Senate Leader Atkins Announces Appointment of Vernita Todd to the Health Professions Education Foundation Board of Trustees

March 10, 2021

SACRAMENTO – The Senate Rules Committee appointed Vernita Todd to the Health Professions Education Foundation Board of Trustees during its hearing today. As Chair of the California Senate Rules Committee, Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), who recommended Todd to serve on the board, issued the following statement:

“Vernita Todd is an advocate for the power of community health centers who has spent the last 14 years working to improve access to quality medical care for underserved families. Between two decades of leadership experience in the nonprofit world, specializing in healthcare management, and her passion for opening the doors of healthcare to everyone, I know she will make an excellent addition to the Health Professions Education Foundation Board of Trustees.”

Vernita Todd currently serves as the Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for San Ysidro Health, a nonprofit organization that provides affordable, quality medical, dental, and behavioral health services to people throughout San Diego County. Prior to this role, Todd served as the Chief Experience Officer for the Health Center Partners of Southern California, and before that as the CEO of the Heart City Health Center in Elkhart, Indiana. She is a member of the American College of Health Care Executives and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.  

The Health Professions Education Foundation Board of Trustees works to provide financial assistance to students and graduates in California who are seeking an education to become a healthcare professional. Recipients of the scholarship awards or loan repayments must agree to work in a medically underserved part of California for one to four years. The board has 13 voting members, including nine gubernatorial appointments, one Senate Rules Committee appointment, one appointment by the Speaker of the Assembly, and two appointments by the Medical Board. The Chairperson of the Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission also serves as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the board.

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Toni G. Atkins is President pro Tempore of the California Senate. Having previously served as Speaker of the California Assembly, she began her tenure in the Senate in 2016. As Senator for District 39, she represents the cities of San Diego, Coronado, Del Mar and Solana Beach. Website of President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins: www.senate.ca.gov/Atkin