HealthImpact Board Chair
Clinical Director, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California Davis

Dr. Bakerjian is a Nurse Practitioner with a background in gerontology, patient safety and quality improvement, and has been a strong supporter of the California Action Coalition. She has held multiple academic positions and was Vice Chair for FNP/PA Studies and Senior Director for FNP/PA Clinical Education & Practice, as well as many clinical positions. Dr. Bakerjian is a national speaker on long-term care, quality and safety, and interprofessional education and practice. She holds an MSN and PhD from the University of California, San Francisco.

HealthImpact Board President
Chief Executive Officer, HealthImpact

Dr. Chan succeeded Judee Berg as President & CEO of HealthImpact on January 22, 2019. Previously, Chan was on staff with Stanford Health Care, where he served as Director for the Center for Education and Professional Development and Director of Advanced Practice. He earned his PhD and MS in Nursing and completed Post-Masters work as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at the University of California, San Francisco. He was a Fellow at the National Institutes of Health’s Summer Genetics Program, and completed the American College of Health Executives Senior Executive Program in Healthcare Administration.

HealthImpact Board Treasurer
Chief Nurse Executive, UCLA Health

Dr. Grimley is a senior leader at UCLA Health and the School of Nursing and is responsible for nursing practice and care delivery across UCLA Health’s four hospitals and ambulatory care network. With UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center and Orthopedic Hospital, and Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital designated as Magnet hospitals, she works with nursing leadership to maintain the highest level of nursing excellence as a standard throughout UCLA Health.

HealthImpact Board Secretary
Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive, Cedars-Sinai

Dr. Marshall is a nationally recognized leader in nursing-leader proficiency and is responsible for nursing practice, education, and administration throughout the Cedars-Sinai system. He currently serves in the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Magnet® Recognition Program, and also served on the board of directors of the American Organization of Nurse Executives and is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

In addition to bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing, Dr. Marshall earned his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing. He also holds a law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston.

Chief Clinical Officer, UC San Diego Health

In her role as CCO for UC San Diego, Ms. Baggett provides leadership and direction for the nursing staff and is responsible for planning, organizing, directing and controlling all functions of nursing, care coordination, volunteer services, pharmacy, facilities, and support services, as well as overseeing emergency medicine. A graduate of the Johnson & Johnson-Wharton Fellows Program in Management for Nurse Executives, Ms. Baggett earned her master of science degree from Adelphi University and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Molloy College, both in New York state.

Director Health Careers/Director of Nursing at West Hills College Lemoore

Kathryn DeFede is a dedicated nursing administrator and educator with nearly four decades of experience spanning pediatrics, community health, and nursing education. Over the course of her 38-year career, she has held pivotal roles in patient care and administration across hospital and ambulatory care settings, as well as academic leadership positions within Associate Degree (ADN), Bachelor of Science (BSN), and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs in both public and private institutions.

As an active member of the Central San Joaquin Valley Clinical Education Collaborative (CSJVCEC), Kathryn plays a vital role in advancing clinical placement partnerships and promoting curricula that foster a culture of health and prioritize community-based clinical experiences. Her commitment to strengthening nursing education is particularly evident in her work with rural communities throughout California’s Central Valley, where she ensures that future nurses are prepared to meet the evolving demands of the healthcare landscape.

Kathryn holds a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, Bakersfield. Her career reflects a steadfast dedication to excellence in nursing practice, education, and leadership, making her a respected voice in the advancement of healthcare and nursing education.

Chief Executive Officer, California Society of Health-System Pharmacists

In her role as CEO for California Society of Health System Pharmacists, Dr. De Martini provides leadership and advocacy for pharmacy professionals to optimize medication therapy for Californian citizens. She is a Fellow of the California Health Care Foundation Leadership in Health Care program. Dr. De Martini earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from University of Pacific and is board certified in geriatrics.

Chief Nurse Officer Emerita, Sutter Health

As Sutter Health’s first Chief Nurse Officer, Dr. Kiger was recently accountable for executive nursing leadership, clinical nursing practice, education, and nursing research for the entire system.  Dr.Kiger holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Texas Tech University School of Nursing, a Doctorate of Science in Public Health, Health Systems Management, from Tulane School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, an MBA from Averett University, Danville Virginia and a Master of Science in Nursing from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.  Her undergraduate BSN is from West Virginia University School of Nursing.  Dr. Kiger serves as a Board Regent for Samuel Merritt University, on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA), and as Board member for MedicAlert Foundation, Turlock, CA.

Assistant Nurse Manager, University of California, Davis Medical Center

Aron King, MSN, RN, is a registered nurse, healthcare leader, and PhD student at the University of California, Davis, specializing in community-based mental health interventions for Black men. Currently an Assistant Manager at UC Davis Health, he has worked in cardiac telemetry and medical intensive care and is passionate about advancing health equity.

A recognized leader in nursing, Aron has served in multiple roles on the executive board of the Capitol City Black Nurses Association (CCBNA) and currently holds the position of Historian. He also chairs the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) Ad Hoc Committee on Men’s Health and co-chairs the NAACP Sacramento Health Committee.

His work has earned national recognition. In 2024, Aron received the Spirit of the Founders Award from NBNA for his impact in Sacramento, particularly for launching Cut to the Chase, a barbershop-based mental health program in collaboration with the Greater Sacramento Urban League and CCBNA. In 2023, he was awarded The American Association for Men in Nursing’s IDEA Award (Inclusion and Diversity Excellence Award) for his efforts to increase diversity in the nursing profession through the Breaking Down Barriers to Nursing Conference. Additionally, he was named an NBNA Under 40 Awardee in 2022, one of only 16 nurses in the nation to receive the honor.

Aron is also the co-author of The Diaries of a Resilient Black Nurse, a collection of stories highlighting the struggles and achievements of Black nurses in America. He starred in the documentary Everybody’s Work, which sheds light on systemic racism in healthcare and the role of nurses in dismantling barriers to health equity.

Through initiatives like Barbershop Health Talks and the Breaking Down Barriers to Nursing Conference, Aron remains committed to increasing workforce diversity and addressing health disparities in communities of color.

Founding (Former) Director, Cal Poly Humboldt RN-BSN Program

Dr. Perris is a nurse educator and associate professor who served as the founding director of the RN-BSN program at Cal Poly Humboldt (2019–2025), where she led program development, accreditation, and community partnerships, including the launch of a successful concurrent enrollment pathway with a local community college. She currently serves on several statewide boards, including the HCAI Health Workforce Education and Training Council, and is the immediate past president of the California Association of Colleges of Nursing. Her work focuses on nursing workforce development, rural health equity, and advancing nursing practice in ambulatory care. She holds a Master of Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of San Francisco.

Area Chief Nurse Executive, Central Valley, Kaiser Permanente

Biography coming soon.

Executive Director, Economic and Workforce Development, Butte College

Linda is the Executive Director, Economic and Workforce Development at Butte College and the Senior Advisor for HealthWorkforce Development with Upskill California/Corporate College.  She has served as the statewide director of the Health Workforce Initiative (HWI) — one of the ten sectors of the Workforce and Economic Development program, California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO).  In this role, she coordinated the work of the ten HWI Regional Directors and served as the lead nursing and allied health subject matter expert for the CCCCO. Previous to this position, Linda was the regional director for the HWI in the North and Far North Regions.  She served in these roles for over 25 years.