Diana Bontá. Photo courtesy of The California Wellness Foundation.

WOODLAND HILLS—Diana Bontá was recently named the new president and CEO of the Woodland Hills-based California Wellness Foundation, a position which will become effective in January 2012. Bontá, a respected health executive, member of the Los Angeles Fire Commission and a recipient of a doctorate in public health; currently serves as vice president of public affairs for Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Region, a post she has held since October of 2004.

According to the foundation’s website, David Barlow, chair of TCWF’s Board of Directors, commented on the announcement saying, "Dr. Bontá's strong executive health care and public policy background coupled with her experience overseeing major programs at corporate and government health departments makes her a terrific choice for us," Barlow said. "Her track record speaks for itself: she has led impressive programs that have emphasized wellness, disease prevention and health education, which fits with the mission of The California Wellness Foundation."

Bontá also served as director of the California Department of Health Services as well as director of health and human services for the city of Long Beach. "I am excited and honored to lead The California Wellness Foundation, which shares my commitment to improve the health of Californians," Bontá said. "The Foundation has an impressive national reputation in philanthropy – through the exceptional leadership of Gary L. Yates – funding health and wellness programs that have reached underserved communities in California. Going forward, with the Board and staff of the Foundation, we have the opportunity to help our communities so impacted by these difficult economic times, to create optimum health for all Californians."

Bontá, in her current position at Kaiser Permanente, directs an 80-person team that supplies community benefits funding to nonprofit organizations, along with public affairs outreach and multimedia communications. She also serves as an adjunct professor at UCLA, where she received a master’s and doctorate degree in public health.

Gary L. Yates, the current CEO for the Foundation, commented to Canyon News, “I have known Diana Bontá since she was the director of Health and Human Services at the City of Long Beach. She is an outstanding public health professional and brings extensive experience in executive management to the Foundation. She is a terrific choice to be our next president and CEO,” said Gary L. Yates, president and CEO of The California Wellness Foundation.

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