Being in the Room for Health and Arts

Greg Monterrosa, Startup Mentor

Ventura County Leadership Academy pulled together a lineup across healthcare, public health, and the arts. People not just talking about systems, but actually running them.  Glad to spend the day in one of those rooms that actually matter.

A few that stood out:

Healthcare Leadership / Systems
– Demetric Franklin — Chief Deputy Director, Ventura County Health Care Agency
– Doug Kleam — President & CEO, Dignity Health St. John’s Hospitals
– Phil Buttell — CEO Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center

Real conversation around where healthcare is going, access, and what it actually takes to deliver care at scale in Ventura County.

Public Health + Community Care
– Seleta Dobrosky — Director of Public Health Nursing, County of Ventura
– Shane Meserve, MPA, CPH — Program Administrator, Ventura County Public Health
– Laura Ortega MSN, RN, PHN — Manager of Education, Dignity Health
– Dr. Noemi Congello — Nursing Department Chair, CSU Channel Islands

Ground-level view of prevention, education, and the gaps that still exist.

Recovery + Real Impact
Heidi Allison — Co-Founder, Nate's Place - A Wellness & Recovery Center

Hearing the story and outcomes behind Nate’s Place… that one stuck. Real work, real results.

Arts + Community
– Peter Tyas Executive Director Studio Channel Islands
– Jo Ann Block — Artist

Spending time at the arts center was a reminder that health isn’t just clinical , it’s creative, it’s community, it’s spaces where people feel seen.

That combination of healthcare + public health + art — that’s where real impact happens.

Grateful for the access and the people doing the work.