Next week, the Hospital Council Board of Directors will meet for the first time in 2026, kicking off what promises to be a challenging and consequential year for hospitals across California.
Murali Naidu, MD, CEO of San Ramon Regional Medical Center, will take the helm as this year’s board chair. Rounding out the board officer lineup are Chair-Elect Rachael McKinney (President, Sacramento Division; Sutter Health), Secretary/Treasurer Jason Wells (President, Central California Network; Adventist Health), and Past Chair Rick Shumway (Chief of Operations; Stanford Health). For the full board roster, visit the Hospital Council website.
As hospitals look ahead to a challenging year — during which they’ll navigate workforce shortages, financial instability, and increasing behavioral health needs, just to name a few — strong leaders like these will be critical to success.
Every member of our Hospital Council board understands what is at stake.
They see the patients who rely on their hospital day and night, and they know that access to care is not something to take for granted. Beyond caring for patients, hospitals employ hundreds of thousands of workers across the state; any of us would be hard-pressed to find a community member who hasn’t been touched, in some way, by their local hospital.
The challenging legislative and regulatory health care environment at the regional, state and federal levels is why partnership and collaboration matter more than ever. Through our OneTeam approach between the Regional Associations and the California Hospital Association and working shoulder to shoulder with hospital leaders, we are strongest when we speak with one voice and act with a shared purpose.
As we head into a demanding year, the board’s leadership will help guide our advocacy, align our priorities, and reinforce what matters most: Ensuring hospitals have the support they need to continue serving their patients and communities, today and in the years ahead.