Huntington Health, a Cedars-Sinai affiliate, announced Kevin Streeter, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, will serve as the new vice president of enterprise clinical services.
In his role, Kevin will provide strategic leadership and oversight of procedural areas, including the operating room, post-anesthesia care unit and Huntington Ambulatory Surgery Center. He will also play a critical part in meeting evolving service needs, driving patient growth and supporting Huntington’s mission to provide excellent, compassionate care to the community.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Kevin to the Huntington leadership team as vice president of enterprise clinical services,” said Jinhee J. Nguyen, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president, chief nursing officer. “Kevin is an accomplished leader who excels at aligning cross-functional teams, developing innovative solutions and fostering an environment of trust and accountability. His disciplined, results-oriented approach will enhance clinical services and help drive improved patient outcomes across our organization. He will also play a key role in advancing our quality improvement efforts to ensure we deliver high-quality, compassionate care to every patient, every time, always.”
Kevin brings to Huntington over 30 years of clinical and business leadership, particularly in high-impact procedural areas, and proven success in driving sustainable efficiency improvements, financial performance and clinical outcomes. He most recently served as system executive director of clinical operations at Providence. He also served as chief nurse executive at Sutter Health and Emanate Health.
Kevin’s academic achievements are numerous. In addition to his clinical education as a registered nurse, he holds a Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University in Malibu and a Master of Science in Clinical Service Operations from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. Kevin is also a decorated veteran who served six years on active duty in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. He was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley and currently lives in Monrovia with his wife and children.
Huntington Health has announced that Wafaa Alrashid, MD, chief of medical staff, Huntington Hospital; Janet Braun; James G. Ellis; Pete Kutzer; Margaret Mgrublian; Dan Murray; and Peter L. Slavin, MD, president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai, have been elected as new board members to Huntington Health.
“I’m pleased to welcome Dr. Alrashid, Janet, Jim, Pete, Margaret, Dan and Dr. Slavin to the board of directors,” said Paul Johnson, Chair, Board of Directors, Huntington Health. “These new board members – from philanthropists and volunteers to business leaders and public service officers – each bring their skills, experiences and unique perspectives to the board – all in the name of strengthening the health and well-being of our community. I’m grateful for their commitment to Huntington Health.”
In addition to her recent board appointment, Dr. Alrashid became chief of medical staff at Huntington Hospital in 2025. She earned her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in 2004. After she completed her residency at Huntington Hospital in 2007, Dr. Alrashid became chief resident, then joined the Academic Hospitalist Medical Group (now Huntington Aligned Medical Group), specializing in internal medicine. She was a hospitalist for over eight years. Since 2015, she has provided care at Huntington’s Pasadena-Congress office and has been on the faculty of Huntington’s Internal Medicine Residency Program; in 2023, she became the program’s director. Dr. Alrashid has served on several committees, including the Medical Staff Executive Committee and Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Committee, which she chaired from 2020-2022. She also serves on the board at Utah State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology.
Janet Braun
Janet Braun comes to Huntington with over 25 years’ experience as a corporate lawyer, including serving as chief operating officer and General Counsel for HBT Labs, Inc. and Associate General Counsel for NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Santa Fe International Corporation. Since November 2022, Janet has been a councilmember on the South Pasadena City Council and currently serves as the Mayor of South Pasadena. Janet served as chair of the City of South Pasadena Planning Commission and the Public Safety Commission. She is a past president of Women Involved in South Pasadena Political Advocacy and is an executive board member of the Women in Leadership Vital Voices, which promotes public policy issues. Janet has served on the boards of many nonprofit organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America Greater Los Angeles Council, American Youth Soccer Organization, Pasadena Ronald McDonald House and Flintridge Preparatory School.
James G. Ellis, MBA
Also joining the board is Jim Ellis. Jim and his wife, Gail, are philanthropists, who have generously supported Huntington and the community for several years. Jim served as the Dean of the University of Southern California (USC) Marshall School of Business for over a decade. Prior to being appointed Dean, he was the vice provost, globalization, for USC. In July 2021, he retired as a professor of marketing, a position he held for 25 years. Before his academic career, Jim performed many business roles spanning 27 years, including president and CEO of Porsche Design, the CEO of Port O’Call Pasadena, and the owner/partner of six other companies. Jim currently serves on the board of seven corporations, the University of New Mexico Foundation and the Rose Hills Foundation. His past board memberships include Young Presidents’ Organization, Kidspace and the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce (Chair).
Pete Kutzer, MBA
Pete Kutzer joined the Huntington Hospital board in 2024. He has been a South Pasadena resident for over 30 years, and an active community member, joining the Huntington board in 2024. Pete is the co-founder and managing partner of Edgewood Realty Partners, and is the founder and president of The Kutzer Company, both of which specialize in innovative, design-driven real estate projects. Pete received a B.A. with Honors in Economics and Distinction in General Scholarship from the University of California at Berkeley. He also earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. Pete is a founding board member of Muse/Ique and Civitas. He has held leadership positions on numerous boards and charitable organizations, including the Armory Center for the Arts, Huntington Health Physicians, the Institutional Review Board of Huntington Hospital, Young & Healthy, the Old Pasadena Management District, and the South Pasadena Preservation Foundation. He has also served as the president of the board of Education of the South Pasadena Unified School District. Pete is also an officer serving in the California State Guard.
Margaret Mgrublian
Mechanical engineering professional, philanthropist and community volunteer Margaret Mgrublian, joins Huntington’s board this year. She and her husband, David, advocate for human rights through the Mgrublian Center at Claremont McKenna College. They have also focused on organizations that are dedicated to improving health and education in the greater Pasadena area along with those that serve the Armenian community. Margaret is the former Chair of the Pasadena Community Foundation. She is on the Los Angeles Mayor’s International Advisory Council and the Southern California Regional Council of the Armenian Assembly of America, and she’s the vice president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Armenian International Women’s Association.
Daniel Murray, MBA
Dan Murray brings his unique perspective to the board from CreatorIQ, where he has served as president since April 2018. CreatorIQ is a software platform that helps brands discover, manage, measure and scale influencer marketing campaigns. Dan leads the company’s U.S. and global expansion efforts. Previously, Dan was the chief financial officer of Dollar Shave Club and he served in senior finance roles at Machinima, NBCUniversal Media, Comcast Interactive Media, Fandango, Academy123 and Overture Services. He has served on the Flintridge Preparatory School board of trustees since 2019. He has also been involved with the Flintridge Prep Father’s Club, TreePeople, Penn State and Northwestern University alumni organizations, and the Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart.
Peter L. Slavin, MD, President and CEO, Cedars-Sinai
Dr. Slavin is the president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Health System. For nearly two decades, he served as president of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where he led major growth in the hospital’s clinical care mission, research funding, scientific impact, workforce development and fundraising. During his time there, Dr. Slavin also taught internal medicine at MGH and served as a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. He has chaired the board of the Association of American Medical Colleges and became an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, providing an influential voice for hospitals nationally. He stepped down as MGH president in 2021 to pursue his interests in health care investment, advising and consulting. In October 2024, Dr. Slavin became the new president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai.
Every year since 1953, the Flintridge Guild has hosted a fundraising event for Huntington Health during their horse show at the Flintridge Riding Club. Formally named the “Children’s Horse Show” (riders are 18 years old or younger), this three-day event in La Canada Flintridge is the oldest children’s horse show west of the Mississippi. The event on April 24-27 marked its 103rd year and nearly 75 years of support for Huntington.
Lori J. Morgan, MD, MBA, President and CEO, Huntington Health
“We are incredibly grateful to Flintridge Guild for its enduring support and the vital impact it continues to have on the hospital and community,” said Lori J. Morgan, MD MBA, president and CEO, Huntington Health. “The Guild has donated $2.4 million to Huntington Hospital since the early 1950’s. Thank you to the many members, volunteers and sponsors who make this a cherished event every year.”
Over the years, the fundraiser has enabled Huntington to make critical advancements for the hospital to benefit the community. Some of the first proceeds went towards a paramedic communication system, a nuclear imaging gamma camera system for radiology, and expanding the emergency department and trauma center.
In the past few years, the guild has raised funds to employ a lung cancer nurse navigator and welcome a new K-9 security dog (aptly named “Flint”) to the team. Recently proceeds supported an OmniBed Carestation for Huntington’s Level IIIb neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The OmniBed Carestation is an incubator and radiant warmer with a pressure-diffusing mattress, creating a controlled microenvironment that protects babies from heat loss when they are not able to fully regulate their body temperature.
With the money raised at this year’s show, Huntington has pledged to purchase CritiCool technology for the NICU. CritiCool is used to provide a medical treatment called therapeutic hypothermia (i.e., whole body cooling) for newborns experiencing oxygen deprivation or reduced blood flow to the brain and other organs. Studies have shown that therapeutic hypothermia can reduce mortality and brain injury, decrease the risk of long-term complications like cerebral palsy, learning disabilities and hearing/vision problems, and can improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.
This year’s event was especially poignant because the Flintridge Guild honored and recognized local first responders who served in the Eaton Fire. Live music and libations raised spirits as participants bid for items in a special silent auction. The proceeds went to the Huntington Hospital Caregiver Wellness – Wildfire Relief fund.
Wafaa Alrashid, MD, chief of medical staff, was recently featured in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Women of Influence: Health Care 2025 edition. Dr. Alrashid was recognized for her extraordinary health industry stewardship in the LA region. The piece detailed her remarkable career, from her residency at Huntington Hospital in 2007 to her recent appointment to chief of medical staff, where she leads more than 1,000 physicians who serve the San Gabriel Valley.
“I am honored to be recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal and to be listed among so many incredible leaders,” said Dr. Alrashid. “I am grateful for the numerous opportunities and experiences that Huntington has offered over the past decades, and I look forward to continuing my work alongside physicians, medical staff leaders and the executive team.”
The Los Angeles Business Journal chose 28 health care leaders from a pool of nominees for the 2025 edition. Each leader was honored for outstanding stewardship, leadership, ethical standards and contributions to the well-being of the LA community.
To see the full list, visit the Los Angeles Business Journal webpage.
Howard S. Kaufman, MD, MBA, regional medical director of Huntington Cancer Center, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai Cancer, and medical director of surgery services growth, has joined the Trailblazers in Cancer Executive Leadership Committee for American Cancer Society. The committee works to support the Trailblazers in Cancer Summit, which drives essential funding to boost cancer research, treatment, and advocacy.
“I am honored to be a part of the Trailblazers in Cancer Executive Leadership Committee. The team’s efforts are crucial in raising funding to ensure cancer patients have access to vital treatments across the care continuum,” said Dr. Kaufman.
Representing Huntington Cancer Center and Cedars-Sinai Cancer, Dr. Kaufman brings decades of leadership, clinical insights, and pertinent research to the committee. Additionally, he’s an advocate for patient-centered cancer care with compassionate, holistic support.
“We are incredibly grateful for Dr. Kaufman’s leadership and the contributions he’s made to our cause. His commitment and connections have helped continue push our mission forward, and his support continues to inspire and strengthen our collective efforts to drive lasting change in cancer care,” said Arianna Inferrera, senior development manager, American Cancer Society.
Dr. Kaufman is board certified in general surgery with a specialty in colorectal surgery. He earned his medical degree at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md. Dr. Kaufman then fulfilled his colorectal surgery residency at The John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, England, in 1994, and his general surgery residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md., the following year. He completed his Research Fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1992 and his Surgery and Alimentary Tract Surgery fellowships at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1995 and 1996.
Huntington Health recently led its first multi-facility infection prevention pathogens drill with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and external emergency services and public health partners.
The exercise centered on a potential scenario involving the Lassa Virus, a viral hemorrhagic fever endemic to West Africa. The drill featured multiple partners, including the L.A. County Emergency Medical Services, Pasadena and L.A. County public health departments and Cedars-Sinai’s Special Pathogens team.
The drill tested protocols for identifying, isolating, and safely transporting a high-risk patient from the Huntington Hospital Emergency Department to Cedars-Sinai, where the Special Pathogens Treatment Center team would receive the patient.
As one of only thirteen federally funded regional special pathogens treatment centers for Ebola and other infectious diseases, Cedars-Sinai is responsible for receiving patients who need care from California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and U.S. territories in the Pacific. The drill strengthened the complex coordination required between facilities, emergency services and public health departments across the region, helping ensure readiness for real-world infectious disease emergencies.
“These drills are important because we have a responsibility to be prepared for high-risk scenarios,” said Katie Jones-Stathatos, director of infection prevention and control for Huntington Health. “Hands-on practice builds muscle memory and helps master the protocols that protect both our patients and staff.”
The drill follows a similar exercise completed last year with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital, underscoring how teams from across the healthcare system can leverage collective knowledge and resources to advance patient care throughout the region.
Jones-Stathatos added: “The process we now have in place with Cedars-Sinai and our emergency and public health partners, for this type of exposure, ensures our community has access to safe and immediate care when they need it the most.”
As part of our mission, Huntington Health is committed to providing access to quality healthcare for the community and treating all of our patients with dignity, compassion and respect. This includes providing services without charge, or at significantly discounted prices, to eligible patients who cannot afford to pay for care as provided by our financial assistance policy. We also offer our patients a variety of options to meet their financial needs, even if they do not qualify for assistance. For questions, please call Patient Services at (866) 803-1777.
Are You Eligible?
Charity Care, without charge is available to patients receiving medically necessary services and whose income is at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (“FPL”).
Patients whose income ranges between 401%‑600% of the FPL also qualify for a Discount Payment.
Discounts available to patients will be on a sliding scale based on family size, income level and insurance status.
Eligibility for financial help is determined without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or educational background.
For more details on how to apply, the application process, services covered and other assistance programs, please go to our financial assistance program page or call (866) 803-1777.
U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named Huntington Health as a 2025 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study.
“We are incredibly proud to be named one of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report for 2025,” said Jinhee Nguyen, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer, Huntington Health. “Huntington Hospital has been the preferred place for childbirth across generations of families in the San Gabriel Valley. This recognition is a true reflection of the deep commitment of our nurses, physicians, and staff to the safest and healthiest birth experiences for mothers and babies.”
U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit detailed data to the publication for analysis. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meets their family’s needs.
Huntington Health earned a High Performing designation in recognition of maternity care as measured by factors such as severe unexpected newborn complication rates, birthing-friendly practices and transparency on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.
U.S. News evaluated 817 hospitals from across the United States. Only half of all hospitals evaluated for U.S. News’ 2025 ratings edition have been recognized as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.
“The hospitals recognized by U.S. News as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care showcase exceptional care for expectant parents,” said Jennifer Winston, Ph.D., health data scientist at U.S. News. “These hospitals demonstrate significantly lower C-section rates and severe unexpected newborn complications compared to hospitals not recognized by U.S. News.”
The U.S. News Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices and reporting on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.
The latest measles outbreak in West Texas, and now New Mexico, is causing alarm due to the number of cases and how quickly it’s spreading. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health alert.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that causes a high fever, rash, cough and red eyes. It can lead to life-threatening complications, like brain inflammation (encephalitis), pneumonia and in some cases, death. According to the CDC the outbreak has grown to 301 total confirmed cases within 15 states, including three in California (at the time of this writing). Two individuals have died – a child in Texas and an adult in New Mexico. This is especially alarming as Americans gear up for spring and summer break travel, giving more opportunities for the virus to spread.
“To get an outbreak of this size and so quickly, it makes us nervous for what could be coming up the rest of this year,” said pediatrician John Rodarte, MD, Huntington Health Physicians, on ABC7 Eyewitness News, Los Angeles. “The measles virus is so robust, an unvaccinated person can catch it two hours after an infected person leaves the room. It’s contagious and dangerous.”
Here’s a quick breakdown of what you need to know.
General information
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world; individuals can spread it for about eight days, including four days before the rash appears and four days after the rash has been present.
It’s an airborne virus that hangs in the air for up to two hours and can land and live on surfaces for several hours; people can contract the virus from breathing in infectious droplets spread through coughing, sneezing or talking, or from exposing their mouth, nose or eyes to the virus after touching an infected surface.
The groups with the highest risk for measles complications are children younger than 5, adults older than 20, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
Although infections in vaccinated people can occur where high levels of measles are circulating, one dose provides 93% protection; two doses provide 97%–98% protection.
If vaccination rates stay above 95% in a given area, cases typically remain low.
Prevention
Doctors recommend that children get two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines – the first, at 12 months old, and the second, at 4–6 years old.
Individuals born after 1957 and vaccinated before 1968 may need a booster shot to protect against measles.
If you or someone you know are experiencing symptoms or were exposed, seek medical advice on diagnosis, treatment and preventing the spread to others.
For more information, watch the ABC7 Los Angeles news story that aired on March 11.
Bird flu (H5N1 virus) has been in the news lately, following the Louisiana Department of Health’s announcement that a patient hospitalized with the virus in January 2025 had died, which is the first U.S. death from H5N1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still considers bird flu a low risk to humans, but it’s monitoring it carefully. Huntington Health’s Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control, Kimberly Shriner, MD, recently answered our top five questions about bird flu.
What is bird flu and what are the concerns?
Bird flu (also called avian influenza or H5N1) is a form of influenza that has spread widely in wild birds over the past several years. It has now adapted to infect a wide variety of other animals including dairy cattle (and their milk), felines and marine mammals. The increase in cases in wild animals around the world may speak to infectious adaptations that the H5N1 virus has made. And it’s not surprising that we are seeing a rise in H5N1 in animals that are housed together as they are on farms. Although it is a concern that the H5N1 virus could develop a genetic adaptation that would enhance human-to-human transmission, we have not yet seen that form of transmission occur regularly.
How many human cases have been reported in the U.S.?
There have been 70* cases of H5N1 infections, with one death in the U.S. Many of these individuals had close contact with infected cows and chickens on dairy and poultry farms. Some veterinarians were infected. A few people were infected after having contact with home-raised chickens or wild birds that died in their yard. A few individuals tested positive for H5N1 after contact with infected cats. Most infections are mild in humans, but a few immuno-compromised individuals have required hospitalization.
What are the symptoms, and what should we do if we suspect we have it?
The infection is usually mild with flu-like symptoms of fever, muscle aches and congestion. Also, conjunctivitis (infection of the eyes) has been reported fairly frequently. Those who present with these symptoms and have an exposure history can go to the emergency department for an H5N1 nasal swab test. State public agencies will be notified, and they will perform a PCR test (i.e., a polymerase chain reaction lab test that diagnoses infections) for H5N1.
What is the treatment?
Treatment for humans is largely symptomatic as the disease usually is relatively mild or completely asymptomatic. Oseltamivir and other flu medications seem to show some efficacy with H5N1. A vaccine has been developed (though not deployed) for humans. Vaccines that may slow the spread of this virus are available for animals, including chickens.
How can humans avoid contracting bird flu?
Avoid contact: Prolonged exposure to infected animals on dairy and poultry farms; wild birds that are ill or have died; and other sick animals that may be carrying the virus. H5N1 can be passed into milk from dairy cattle (the virus concentrates heavily in the mammary glands of cows) and potentially from infected egg productions, but pasteurization and thorough cooking will kill the H5N1 virus (and other infectious diseases). Although there is much concern about eggs, most chickens with H5N1 are very quickly killed by the virus and do not lay eggs. Raw meat products, especially raw chicken, are causing concern, but the worry lies more in handling it than ingesting it. However, cooking eggs or meat thoroughly will also kill the virus (i.e., egg whites and yolks are firm, and internal temperature is 145°F for red meat and 165°F for poultry).
Whether a virus is low risk to humans (like H5N1 currently is) or high risk (like COVID during the pandemic), we can protect ourselves from viruses: Avoid sick contacts (animals and humans), practice good hand hygiene, clean and sterilize potentially contaminated surfaces, wear a mask in crowded situations, and alert your physician if you have been exposed or are becoming sick with a flu-like illness. Stay vaccinated for regular viral diseases, such as human flu and COVID (which can present just like H5N1), and follow reliable sources of information about this pathogen.
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