Isabel Becerra

President & Chief Executive Officer

For the past 27 years, Isabel has dedicated her career to public health with an emphasis in serving the underserved communities cared for by community health centers. In these efforts, she has been able to lead initiatives which empower communities across the country to address and overcome barriers to health equity. Isabel currently serves on the Board of Directors of California Primary Care Association, CalOptima Health, Waymakers Foundation, and the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. She also participates on numerous committees and has received awards for her service. Since 2000, Isabel has been able to lead and represent communities in need in her hometown of Orange County. As the Chief Executive Officer, she spends her days negotiating and strengthening relationships that are aligned to ensure equal access to high quality, affordable and culturally competent health care for all. When not engaged in her role for the Coalition, you will find Isabel enjoying time with family at home or in the great outdoors either locally or across the country.

Isabel holds a degree in psychology from Pomona College of the Claremont Colleges. In addition, she has completed programs in leadership and advocacy from UC San Diego.

Personal Motto: Be the voice for the voiceless.

Ryan Yamamoto

Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer, Ryan spends his days ensuring the organization, staff and member clinics have the resources and capacity to serve their patients and communities. Ryan has dedicated over fifteen years in health philanthropy and six years with health and human services organizations. In these roles, he was able to witness the countless acts of advocates and empowered communities locally and nationally fight for their health. Ryan returned to Orange County and joined the Coalition in late 2018. Outside of the office, you will find him at home or at a golf course, in the outdoors, or at one of Southern California’s restaurants.

Ryan holds a degree in health science, with a concentration in community health.

Personal Motto: People who wonder if the glass is half empty or full miss the point. The glass is refillable. – Unknown

Thomas Sheil

Chief Financial Officer

Sonia Shah, MPH

Vice President, Healthcare Operations

Sonia is the daughter of immigrant parents from India and although her father was an Accountant by training, he ventured into opening up his own business upon arriving to New York City. As such, her family didn’t have insurance coverage, and she spent most of her young childhood receiving care at Community Health Centers in New York City. This experience not only exposed her to Community Health Centers and the high quality care they provided, but living life without health care coverage, and watching her parents navigate systems and resources, with very limited English and understanding of the American culture, continued to show Sonia the challenges different communities face to get the basic and essential care needed. Sonia has always had a passion to connect communities, whether it be her small group of friends, or larger groups of people. Working at the Coalition allows her to put her passions, and her skills together to find ways to support the member health centers and the communities at large.

Sonia holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Minor in Psychology and a Master in Public Health with a focus on Hospital and Health Administration.

Personal Motto: The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment. – Kobe Bryant

Alejandra Hernandez, CEC

Healthcare Navigator

Alejandra, originally from Mexico, moved to the U.S. after completing her secondary education with a focus in accounting. She eagerly enrolled in community college to improve her English skills and continued her studies. With a diverse work experience from healthcare to sales, customer service, and providing language interpreting services, she is passionate about serving underserved communities in Orange County, helping them navigate healthcare systems and access resources with the goal to see people thrive in all areas of life.

Active in her church, Alejandra volunteers with the children’s ministry and participates in mission trips with healthcare professionals to provide basic care in developing countries. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor barbecues, spending time with her children and fiancé, watching movies, and attending concerts.

Alejandra holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice & Human Services from University of Phoenix and an Associate of Arts in Radio/TV Media Communications from Saddleback College.

Personal Motto: When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer. The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation.– Corrie Ten Boom

Andrew Niiro, MPA

Director, Health Information Technology

Andrew is not a stranger to community health centers, he brings with him the experience of working in two community health center systems and a large healthcare provider in Orange County. Well versed in both health care technology applications and data analytics, Andrew has held positions in quality and performance improvement and as a program manager. Most recently, he also served as the chair of the data governance committee with the Coalition’s Health Center Controlled Network. After finishing graduate school, Andrew started working at an FQHC and grew a passion for this work. He saw how those who have nowhere else to go for health care can be treated with dignity and high-quality care in community health centers.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master in Public Administration from Cal State University Long Beach.

Personal Motto: Everyone deserves to be treated with kindness.

Aurora Garcia-Barrera

Director, Policy & Government Affairs

Aurora has spent the last 13 years working in the nonprofit sector and organizing for social justice and equity for the most vulnerable populations. As an organizer at The Children’s Partnership, Health Access, California Partnership, and Young Invincibles, she has engaged in multiple efforts to ensure that all Californians, particularly low-income and communities of color, have access to quality and affordable health care, among other issues. Her work has ranged from engaging community members from diverse backgrounds and state/local representatives to policy advocacy on state budget and legislation, to coordinating regional coalitions. From her time as Development Associate at the Council of Mexican Federations she also obtained experience in all aspects of fundraising. As the Director of Policy and Government Affairs at the Coalition OC, Aurora is responsible for leading the policy and advocacy strategies and campaigns that respond to the needs of Community Health Centers and the patients they serve.

Aurora holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Minor in Chican@ Studies from University of California, Los Angeles.

Personal Motto: In a world where people throw bricks at others, be the one who builds bridges with them.

Dani Bryant, MPH, CPH

Program Manager, Policy & Government Affairs

Dani is a dedicated health equity professional with over four years of multifaceted experience in the nonprofit sector, specializing in community outreach, research, data visualization, and program evaluation and implementation. A native of Southern California, Dani is deeply committed to serving and empowering her local communities. She believes that dismantling systemic barriers, addressing bias, fostering sustainability, and practicing radical empathy are crucial to creating a more equitable world. Beyond her professional endeavors, Dani enjoys live music, expanding her vintage vinyl record collection, and visiting her local library.

Dani holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Biola University and a Master in Public Health from University of California, Irvine.

Personal Motto: “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” -Angela Davis

Elizabeth Cuevas, CEC

Healthcare Navigator

Elizabeth has over 10 years experience in the healthcare industry. She has worked at Rady Children’s Hospital of San Diego as a Financial Counselor where she proudly assisted families with county and state programs for their children’s healthcare. Dealing with a multicultural community she enjoyed working with families that resettled to San Diego from many other countries. Elizabeth has taken these experiences and her passion to make a difference in someone’s life. She is a proud mother of three and supports her partner as a business owner. She loves walks in the park, spending time with good friends, and peaceful evenings with family.

Personal Motto: The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.

Erick Delgado

Project Manager, Healthcare Operations Population Health

Erick comes with a multi-faceted background and experiences in the service industry to roles as a worship director and pastor. His most recent prior roles include a Client Relations Coordinator for a national copyright law firm assisting clients in navigating the onboarding process through to the finalization of pre-litigation settlements and a Conventional Negotiator for a debt settlement firm helping people reach financial freedom by negotiating with financial firms on behalf of the clients. From these roles, Erick brings his skills and abilities navigating complex systems, managing processes, and negotiating the most successful outcomes for the client and company. In his free time, Erick likes to serve as a musician at his church. He also enjoys reading, watching movies, and skateboarding.

Erick holds an undergraduate degree in political science with a minor degree in Biblical studies.

Personal Motto: One more. This motto comes from Erick’s time playing football and has seeped into all facets of his life. It was a useful reminder to keep going when the workout got too hard, when he got hit too hard and didn’t want to get up. Erick also has the motto, “just keep going” that motivates him when he’s scared but the work is too important, too critical for him to quit.

Imelda Buncab

Director, Branding & Communications

Imelda brings over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, encompassing direct services, program management, and administration. Her expertise spans critical areas such as gender-based violence, human trafficking, and the intersections of homelessness, race, equity, and inclusion. Her extensive background includes work with state and national coalitions, as well as leadership roles in a health center where she managed social services, community engagement, volunteer programs, and marketing and communications. Imelda has collaborated with the Coalition OC team during the pandemic, administering COVID vaccines across the County and later supporting Afghan refugees with health assessments under the Refugee Health Assessment Program. A dedicated community advocate, Imelda serves on several boards, including Leadership Tomorrow OC, Extera Public Schools, Be A Book Worm, and the Maria Suarez Foundation. She is passionate about the belief that small acts of kindness and care can lead to significant positive change, contributing to the vision of a better world for us all.

Imelda holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from University of California, Santa Barbara.

Personal Motto: Your words are powerful. Your actions are powerful. Wield them for good.

Isabel Inzunza-Zamorano, CEC

Healthcare Navigator

Isabel has 25 years of work experience helping families and individuals obtain health care access and other essential services. She has extensive knowledge in Medi-Cal, Covered CA, CalFresh, and CalWORKS programs and is a certified enrollment counselor. Isabel’s passion to help the community has led her to organizing outreach activities promoting immigration and citizenship program services. She is a constant at guiding community members in accessing and utilizing medical services. Isabel’s goal is to share her expertise in our community.

Personal Motto: Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.

Ivonne Magallanes, CPHQ, CPPS

Director, Quality Management

Ivonne is a collaborative leader with a background that includes more than 30 years of experience working with organizations across the private, public, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors. Her work has been in the areas of: business administration, operations management, quality improvement, patient safety, risk management, The Joint Commission Accreditation and regulatory compliance, as well as employee training and development. Her various experience includes the following venues: primary care, acute care, oral health, behavioral health, and senior programs, with a focus on underserved populations.

Ivonne holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from Pepperdine University. She is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) and a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS).

Personal Motto: Together, we can make healthy and happy communities a reality.

Jewel Loff

Director, MATCONNECT Program

Jewel has spent 32 years in banking and finance with 24 years as a Vice President. During that time she served as a Board Member and Treasurer of the Orange County Rescue Mission. She was the initial Board Member for the Hurtt Family Medical Group when it became an FQHC. Jewel later accepted a position as the Vice President of the Orange County Rescue Mission and Chief Executive Officer of the Hurtt Family Health Clinic. She served in this role for 7 years before establishing her own consulting firm specializing in supporting FQHCs. She has been Director of the Coalition’s MAT Connect program since March 2020 and has been instrumental in expanding access to MAT in Orange County through the MAT Connect member clinics. Jewel centers her work in the people we serve. The opioid epidemic is a significant problem for the world today, but behind the statistics are thousands of grieving parents, siblings, and family members who are devastated by the loss of their loved one. She loves knowing that every time the program shares information on how to seek treatment, it may mean that another family won’t lose a child.

Personal Motto: Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. – Theodore Roosevelt. Which means to Jewel that not every action creates significant change, but taking any action is important, even small continual action can create change and make the world a better place.

Jonathan Serrano

Program Manager, Healthcare Operations Workforce

While working in a Physical Therapy clinic, Jonathan discovered that many individuals were unable to access essential care due to lack of health insurance or financial constraints. This realization sparked a deep passion for effecting meaningful change within the community. Jonathan transitioned to the nonprofit sector, taking on the role of AmeriCorps VISTA Program Manager. In this role, he supported the Los Angeles community by providing assistance with housing, food, and educational opportunities for the next generation. Now, Jonathan is excited to return to the medical field through their role with the Coalition OC. He is grateful to be part of this dedicated team and looks forward to making a significant difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Jonathan holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a focus in Pre-Physical Therapy.

Personal Motto: Appreciate what you have, for it might be what someone else dreams of.

Joshua Castro

Program Manager, MATCONNECT Program

Joshua has over 10 years experience in social services/substance use disorders with a background as an EMT. He has worked in SUD detox programs, that includes a felony re-entry housing program providing direct services and working with people who are formerly incarcerated. Through the MAT Connect Program, he works in the jails assisting those suffering from addiction and mental health issues being released from prison. Josh helps to stabilize them through supports such as medication, case management, therapy, and medical care. He is proud to be part of the MAT Connect team and his work in having a direct impact helping those in need during a crisis, to give them the best opportunity to succeed on their own in the community.

Personal Motto: Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. – Maya Angelou

Kevin Tygard

Project Manager, MATCONNECT Program

Kevin brings over 20 years lived experience working in recovery programs as a support staff, client peer navigator, intake coordinator, and project manager. He shares his lived experience from recovery and treatment as he also found recovery in helping people and finds it fulfilling seeing someone succeed in treatment. Kevin assists those suffering from addiction and mental health issues by providing supports such as medication, case management, therapy, and medical care. He works tirelessly to amplify the challenges for those seeking and needing MAT through community presentations and speaking engagements. He is working to change adverse attitudes and mindset about medically assisted treatment by sharing stories of client success in the MAT program. Kevin is happily married with four stepchildren.

Personal Motto: Be that change you want to see in the world. – Ghandi

Melissa Guerrero

Executive Assistant

Melissa has extensive years of experience in diverse administrative functions, encompassing scheduling and project management. Her professional journey through various business roles has honed her ability to customize her skills to the unique requirements of a wide-ranging clientele. Melissa possesses the adeptness to engage with prospective and current clients directly, leading to noteworthy enhancements in customer satisfaction ratings at multiple organizations. In addition to her role as an executive assistant, Melissa remains actively engaged in her local community, contributing her free time to volunteer efforts. Her commitment to aiding others drives her dedication, and she sees her involvement with the Coalition as a continued means to support and uplift communities.

Melissa holds a degree in business administration from Cal State University Fullerton.

Personal Motto: “Efficiency in every endeavor,” reflects her unwavering dedication to optimizing processes and facilitating success for those she serves.

Mourad Lamey

Data Analyst

While working as a civil engineer at GE, Mourad always had a strong desire to directly help people and make a positive impact. Driven by this passion, he decided to switch gears and dive into healthcare. Mourad’s previous experience includes working in the IT department for various dental clinics, a PACE Program, and an FQHC. His talent for data analytics stems from a blend of academic learning and real-world practice. Beyond his professional role in healthcare, Mourad also gives back to his community through involvement in church scouts and choir activities.

Mourad holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and project management from Egypt, as well as a bachelor’s degree in public health from the University of California, Irvine.

Personal Motto: Service with kindness is the main recipe for non perishable happiness.

Nancy Ruelas-Lopez, CEC

Healthcare Navigator

Nancy is a healthcare navigator/enrollment counselor with extensive experience helping community members navigate the healthcare world. Her goal is to help individuals understand the importance of health coverage and assist in questions relating to their care and coverage. She assists enrollment services for Covered CA, Medi-Cal, CalFresh and CalWORKS. She has worked in human/social services for many years.

Nancy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Cal State University San Bernardino.

Personal Motto: Be the reason someone smiles today.

Scott Serpa

Data Analyst & Integration Coordinator

Scott serves as the Integration Coordinator/Data Analyst for the Coalition of Orange County Community Health Centers. He is a proficient data analyst. In his role, Scott manages the data for the Coalition’s MAT Connect program. He also validates data for the Coalition’s analytics platform, Relevant.

Stephanie Hernandez, CEC

Program Manager, Healthcare Operations Care & Coverage

Stephanie is a Santa Ana local, born and raised. She has a wealth of experience in community health, with a focus on insuring the uninsured in Orange and South County. She has worked at North Orange County Community Health Centers, now known as Family Health Matters as program lead for Covered California. She brings this experience and commitment to assisting and finding the best healthcare coverage that fits patients’ needs leading Covered California, Medi-Cal Redetermination and Expansion programs for the Coalition. In addition, she is Certified as a Covered California Enrollment Counselor, Benefits Cal specialist and Immigration Accredited representative. Stephanie serves on the CalOptima’s Advisory Committee and the Orange County Task Force Steering Committee as the Certified Enrollment Counselor lead. Outside of work Stephanie loves spending time with her kids, and participating in their sports activities. You can find her in the kitchen cooking and baking on her free time. She loves reading and learning new things, especially around emotional and mental health.

Stephanie holds associate degrees from Santa Ana College in liberal arts/humanities/communication, community social services, social and behavioral science, psychology and social service.

Personal Motto: Back of the Clouds the sun is always SHINING.