I am excited to share the 16th edition of the Health Systems Fix podcast. 

Aaron Byzak is Chief Strategist & Lead Consultant for Galvanized Strategies, a strategic public affairs and fractional leadership firm supporting an array of healthcare and nonprofit clients. He recently served for 9 months as Interim CEO of Grossmont Healthcare District, helping the District achieve more than a dozen goals, and currently provides public affairs and strategy consulting for notable local organizations. 

With over 30 years of experience in healthcare management, EMS, health policy, and nonprofit leadership, Aaron is a recognized changemaker in the region. He has also led award-winning public health and advocacy campaigns, created workforce development initiatives, shaped regional crisis responses, and advised organizations at every level. 

A four-time Emmy Award-winning writer and producer and a dynamic public speaker, Aaron is also a sought-after mentor to emerging healthcare leaders throughout San Diego. He holds an MBA in Healthcare Management and Policy from UC Irvine, a BA in Social Science from Chapman University, and executive leadership certificates from UCLA and Cornell University. 

Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!

I am very excited to share the 15th edition of the health system fix podcast with my guest Assembly Member Dr. Darshana R. Patel. She represents District 76 in the California State Assembly and was elected to represent the 76th Assembly District in northern San Diego County in November 2024.  

Dr. Patel is a research scientist, former school board president, and dedicated community leader, and brings a unique blend of expertise and compassion to public service. As the daughter of immigrants, she experienced firsthand the challenges of building a new life in California. 

In 2016, as the Poway Unified School District grappled with financial mismanagement, Dr. Patel ran for the school board to help restore trust and effective governance. Elected as a Trustee, she focused on stabilizing the district’s finances, and rebuilding governance structures, all with a focus on student success and future readiness. She was reelected in 2020.

She has also served as President of the San Diego County School Boards Association, member of the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs, member of the San Diego Police Department Northeastern Division Captain’s Advisory Board.

She earned her Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of California, Irvine, and launched a successful career in biotechnology research before transitioning to community leadership.

I am very excited to share the 14th episode of The Health System Fix [THSF] podcast. Veronica Dela Rosa is the Executive Vice President of Operations for San Ysidro Health. She provides key oversight on strategic initiatives of Clinic Operations, Information Technology, Population Health and Performance Excellence, Compliance, Human Resources, Pharmacy Operations, and Belonging initiatives. Veronica has over 25 years of healthcare experience. She spent 20 years as a healthcare administrator for Kaiser Permanente, where she oversaw the medical group’s Primary

Care Services Division focusing on quality, access, and innovative health care delivery services to over 600,000+ patients. 

I am very excited to share the 13th episode of the Health System Fix Podcast with Lucy Marrero. Lucy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), and community psychologist currently serving as the Director of Behavioral Health at Gold Coast Health Plan, the Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan for Ventura County, California. She is passionate about promoting seamless, high-quality, safe care through partnership and collaboration. 

She serves on the Medi-Cal Voices and Vision Council, which provides insight into local health plan and member experiences to inform state policy. 

Lucy is also a Patient Safety Champion with Patients for Patient Safety US and draws on her lived experience as a patient and caregiver to inform her work.

I am very excited to share the 12th episode of the Health System Fix Podcast. Please share, subscribe, and comment.

Deena Berry, MLS, CPHRM, is the Assistant Director of Risk Management at UC San Diego Health, where she oversees clinical risk operations, professional liability assessments, and

policy development.

She is also a co-author of the ASHRM Medical Office Risk Management Playbook, published in 2025.

Most recently, Deena launched her own consulting firm, EMMURJ, dedicated to helping healthcare organizations strengthen patient safety, reduce legal risk, and build sustainable compliance programs. With over 25 years of experience across hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and federally qualified health centers, she brings a wealth of knowledge in legal risk, patient safety, and regulatory compliance.

Website:  https://www.emmurj.com/

Amanda Berry, is a public health social worker with a master's in SW and Public health.  She has a background in health policy, politics, research, and health services. 

She is the Director of Managed Care Advocacy at Health Center Partners of Southern California, a regional consortium of community health centers in San Diego, Riverside, and Imperial Counties. Very recently, Amanda helped health centers strengthen their civic engagement and played a key role in the successful passage of Proposition 35, which secured critical Medi-Cal funding. She has also served as the Senior Policy Advisor to San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and contributed to statewide behavioral health policy reform through her work at UC Davis. Amanda serves on the County of San Diego’s Behavioral Health Advisory Board and is Co-President of the San Diego Leadership Alliance.

I am very excited to share the 9th episode of The Health System Fix podcast with Vernita Todd [ a bit out of order due to editing delays]. It was a pleasure to speak with Vernita on topics of healthcare strategy and a meaningful career.

Vernita Largin Todd, MBA, FACHE, is the Vice President of Senior Health Services at San Ysidro Health & San Diego PACE, where she oversees the organization’s comprehensive program for seniors. San Ysidro Health – a large Federally Qualified Health Center in San Diego, California, serving more than 160,000 SoCal residents per year. 

Before moving to California, Vernita had served as the CEO of Heart City Health Center in Elkhart, Indiana, for ten years. Vernita is a lifetime member of the National Association of Community Health Centers and was honored with the Elizabeth K. Cooke Advocacy MVP Award in 2014. She was inducted into NACHC’s Grassroots Hall of Fame in 2017 for her advocacy work. Vernita is a board member for The California Endowment; a State Appointed Trustee for the Health Workforce Education & Training Council (a division of HCAI); and a board member of CalPACE – the state association for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Vernita is the President/Founder of the Human Capital Group, which works with nonprofit organizations in strategic planning and change management. 

Dr. Nisha Mehta is a Radiologist with subspecialty training in Musculoskeletal and Breast Imaging. She is the founder of the Physician Side Gigs and Physician Community with more than 200,000 verified physician members. The online communities aim to empower physicians with the tools they didn't get during medical school. Dr. Mehta is a writer, professional keynote speaker, and physician advocate. She is a LinkedIn Top Health Voice and has been published with Forbes, CNN, the Washington Post, Bloomberg, PBS NewsHour, KevinMD.com, the Radiology Business Journal, Medscape, MedPage Today, and Doximity, amongst others.

We met at the #HLTH25 conference in Las Vegas where I was an attendee.

https://www.physiciansidegigs.com/

https://www.nishamehtamd.com/

Dr. Bhargav Patel is a multidisciplinary physician-leader, entrepreneur, and innovator who is currently a research track fellow in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Brown University. His research is on developmental trauma and its implications on early biomarkers of aging and is publishing a book, Trauma Transformed: Your Guide to Understanding Trauma, Resilience, and Post-Traumatic Growth in early 2026. He is also an entrepreneur and co-founder and CEO of myPEAK, an award-winning vegan health company that creates science-backed nutritional formulations. He is also a leader in the AI revolution and was most recently Chief Medical Officer and chair of the clinical advisory board at Sully.ai.  Outside of work, he is an avid reader, meditator, yogi, and hiker who is currently trying to visit all 63 US national parks.

Dr. Pouya Afshar is a physician and an entrepreneur. He is board-certified in internal medicine, hospice/palliative medicine, and venous and lymphatic medicine. 

Early in his career, Dr. Afshar began following some of his medically complex, elderly patients into skilled nursing facilities, where he managed their care post-hospitalization while they received short-term rehabilitation. Inspired by this experience, he co-founded Presidium Health in 2015 to provide a comprehensive model of home-based care—“concierge care without the fare.” 

Outside of medicine, Pouya is a devoted husband and father of 4 children, an avid soccer player, and has completed 14 marathons.

Website: https://presidiumhealth.com/