.

Martha Santana-Chin

Chief Executive Officer, LA Care Health Plan

Martha Santana-Chin is the Chief Executive Officer of L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan, serving nearly 2.5 million members. With a deep belief in the power of collaboration, she works closely with the Board of Governors and leaders across the healthcare ecosystem to drive systemic transformation for healthier communities. Martha also oversees L.A. Care’s operations, ensuring that the organization remains responsive, accountable, and steadfast in its mission to provide equitable access to high-quality care with integrity and compassion in a constantly evolving healthcare landscape. 

Martha has devoted her almost 30-year career to increasing access to quality of care for all, particularly those in underserved areas. Her extensive leadership experience includes working with independent physician practices, hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and health plans. Most importantly, her leadership is rooted in a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of health, economic opportunity, and social well-being. 

Martha’s commitment extends beyond her work at L.A. Care. She’s the Board Chair for the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, serves on the Board of the Los Angeles General Medical Center Foundation, is a Founding Member of Advancing Public Health LA, and a commissioner on the Future of Medi-Cal Commission. 

Danny Trejo 

Actor/Author/ Restaurateur

Danny Trejo has developed a prolific career in the entertainment industry with a hard-earned and atypical road to success. From years of imprisonment to helping troubled youth battle drug addictions, from acting and producing to restaurant ventures, his name, face, and achievements are well-recognized in Hollywood and beyond. However, his continuous roles as a devoted father of three and an intervention counselor are what bring him the most satisfaction.

Danny has starred in dozens of films, including DESPERADO, HEAT, the FROM DUSK TILL DAWN series, CON AIR, ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO, SPY KIDS, MACHETE, and MACHETE KILLS. Currently, he may be seen as the host of MYSTERIES UNEARTHED on the History Channel and is the voice of Jesus in ZOOTOPIA 2, one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time. His colorful life and prolific career are chronicled in the bio-documentary INMATE #1, released in 2020, as well as in his fearlessly honest memoir, TREJO: MY LIFE OF CRIME, REDEMPTION, AND HOLLYWOOD.

Trejo’s expanding restaurant empire includes Trejo’s Tacos & Cantina and Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts, now with a fifth location in Downtown Los Angeles and an international spot in London. He entered the literary world by sharing his love of food in the release of his first cookbook TREJO’S TACOS: RECIPES AND STORIES FROM LA. His companion book, TREJO’S CANTINA, a book about cocktails, snacks, and amazing non-alcoholic drinks from the heart of Hollywood, was released in April 2023.