Ana R. Melgoza, MPA, stands as a stalwart force in championing healthcare access for all, serving as the Vice President of External Affairs for San Ysidro Health (SYHealth) for an impressive 19 years. Ana remembers contacting SYHealth to volunteer when she first moved to Chula Vista, CA. She had just gotten engaged and left her job as Senior Health Program Officer in corporate philanthropy at the Medtronic Foundation in Minneapolis, MN, to start her new life with her fiancé. An initial conversation with the SYHealth CEO turned into a job offer and the rest is history.
She proceeded to establish the External Affairs department, where she supervises a wide range of crucial functions, including government relations/advocacy, The My Vote My Health Civic Engagement Initiative, public/private/non-profit partnerships, private fund development, outreach, creative services, social media, media relations, and corporate communications. Her role is pivotal in sustaining and expanding SYHealth’s dedication to compassionate care for all, a legacy forged by the seven founding mothers in 1969. Presently, SYHealth boasts a workforce of 3,000 employees, with 77% being women, delivering essential health services to the 145,000 lives under their care across San Diego County, spanning urban to rural communities.
Having experienced the impact of SYHealth’s medical, dental, behavioral health, and support services, including transportation, she appreciates their value, having received care at a community health center like SYHealth in Kansas City, Missouri, during her upbringing. The investments in preventive healthcare initiatives for all age groups, such as pediatric dental sealants and the provision of her first set of glasses, have not only kept Ana cavity-free but also contributed to her academic success.
Her personal and professional goals are to eradicate health disparities especially in children and seniors in under-resourced communities. In SYHealth’s service area zip codes, children have a life expectancy that is 10 years less than those born in more affluent areas and are two times more likely to develop Type 2. Ana’s tireless efforts are motivated by her belief that a person’s zip code should never determine their life expectancy or health outcomes.
Ana extends her impact beyond SYHealth through active participation in policy-making and non-profit boards. Her roles include contributions to The San Diego Union Tribune Community Advisory Board, The San Diego County Health Services Advisory Board, The Scan Foundation Health Equity Task Force, The National Council on Aging Health Equity Advisory Board, and Circulate San Diego.
Ana is a graduate of the National Urban Fellows Program, earning her master’s degree in public administration in New York City. She has also honed her leadership skills through the Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) Leadership Institute and LEAD San Diego.
Ana’s unwavering commitment and outstanding contributions to healthcare advocacy have not gone unnoticed. She has been recognized with various accolades, including The San Diego County Health Equity SHEro award from the Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas for her exemplary representation of service to underserved families.
Ana Melgoza exemplifies dedication, compassion, and an unyielding commitment to creating equitable healthcare solutions for all in every aspect of her multifaceted career.
