Board of Directors

Chairman - Ned Calonge, MD, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Ned Calonge is the Chief Medical Officer of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), where he is responsible for supervision of health-related divisions, including Disease Control and Environmental Epidemiology. He also serves as an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

A member of the Governor's Expert Emergency Epidemic Response Committee and Chair of the Colorado Bioterrorism Advisory Committee, Dr. Calonge also sits on the Colorado Hospital Preparedness Advisory Committee. He additionally serves as the Colorado State Epidemiologist and the Executive Director of State Bioterrorism Preparedness.

Dr. Calonge spends his time outside of the CDPHE serving as President of the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners, Board Member and President-elect for the Colorado Academy of Family Practice, Chairman of the Board for the Colorado Foundation for Medical Care, and Member of the Board of Directors of the Colorado Prevention Center. He also chairs the Colorado Medical Society's Health Affairs Committee and is a member of the Colorado Patient Safety Coalition.

Neil W. Bertrand, Longmont United Hospital, Chief Financial Officer
Neil W. Bertrand is Chief Financial Officer for Longmont United Hospital (LUH) in Longmont, Colorado, and is responsible for all aspects of the financial operations of this 1,350 employee, 200-bed, full-service community hospital. His other areas of responsibility include information systems, building services, medical records and environmental services. Mr. Bertrand is also the primary staff support to the LUH Board Finance Committee and the LUH Board Audit Committee.

Before joining Longmont United Hospital in 2001, Mr. Bertrand held positions as Chief Financial Officer, as well as Vice President of Finance and Corporate Compliance Officer for New West Physicians in Lakewood, Colorado. In previous positions, Mr. Bertrand has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Exampla Healthcare System and as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance for Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. After earning an undergraduate degree in business administration with specialization in accounting from Colorado State University, Mr. Bertrand received his CPA certificate in 1975. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and an advanced member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Mr. Bertrand has served as Board Chair, Treasurer and Vice Chair and currently serves as Executive Committee Member of the Ed & Ruth Lehman YMCA Board of Directors in Longmont, Colorado. He has also served as President, Treasurer and Vice President, and currently as a Board Member for the Hospital Cooperative Laundry in Denver, Colorado. He is also currently a Board Member and Chair of the Claims Committee for the Mountain States Reciprocal Risk Retention Group.

Tom Clark, Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. & Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Executive Vice President
Tom Clark is Executive Vice President of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. He has more than 30 years of economic development experience at the state, regional, county and city levels. Mr. Clark's career spans four decades – from Director of Commercial and Industrial Development for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, to positions with the Fort Collins, Colorado, Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Denver Corporation, the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, the Jefferson Economic Council, and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Clark holds undergraduate degrees in speech and psychology from Minnesota State University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Illinois. He was the Founder and first President of the Metro Denver Network, the Metro Denver region's first economic development program, for which he received the Arthur D. Little Award for Excellence in Economic Development. He was chosen as one of the nation's top economic development professionals by the Council on Urban Economic Development. In 2007, Mr. Clark was awarded the honor of Business Person of the Year by the Colorado chapter of Public Relations Society of America.

Thomas G. Currigan, Jr., Kaiser Permanente, Director, Community & Local Government Relations
Thomas Currigan is Senior Director of Community and Local Government Relations for Kaiser Permanente’s Colorado region. He is responsible for strategic community benefit, public health initiatives, consumer relations, economic development and issues involving local and county governments, in addition to overseeing the government programs Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus. Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, Mr. Currigan was the Director of External Affairs for Public Service Company of Colorado after serving as the Company's Director of Program Operations.

Mr. Currigan currently serves as Chair of the American Heart Association's 10-state Pacific-Mountain Affiliate Board, and served as the Association's Denver Metro Board Chair in 2003. He is President-elect of the American Lung Association of Colorado Board of Directors and an Officer on the Board of the Colorado Association of Funders. He also serves on the national Board of Directors of the Samaritan Institute, the Board of the Colorado Physician Health Program and the Board of the American Diabetes Association of Colorado.

His service in economic development includes positions on the Board of the Metro Denver Economic Development Council and as a member of the Downtown Denver Partnership Transportation Council. As a member of the Aurora Economic Development Council Board of Directors, he co-chairs the Council’s public policy task force.

James O. Hill, PhD, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center for Human Nutrition, Director
James O. Hill, Ph.D. is Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Hill also serves as the Director of the Center for Human Nutrition, a nutrition center funded by the National Institutes of Health.

He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee, as well as master’s and doctoral degrees in Physiological Psychology from the University of New Hampshire. He is past President of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NASSO) and is currently Regional Vice President of the International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO). He also serves as Chair of the Partnership to Promote Healthy Eating and Active Living (PPHEAL), a public-private partnership to improve nutrition and physical activity patterns of the population.

Dr. Hill has published more than 200 scientific articles and book chapters in the area of obesity. His research in the obesity field involves the study of lifestyle factors that affect body weight regulation. He is co-founder of America on the Move, a national weight gain prevention initiative that aims to inspire Americans to make small changes in the amount they eat and move to prevent weight gain. Dr. Hill also established The Colorado Weigh, a consumer-oriented behavioral weight management program and is the author of the Step Diet Book, published in June 2004.

John Hopkins, R.Ph., Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Chief Executive Officer, Retired 
John P. Hopkins, R.Ph, recently retired as Chief Executive Officer of Rocky Mountain Health Plans, a statewide not-for-profit health plan that provides medical benefit plans and related services to individuals of all ages and businesses of all sizes.  

Mr. Hopkins joined the organization in 1986 to develop the company’s first managed care pharmacy program and, following a national search, was named President and CEO in 2001. In July 2008, he resigned the position of President but continues to serve as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer until his planned retirement in September 2009.

From the beginning, Mr. Hopkins’ vision for Rocky Mountain Health Plans has been to create a culture that promotes wellness and takes action to positively impact employee health and well being. He believes Rocky Mountain has a responsibility to take a lead in wellness and health-related activities and serve as a model that other employers can emulate.

Under Mr. Hopkins' leadership, Rocky Mountain Health Plans earned the Gold Well Workplace designation by the Wellness Councils of America.  By successfully meeting rigorous health promotion standards, Rocky Mountain is recognized as one of America’s Healthiest Companies.  

During his tenure with Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Mr. Hopkins has served as the President of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, a national organization of managed care pharmacists, and as President of the Colorado HMO Association. He currently serves on several national, state, and local boards, including America’s Health Insurance Plans, the Colorado Association of Health Plans, the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, LiveWell Colorado, and the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. He is a governor’s appointee to the Board of Directors of CoverColorado.

Mr. Hopkins holds dual bachelor degrees in Pharmacy and Psychology from the University of Wyoming.

Kurt Kennedy, Comcast Spotlight, Vice President/General Manager
Kurt Kennedy is the Vice President and General Manager of Comcast Spotlight in Colorado, the advertising sales and client marketing arm of Comcast. Mr. Kennedy is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Comcast Spotlight's Colorado advertising sales division, including the division's 150 employees. His responsibilities include sales, marketing and research, technical and business operations and video production.

Mr. Kennedy's commitment to his community and his industry is evidenced by his involvement with the Denver Advertising Federation. He has served on the Federation's Board of Directors for three years and as its President in 2005. Under his leadership, the Comcast Spotlight group has regularly supported community initiatives, including the Ronald McDonald House, Catholic Charities, the Rocky Mountain Food Bank and many others.

His is a graduate of the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s degree in communications.

Barbara O'Brien, State of Colorado, Lieutenant Governor
Barbara O'Brien was sworn in as Colorado's 47th Lieutenant Governor, becoming only the fourth woman to hold the position in Colorado's history. Her constitutional duties include assuming the full powers and responsibilities of Governor Bill Ritter when he is absent from the state or is unable to perform the duties of the office, and her statutory duties include serving as chair of the Colorado Commission on Indian Affairs, a position the Colorado General Assembly created in 1976 (See C.R.S. §§ 24-44-101 to 24-44-108) within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

Lt. Governor O'Brien's portfolio in Governor Ritter’s administration includes serving as Co-Chair of the newly created P-20 Education Council, co-chairing the Colorado Space Coalition, chairing the Metro Denver Health and Wellness Commission, serving as spokesperson for the Colorado CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program), overseeing the Head Start State Collaboration Office, chairing the advisory committee for the development of a comprehensive early childhood system, overseeing the Governor's Commission on Community Service, and promoting the arts and art education.

Prior to becoming Lt. Governor, O'Brien served16 years as president of the Colorado Children's Campaign. She led major policy initiatives that increased funding for schools, created charter schools, expanded early childhood education, increased access to health care for uninsured children, reduced teen smoking and expanded after school programs.

Marguerite Salazar, Valley Wide Health Systems, Chief Executive Officer
Since 1989, Marguerite Salazar has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Valley Wide Health Systems Inc., which consists of 19 primary care and dental clinics serving more than 20 rural counties and 55,000 people. Previously she owned her own private medical social work service company called Access Social Work Service, where she managed contracts for hospitals, nursing homes and private clinics. She has also worked as a mental health therapist.

Ms. Salazar currently serves as Chairwoman of the Colorado Community Health Network. Her other community activities include service on the Alamosa County Democratic Central Committee, the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation and many other Colorado foundations and organizations. She has been listed on Hispanic Magazine's Latinas of Excellence List and has received the Bernie Valdez Award for Excellence in Health Care. Ms. Salazar was named a 2006 Livingston Fellow through the Bonfils Stanton Foundation.

Ms. Salazar received a bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology and gerontology from Colorado State University and a master's degree in counseling psychology from Adams State College. She is also a certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse counselor.

Anne Warhover, The Colorado Health Foundation, President and Chief Executive Officer
Since 2004, Anne Warhover has been President and Chief Executive Officer of The Colorado Health Foundation, guiding its strategic direction and overseeing more than 115 employees in their efforts to improve health care in Colorado.

Ms. Warhover has been instrumental in working with The Colorado Health Foundation's Board to refocus the organization's goals and strategies to better serve the health care needs of the community. Prior to joining The Colorado Health Foundation, Ms. Warhover served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Downtown Denver Partnership, a business membership and civic organization. During her tenure at the Partnership, the organization started the Center City Housing Support Office, planned the Central Platte Valley neighborhood, redeveloped Skyline Park, expanded the Business Improvement District and created an endowment.

Reginald L. Washington, MD, FAAP, FACC, FAHA, Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, Chief Medical Officer
Reginald Washington MD, FAAP, FACC, FAHA is the Chief Medical Officer of the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children and Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. In addition, he is the Past President of the Medical Staff as well as Past Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center.

With an undergraduate degree from Colorado State University, Dr. Washington completed his Pediatric Internship and Residency, served one year as Chief Resident in Pediatrics, and completed a Fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Washington is board certified in General Pediatrics and Pediatric Cardiology.

Dr. Washington served two terms on the Board of the American Heart Association and currently serves on the Association's National Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee and Healthcare Childhood Obesity Expert Panel. He is also a member of several noted committees, including the Expert Committee on the Assessment and Prevention of Childhood Obesity, the NIH's Expert Panel on Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Children, the NCQA Measurement Advisory Panel on Childhood Obesity and the Expert Committee on Obesity for the AAP. He also serves on the Board of the Colorado Children's Campaign and the Board of Action for Healthy Kids, where he is Vice-Chairman.

Dr. Washington has published more than 60 articles on pediatric cardiology and related topics, serves on the Editorial Boards for the Journal of Pediatrics, Congenital Heart Disease and Obesity Management Journal, and has received numerous awards recognizing his service to the community.