Susan is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and has worked in public health for over 37 years. She is a former director of the Riverside County Department of Public Health. In July 2018, Susan joined HASC as the Executive Director for CLC and since February 2021, serves as President of CLC, an affiliate nonprofit organization of HASC. Susan leads the development of strategic initiatives and projects to advance community health and reduce health inequities across Southern California. Susan develops and manages the CLC organization, staff, and strategic partnerships. Susan earned the DiversityFIRST™ Certified Diversity Executive (DFCDE) designation in June 2022.

Susan’s interests include astronomy and astrophotography, and she is a member of the Riverside Astronomical Society. Susan also enjoys RVing, boating, sewing, and spending time with her husband, children and five grandchildren.

Karen Ochoa is the Director of Health Equity Programs and Operations at Communities Lifting Communities (CLC), a division of the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC).  In her current role, Karen leads and manages the development and implementation of health equity initiatives and strategies with hospital health systems.  She leads and supports hospital/ health system members in supplier diversity, multi-stakeholder collaboratives, and birth equity to create a culture of inclusion, collaboration, and innovation to expand health equity best practices. As an Affiliate Professor at Antioch University-Los Angeles, she has mentored students in the Urban Sustainability Fieldwork Program by applying academic and professional expertise to real-world projects and challenges. Before joining CLC, Karen served as the Education Manager for HASC for 15 years. Karen is also the co-founder of the L.A. Co-op Lab, a collective building L.A.’s capacity for worker ownership as a pathway toward a more equitable and democratic economy.  Karen holds a master’s degree in urban sustainability, is a National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional (NDCCP) and serves on the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and on the Board of Women in Health Administration of Southern California (WHA). Karen is passionate about advancing and transforming the health care sector by focusing on health equity, social justice, and sustainability issues.

Darielle Green joined Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) and CLC in July of 2023 as the James D. Barber Fellow. In March of 2024, she joined CLC as a Program Coordinator. Darielle is very passionate about improving health outcomes and being an advocate for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion practices for underserved communities. During her time at CLC she has supported the LA Partnership Collaborative with convening various health care leaders and stakeholders, administrative tasks, conducting research, data analysis and the completion of the LA Partnership 2024 Report, which seeks to help inform strategies and sustainable outcomes for the Los Angeles County homelessness crisis and decreasing emergency department utilization by populations who identify as unhoused.

Darielle obtained her Master of Public Policy Degree with concentrations is Health Policy Management and Education Policy from the Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA. While pursuing her master’s degree she served as a College Academic mentor for UCLA’s College Letters of Sciences Department particularly for students of color pursing STEM related majors. She managed and provided academic and holistic guidance for a caseload of students. She also served as a Health Career Connection (HCC) Los Angeles County Intern Coordinator where she managed a caseload of interns, conducted behavioral health research, spearheaded multiple events, and assisted with the completion of the 2022 HCC Blue Shield Report. Her eagerness to learn and solve complex problems drives her passion to upholds CLC’s mission to advance systems change and promote intercultural health equity.

Darielle finds joy in cooking, traveling, fashion, going to the gym, and playing various games with her family and friends outside of her professional interests!

Claudia joined CLC as the Health Equity and Cherished Futures Program Coordinator in January 2022 and was promoted to Health Equity Program Manager in October 2023. Claudia acquired firsthand experiences with the effects of health disparities, which became the primary motivator to pursue higher education. She attended UC Berkeley for her undergraduate degree, where her perspective expanded beyond approaching health through medicine and began looking at health holistically through engaging in the world of public health. All the experiences deepened her passion for improving communities’ social and physical environment. In previous roles, she served as a Community HealthCorps Fellow for the CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health Program at AltaMed Health Services; a Health and Wellness Coordinator at L.A. Promise Fund; a Health Educator for Champions for Change at Para Los Niños. Claudia has led youth engagement efforts at Novelly and was a Research Scholar for the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Training Program. She completed her Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at CSUF, where worked with the American Heart Association. Claudia earned the DiversityFIRST™ Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) designation in May 2022 and the Certified Health Education Specialist® (CHES) in October 2023.

Claudia enjoys gardening and is an avid plant collector. She likes to dig into a good book; her favorite is The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Claudia also considers herself a lifelong learner and explorer; she likes to venture into the outdoors, travel, and learn about different cultures.

Vetannie Morton joined the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) in 2016. She collaboratively worked alongside HASC’s Chief of Advocacy and Operations to support and enhance the ability of hospitals and health systems to cost-effectively deliver high-quality health care to the communities they serve. Vetannie was promoted to Coordinator of Diversity, Health Equity, and Inclusion (DHEI) Programs in 2022 and works closely with the CLC team to develop and implement DHEI programs and played a vital role in the launch of the Supplier Diversity Initiative. She continues to strategically collaborate with hospital advocacy and policy teams, championing members’ interests on a legislative level to ensure that healthcare policies align with DHEI principles. Vetannie Morton’s dedication to fostering a more inclusive health care environment extends beyond organizational boundaries, as she actively engages with external stakeholders to promote industry-wide awareness and best practices.

In February 2023, Vetannie achieved the DiversityFIRST™ Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) designation, showcasing her commitment to continuous learning and professional development in the realm of diversity.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Vetannie finds joy in exploring nature with her two canine companions, Sam and Charlie. A culinary enthusiast with a passion for savoring delicious cuisines from diverse cultures, she also nurtures her love for exploration by traveling the world.

Iliana joined CLC in August 2023 as an Administrative Assistant. During her time here, she has provided administrative support to the organization, supported the LA Partnership Collaborative, developed and implemented a purchasing process, led the organization’s first Giving Tuesday marketing campaign, and managed the organization’s website. Prior to joining CLC, Iliana earned her B.A. in Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and went on to work with the ACLU of Southern California as an Administrative Assistant for the Advocacy Engagement and Development department. It was there she discovered her passion for logistics and event planning and creating safe and equitable spaces for all to enjoy. This led her to pursue her M.S. in Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University. Her hospitable nature drives her desire to support CLC and the programs they champion to ensure all individuals have access to equitable healthcare.

In her spare time, Iliana enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family, playing video games, exploring different crafts, and finding new creative outlets.

Kristina Tran brings over 25 years of experience in accounting and financial management. Prior to joining Hospital Association of Southern California as Controller and recently promoted to Vice President of Finance, Kristina worked in various nonprofit organizations such as Green Dot Public Schools and Skid Row Housing Trust. Working in the nonprofit space gives her a sense of contributing to the community by providing financial backbone and ensuring that the organization is fiscally stable to serve the mission. Kristina earned her Certified Public Accountant license early in her career while working for over 10 years in public accounting as an auditor, serving clients in the entertainment industry, local unions, and nonprofit organizations.

Kristina received her Master of Business Administration through the Executive MBA Program at UCLA Anderson School of Management and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University in Los Angeles.

When not reading financial statements, Kristina enjoys reading interesting stories ranging in autobiographies, biographies, suspense, and mysteries.