Al Ballesteros, MBA
President and Chief Executive Officer
JWCH Institute, Inc.

Since 2003, Al Ballesteros has served as president and chief executive officer of JWCH Institute, Inc., a federally qualified community health center based in Los Angeles. In service to the region’s most socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, JWCH operates multiple sites and a wide range of homeless and HIV outreach programs and specialty care services. In addition to his executive role at JWCH, Ballesteros also serves on the board of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, where he has held various roles including vice chair, finance committee chair and current co-chair of the Policy Advisory Group.  In 1992, Ballesteros was appointed to the Ryan White Planning Council, now the Los Angeles County Commission on HIV.  He has three times chaired this commission and is current co-chair.  Ballesteros is also a member of L.A. Care Health Plan Governing Board, elected by the local FQHC’s to represent their interests.  Lastly, Ballesteros serves on the Board of Directors of the Healthcare LA IPA, a non-profit organization coordinating the services of FQHCs, FQHC Look-a-Likes and safety-net health centers.

Kelly Bruno
President and Chief Executive Officer
National Health Foundation

Kelly Bruno is president and chief executive officer of National Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works within under-resourced communities to identify and advance solutions that remove barriers and promote health for all.  She joined NHF in 2007, bringing over a decade of executive healthcare leadership and social service administration experience to the organization.

Bruno leads a team dedicated to working with local communities to tackle the social determinants of health and right the wrongs of health disparities. One of her most significant contributions was to spearhead a recuperative care program that provides hospitals with a safe place to discharge individuals experiencing homelessness.

Bruno also oversees programs that are changing the way neighborhoods can access healthy foods; shifting the level of expectations teen mothers set for themselves, their academics and their futures; and making it easier and safer for South Los Angeles residents to exercise and be active.

Dalma Diaz
Strategic Initiatives Manager, Home For Good
United Way of Greater Los Angeles

Dalma Diaz is the strategic initiatives manager on the Home For Good team at United Way of Greater Los Angeles. In her role, she has worked over the past year to deepen cross-sector coordination between the homeless and health care systems in LA County, most recently through the Health Pathways Initiative that emerged due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dalma has previously worked in the homelessness sector through her role as policy analyst at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), where she worked on the development of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) policy and the 2018 Homeless Count. Prior to her work in homeless services, Dalma has worked to activate Latinx parent engagement and advocacy around LAUSD K-12 public education issues at the Mexican American Legal and Education Fund (MALDEF) and has been a near-peer educator through her service in City Year Los Angeles in South Los Angeles. Through her work, Dalma hopes to continue stitching together cross-sector solutions to meet the complex needs of the homeless population, especially older adults and families, through innovative investments and infusion of trauma informed care systemwide.

Katie Hren, LCSW, MPH
Supervisor, Community Resource Connections
Cedars-Sinai

Katie Hren graduated with her bachelor’s in Human Development from California State University Long Beach and went on to earn her dual master’s degree in Social Work and Public Health from the University of Southern California. In Katie’s professional experience she has worked in a variety of social service and health care settings ranging from mental health residential facilities, community-based organizations, and hospitals with populations ranging from children to older adults. Katie is currently working as the Community Health Supervisor in the Community Benefit Department at Cedars-Sinai. In this role, she is supervising the design and implementation of a social determinants of health initiative called Community Resource Connections. Community Resource Connections is a cohesive cross-departmental program that aims to increase patient health by addressing health-related social needs in vulnerable patient populations through assessment and linkages to community-based providers. Prior to this position, Katie worked as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the Psychiatry department at Cedars-Sinai, delivering comprehensive services and interventions to patients experiencing mental health and/or substance use issues throughout various settings in the hospital. In addition to patient care, Katie also has project management experience focusing on improving transitions of care for vulnerable populations in the health system; such as individuals experiencing homelessness and older adults.

Tahia Hayslet
Executive Director/CEO
Harbor Interfaith Services, Inc

Ms. Hayslet Joined the Harbor Interfaith team 22 years ago as founding director of the agency Accelerated Learning & Living Transitional Housing program.  Harbor Interfaith, is located in San Pedro and serves the South Bay Area of Los Angeles.  Ms. Hayslet was promoted to the role of Executive Director in 2004.  Harbor Interfaith serves as the lead agency for the Coordinated Entry System (CES) for Families, Individuals and Youth for Service Planning Area (SPA) 8-South Bay.  With a budget of close to 13 million, the agency operates bridge, interim transitional, family shelter and permanent supportive housing programs.  Ms. Hayslet holds a Master of Arts Degree in Behavioral Sciences and Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Gerontology.  Ms. Hayslet attended the Wells Fargo Executive Director Institute with the Executive Services Corporation of Southern California and completed a nonprofit leadership program at Stanford University.  Ms. Hayslet is an active member of the Palos Verdes Chapter of the Links, Incorporated and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Ashely Brand
System Director, Community and Homeless Health
CommonSpirit Health

Ashley Brand is the System Director, Community and Homeless Health for CommonSpirit Health, focusing nationally and on the Dignity Health footprint in California. Her focus includes the California homeless health initiative which concentrates on transforming health and our communities by strengthening the continuum of care for those experiencing housing insecurities through innovation, partnership and lasting impact. Prior to this, Ashley served as the Director of Community and Outreach for Dignity Health’s Greater Sacramento Service Area hospitals. As director, Ashley was responsible for developing and overseeing the community health and community benefit strategies that respond to priority health issues identified through assessments, support hospital business/clinical objectives, and involve collaboration with safety net partners for greater effectiveness and region-wide impact on health improvement.

Ashley has over 12 years of experience developing and implementing programs that target the underserved and uninsured populations in both Northern and Southern California and overseas in East Africa. Prior to Dignity Health, she was responsible for overseeing various programs, grant development and implementation, as well as community relations, with a focus on public and nonprofit safety net agencies. Ashley developed the California Endowment-funded Community Health Navigator Program under their state-wide Building Healthy Communities Initiative; she implemented and managed the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in Auburn, CA and in Long Beach, CA; and provided direct case management services for the Skid Row Families Demonstration Project which removed families from Skid Row in Los Angeles and placed them into housing under the Housing First model. Ashley currently serves on the Sacramento Covered, CARES Foundation and Sacramento Steps Forward Board of Directors. She is also a member of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council’s Respite Care Provider’s Network Steering Committee.