Executive Management Team

Alan McKay - Executive Director

Alan McKay has served as the Executive Director of the Alliance since the health plan’s inception in Santa Cruz County in April 1995. He previously worked in Bay Area managed care for twelve years, as a Manager in Ernst & Young’s San Francisco health care consulting practice from 1984 to 1987, and as Director of Managed Care at El Camino Hospital from 1987 to 1993.

Alan holds a Master of Public Health degree from University of California at Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Alan is a member of the board of the California Association of Health Insuring Organizations (CAHIO), the professional association of five County Organized Health Systems in California. He is also a board member of the Monterey Regional Health Development Group, Inc (MoreHealth), and is President of the board of the Health Improvement Partnership of Santa Cruz County. Alan is a long-term resident of Santa Cruz County.

Patti McFarland - Chief Financial Officer

Patti McFarland began her career at the Alliance as Controller in October 1995 and was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in April 1998.  She previously held positions of Controller and Audit Director for a national photography corporation.  She has worked in the field of Finance for twenty years.

Patti holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Arizona State University and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Rachael Nava - Chief Operating Officer

Rachael Nava joined the Alliance in 2004 where she currently serves as Chief Operating Officer. She is responsible for overseeing provider services, member services, information technology, business analysis, business development, compliance and operations. Rachael has worked in the public health sector in the Monterey Bay region for several years. Prior to joining the Alliance, she directed Healthy Kids of Santa Cruz County, a program designed to provide health insurance to all of the uninsured children in the county. From 2000 to 2004, Rachael was the Associate Executive Director of Dientes Community Dental Care, a non-profit safety net dental clinic. From 1997 to 2000, she worked in the biotechnology sector in the area of cancer and AIDS research.

Rachael has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from University of California at Santa Cruz. She is a long time resident of Santa Cruz.

Richard Helmer, MD - Chief Medical Officer

Richard Helmer, M.D. joined the Alliance in August of 2007, where he currently serves as Chief Medical Officer. Previous positions he has held include Chief Medical Officer for Molina Healthcare from 1999 to 2005, Medical Director for TakeCare Health Plan from 1992 to 1994 and Associate Vice President for Health Care Services at FHP from 1988 to 1992. In the interim, Dr. Helmer has done consulting with a number of clients throughout the country which originally brought him to the Alliance.

Dr. Helmer graduated with high honors from the University of California at Santa Barbara and received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed a residency in family medicine at the University of Miami and Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, and a medical management fellowship at the University of California at Irvine. He is board certified in Family Medicine and is an NCQA surveyor.

Danita Carlson - Governmental Relations Director

Danita Carlson has been with the Alliance since November 1995.   She is the plan’s main liaison with the Alliance’s various regulatory and oversight agencies and handles legislative issues as well.  Prior to coming to work for the Alliance, Danita was employed by the County of Santa Cruz.  Danita earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University, Sacramento.  She is married with two children.

Bob Chernis - Information Technology Director

Bob Chernis has served as the IT Director of the Alliance since the health plan’s inception in Santa Cruz County in April 1995. He previously worked in California managed care for twelve years, as the IT Director at Omni Health Plan, MIS Manager at Foundation Health Plan, and as DBA at Cost Care, Inc. Bob holds a Bachelor degree from CSU Dominguez Hills.

Barbara Flynn, RN - Health Services Director

Barbara Flynn, RN, joined the Alliance in November of 1995 and serves as Health Services Director. She is responsible for the operations and development of the Health Services Department, including Quality Improvement, Health Programs and Disease Management, Utilization Management, Health Education and Pharmacy programs. Prior to the Alliance, Barbara oversaw Utilization Review and Social Service at Dominican Hospital.

A resident of Santa Cruz County since 1989, Barbara is a graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles and is past Chairperson of the Monterey County Commission on Disabilities.

Scott Fortner - Human Resources and Administrative Services Director

Scott has served as the Human Resources and Administrative Services Director at the Alliance since February of 2001. Prior to joining the Alliance, Scott was a professional Human Resources consultant and advisor for several pre-IPO start-up/dot-com firms in Silicon Valley.  He has worked in the HR arena for 17 years, and was a US Marine from 1988 to 1994, which is where his career in HR began. As a Marine, he served in Operations Desert Shield and Storm during the first Gulf War in 1991. Scott graduated Magna Cum Laude from National University with a major in Business Administration and a minor in Human Resources Development, is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, and is certified as a Professional in Human Resources.

Richard Johnson, PharmD - Pharmacy Director

Richard Johnson, PharmD has served as the Alliance's Pharmacy Director since December of 1995. Rich served for two years as an Associate Clinical Professor of Pharmacy at the Albany College of Pharmacy in New York. He has extensive experience in managed care including 15 years as Pharmacy Director at Kaiser-Santa Teresa Medical Center in San Jose. He also worked for two years as a Drug Education Coordinator.

Rich has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of California, San Francisco and is a member of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy.

Julio Porro, MD - Associate Medical Director

Julio Porro, MD has served as Associate Medical Director of the Alliance since 2002. He previously co-founded and served as Medical Director of the Southwest Community Health Center in Santa Rosa from 1995 to 1998. He later served as Medical Director and staff physician of Salud Para La Gente, a federally qualified health center serving the Pajaro Valley community from 1998 to 2005.

Dr. Porro received his medical degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Biomedical Ethics from Brown University as part of the seven-year Program in Liberal Medical Education. Dr. Porro is a member of the Boards of Dientes, a community dental clinic, as well as of the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust. He lives in Santa Cruz with his wife and two children in a cohousing development.

Frank Souza - Finance Director

Frank Souza joined the Alliance in September of 2003 and has served as the Finance Director since February of 2005. Prior to joining the Alliance, Frank was the Chief Financial Officer for the largest privately held chain of retail luggage stores on the west coast.

Frank holds a Masters in Business Administration from St. Mary’s University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California at Santa Cruz. He has been a resident of Santa Cruz County for over seven years.

Jan Wolf - Member Services Director

Jan Wolf has been with the Alliance since June 1995. She has over 18 years of experience in the health care field. Previous positions she’s held include Senior Account Manager for Customer Service at a national PPO in Southern California; Orange County Chapter Director for California Healthcare Decisions, a statewide healthcare education and advocacy organization; and Manager of Community Program Development for St. Joseph Hospital, Orange. Prior to entering the health care field, she worked at the Orange County Housing Authority and the Orange County Area Agency on Aging.

Jan has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Christine Gerbo - Utilization Management Director

Christine Gerbo, RN has joined the Alliance with over 30 years of experience as a Registered Nurse. With a background in primary care and specialty clinic nursing, she began work in Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plans in 1995 where she has performed within health services for both Utilization Management and Quality Improvement.

A resident of Santa Cruz County since 1999, Christine received her Bachelors Degree in Nursing at University of Phoenix. She holds a California Public Health Nurse Certificate and Certified Professional in Health Care Quality.

Lilia Chagolla - Monterey County Regional Operations Director

Lilia Chagolla joined the Alliance in April 2004, where she currently serves as Monterey County Regional Operations Director. She is responsible for overseeing our Salinas office, management of Alliance programs and operating procedures in Monterey County, and regional community liaison. Lilia’s previous role at the Alliance was Health Programs Manager, where she was responsible for overseeing the health and disease management programs of the Alliance. Prior to joining the Alliance Lilia managed the Health Services Department for The Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco, and worked in the development and implementation of the Prenatal and Pediatric Outpatient Clinics for Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, California.

Lilia holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Health Education from San Francisco State University and attended Universidad Autonoma de Gudalajara, Mexico in 1992 studying Spanish and medical terminology. She resides in Santa Cruz with her partner and daughter.

Stephanie Sonnenshine - Provider Services Director

Stephanie Sonnenshine originally joined the Alliance in 1999, where she previously held positions of Executive Assistant, Provider Services Representative and Provider Services Contract Specialist. She went on to practice family law litigation in Santa Clara County from 2005 to 2009. Stephanie returned to the Alliance in July 2009 where she currently serves as Provider Services Director. She is responsible for leading the Provider Services department, provider network retention and development, and provider programs.

Stephanie has a Juris Doctorate from University of San Francisco, School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from U.C. Santa Barbara.