Orange County Business Council Hosts Inaugural 2024 Legislative Day

Participants of the first moderated session for the 2024 Orange County Business Council (OCBC) Legislative Day are pictured from left Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community and Government Relations Alberto Sandoval of the University of California, Irvine, and The Honorable Josh Newman from the California State Senate.IRVINE, CA (August 1, 2024) — Orange County’s state and regional legislative representatives shared updates and discussed issues impacting the nation’s sixth most populous county at Orange County Business Council’s (OCBC) inaugural Legislative Day on July 31st at UC Irvine. The sold-out event connected elected officials with Orange County’s stakeholders to discuss issues vital to the economic development of Orange County, California. Modeled after OCBC’s Sacramento Advocacy trips, the day-long event included moderators leading discussions with legislators, followed by Q&A sessions, as well as lunch and networking. The Q&A portion gave legislators an opportunity to hear from business and community leaders about topics impacting stakeholders such as economic development, workforce, housing, and infrastructure. Honorable Legislative Day speakers included California State Senators Catherine Blakespear, Josh Newman, and Tom Umberg. Representing the California State Assembly were Diane Dixon, Cottie Petrie-Norris, Tri Ta, and Avelino Valencia. Representing the Orange County Board of Supervisors in a panel discussion were Chairman Donald P. Wagner and Supervisor Katrina Foley, while Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento participated in a moderated discussion. Among topics and legislation discussed, panelists stressed the importance of many OCBC policy initiatives. Conversations included the necessary reform of California’s Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), implementation of the recent reform of the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), retail theft and organized crime prevention, expanding water supply through projects such as the Delta Conveyance Project, funding for higher education, and other issues impacting the region. Title sponsors for the event were University of California, Irvine and UCI Health; luncheon sponsor was Southern California Edison, and legislative sponsors included Cal State Fullerton and Disneyland Resort. About Orange County Business Council For over 25 years, Orange County Business Council (OCBC) has been representing and promoting the region’s business community together with government and academia to enhance the economic development of the nation’s sixth largest county, Orange County, California. The Council’s core initiatives include advocating for adequate investment in regional and statewide infrastructure, education development that leads to a competitive workforce, advocating for a range of housing, and developing pro-business solutions that lead to economic growth. Member organizations include businesses and local organizations representing a diverse cross section of industries including biomedical, construction, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, nonprofit, real estate, technology, tourism, transportation, real estate and utilities. For more information, visit ocbc.org. Media Contact Lizz Mishreki, APR Vice President of Communications Orange County Business Council [email protected]

Workforce Committee Meeting

July 10, 2024 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am
2 Park Plaza, Suite 125, Irvine, CA 92614
Comprised of leaders in business, academia, and government, the Workforce Committee meets throughout the course of the year to discuss a variety of issues relating to career readiness in Orange County. Contact Jesse Ben-Ron for meeting details.

CalOptima Health logo

CalOptima Health gives nearly $25 million in health care workforce grants to 7 OCBC investors

CalOptima Health’s Board of Directors approved nearly $25 million in workforce education grants to seven institutions in Orange County. These grants mark the first phase of the $50 million Provider Workforce Development Initiative, the largest workforce grant ever awarded by CalOptima Health. The Initiative will help to address health disparities and better secure the future delivery of medical and behavioral health care by safety net providers. It also seeks to ease predicted shortages and gaps in the Orange County health care workforce.

Participants exploring California's natural beauty

The Toll Roads hosts annual conservation spring tours

The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), operator of The Toll Roads, spotlighted two of its conservation areas to the public for the highly anticipated annual Spring Tours series. Participants had a rare opportunity to explore the natural beauty of protected areas of Orange County on guided walks through the land set aside with the construction of the 73, 133, 241 and 261 Toll Roads. This year’s tours offered a behind-the-scenes experience at two sites: Upper Chiquita Canyon near Coto de Caza in Rancho Santa Margarita and Bonita Creek in Newport Beach. Upper Chiquita, like most of TCA’s other conservation areas, is usually closed to the public except during this once-a-year opportunity.

Student Behavioral Health Incentive Program (SBHIP) partners gather at Cook Elementary School in Garden Grove. From left: Lorry Leigh Belheumeur, Ph.D., Western Youth Services; Sonia Llamas, Ed.D., LCSW, OC Department of Education; Terri Iler, Ed.D., CHOC; Carmen Katsarov, LPCC, CMM, CalOptima Health, and Andrea Stojanov, Hazel Health.

Q&A with CalOptima—Part 2

OCBC President and CEO Jeff Ball sat down with Michael Hunn, CEO of CalOptima Health, for the second in a four-part Q&A series about the organization’s role in keeping Orange County healthy. Learn what CalOptima Health is doing to address the mental health crisis among Orange County’s children?

Panelists of the 2024 Orange County Business Council (OCBC) Health Care Forum panel “Future Focused: Leading Care Delivery for a Healthier Tomorrow” are pictured from left Chief Operating Officer, Senior Vice President Nate Shinagawa, MHA of UCI Health; President Annette M. Walker, MHA of City of Hope Orange County; moderator Jeffrey Ball, OCBC President and CEO; President and Chief Executive Officer of MemorialCare Barry Arbuckle, Ph.D.; President and Chief Executive Robert T. Braithwaite of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian; and Senior Vice President, Area Manager Payman Roshan, MBA of Kaiser Permanente Orange County.

Orange County Business Council Hosts 2024 Health Care Forum

Panelists of the 2024 Orange County Business Council (OCBC) Health Care Forum panel “Future Focused: Leading Care Delivery for a Healthier Tomorrow” are pictured from left Chief Operating Officer, Senior Vice President Nate Shinagawa, MHA of UCI Health; President Annette M. Walker, MHA of City of Hope Orange County; moderator Jeffrey Ball, OCBC President and Chief Executive Officer; President and Chief Executive Officer of MemorialCare Barry Arbuckle, Ph.D.; President and Chief Executive Officer Robert T. Braithwaite of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian; and Senior Vice President, Area Manager Payman Roshan, MBA of Kaiser Permanente Orange County. Executives from life sciences, med tech, and hospital systems discuss Orange County’s unique health care ecosystem IRVINE, CA (May 17, 2024) — CEOs and executives from Orange County hospital systems and health care providers discussed Orange County’s unique health care ecosystem at Orange County Business Council’s (OCBC) 2024 Health Care Forum, “Defining Tomorrow’s Care: A Leadership Forum for a Healthier Orange County” on May 16 in Newport Beach. Two moderated panels focused on Orange County as a national leader in the delivery of health care services and its contributions to innovation and science. With its roots in the med tech industry since the 1970s, together with academia, capital investors, and research incubators, Orange County has become a leading med tech hub. Panelists for the “Future Focused: Leading Care Delivery for a Healthier Tomorrow” panel, pictured above, included Chief Operating Officer, Senior Vice President Nate Shinagawa, MHA of UCI Health, President Annette M. Walker, MHA of City of Hope Orange County, moderator Jeffrey Ball, OCBC President and Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Executive Officer of MemorialCare Barry Arbuckle, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer Robert T. Braithwaite of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, and Senior Vice President, Area Manager Payman Roshan, MBA of Kaiser Permanente Orange County. Panelists for the “Exploring Innovations Shaping Future Care Delivery” panel, pictured left, included Johanna DeYoung, Global Lead, Life Sciences at Slalom, Wayne Markowitz, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Surgical Structural Heart at Edwards Lifesciences, Tara Capalbo, General Manager, Glaucoma & Ocular Surface Disease at AbbVie, moderator Annette Morgan, MBA, Chief Administrative Officer at City of Hope Orange County and Scott Burton, Market President, Commercial at Providence Health Plan. Among topics discussed, panelists stressed the importance of workforce development. Orange County university graduates, for instance, can begin their careers at life sciences and med tech companies, and health care systems based in Orange County. Equally important, as employers, hospital system CEOs talked about the importance of employee retention; examples include a good employment culture, as well as investing in employee education reimbursement. Title sponsor of the 2024 OCBC Health Care Forum was City of Hope Orange County. Platinum sponsor was Hoag, while gold sponsors included American Career College/West Coast University, Chapman University, Kaiser Permanente, MemorialCare, and UCI Health. Silver sponsors included CalOptima Health, Providence Health Plan and Slalom. About Orange County Business CouncilFor over 25 years, Orange County Business Council (OCBC) has been representing and promoting the region’s business community together with government and academia to enhance the economic development of the nation’s sixth largest county, Orange County, California. The Council’s core initiatives include advocating for adequate investment in regional and statewide infrastructure, education development that leads to a competitive workforce, advocating for a range of housing, and developing pro-business solutions that lead to economic growth. Member organizations include businesses and local organizations representing a diverse cross section of industries including biomedical, construction, education, financial services, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, nonprofit, real estate, technology, tourism, transportation, real estate and utilities. For more information, visit ocbc.org. Media ContactLizz Mishreki, APRVice President of CommunicationsOrange County Business [email protected]