Melissa Stafford Jones, regional director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region IX, will keynote the Pacific Coast Business Times’ 2015 Champions in Health Care Summit.

Prior to her appointment as Regional Director in 2014, Stafford Jones was President & CEO of the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (CAPH) for eight years. While at CAPH, Stafford Jones lead the organization’s work to advance public policies that support the essential role of the safety net and improve access to care for low-income and uninsured patients. In particular, Stafford Jones was involved in the implementation of health reform in California, particularly related to coverage expansion, delivery system transformation and re-structuring of health care financing and payment systems. Prior to her appointment as President & CEO, Stafford Jones led CAPH’s state and federal legislative program for six years as Vice President and Director of Policy.

Before 2000, Stafford Jones was Regional Vice President with the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California. As Regional Vice President she provided local issue management, coordinated grassroots advocacy, and facilitated collaborative community health improvement efforts amongst hospitals and other community groups. Stafford Jones held the position of Senior Research Analyst for the Nevada State Legislature, providing policy analysis and research and assisting legislators in the development of policy and legislation. She also served on the administrative leadership team at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center in the mid 1990s.

Stafford Jones holds a Masters degree in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley and a Bachelors of Science in Biology from Saint Mary’s College of California. She is married to husband Chris, a high school science teacher, and has two children, Douglas and Juliet.

“As Regional Director for Health & Human Services I am proud to work in an area whose scientists, clinicians and therapists are at the forefront of cancer research and treatment. I look forward to celebrating local experts on California’s Central Coast who have partnered with colleagues to bring the most effective treatments to their patients,” Stafford Jones said.

The event, which also celebrates the 2015 honorees in the Business Times’ Champions in Health Care special section, will take place June 18 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. This year’s luncheon will be held at the Canary Hotel which is located at 31 W. Carrillo St. in Santa Barbara.

This year’s Champions in Health Care is a call for panelists who are experts on cancer and cancer treatment. Treatment, research and innovative approaches to prevention and healing are emerging as a specialty on the central coast. We are looking for honorees in diagnosis, surgery, radiology, chemotherapy, patient care, philanthropy, case management, nursing and medical administration.

The Champions in Health Care award winners will be announced in the May 22 edition of Pacific Coast Business Times. Click here to nominate.