Industry Veteran and Diversity Expert Joins Gold Coast Health Plan
CAMARILLO — The Ventura County Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission (VCMMCC) today announced that Douglas C. Freeman has accepted the position of chief diversity officer (CDO), at Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP). Mr. Freeman will report directly to the VCMMCC and will be based at GCHP’s headquarters in Camarillo, CA.
Darren Lee, chief executive officer (CEO) of St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital/St. John’s Regional Medical Center and chair of the VCMMCC said, “I’m pleased to make this announcement and welcome Douglas Freeman to Gold Coast Health Plan and Ventura County. Douglas’ addition as chief diversity officer reflects the Commission’s commitment to the core values of diversity and inclusion.”
For the past 17 years, Mr. Freeman served as CEO of Virtcom Consulting, a global diversity and inclusion (D&I) consultancy located in New York City. During this time, he has helped organizations and leaders around the world develop diversity sustainability through three strategic pillars: analytics, inclusive business skills and world diversity leadership summits. Mr. Freeman has served as vice chair of the United Nations Gender Equality Task Force and has been the keynote speaker at the Parliaments of the United Kingdom and European Union, in London England and Brussels Belgium.
“Gold Coast Health Plan is excited to welcome Douglas as our chief diversity officer,” said Dale Villani, GCHP’s chief executive officer. “All of us at the Plan are looking forward to collaborating with him.”
Mr. Freeman received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California Berkeley and a Masters of Public Policy, from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. His first day will be April 10.
About Gold Coast Health Plan: Gold Coast Health Plan is an independent public entity created by County Ordinance and authorized through Federal Legislation. However, Gold Coast Health Plan is not a county agency. The Ventura County Board of Supervisors approved implementation of a County Organized Health System (COHS) model, transitioning from fee-for-service Medi-Cal to managed care, on June 2, 2009. The purpose of Gold Coast Health Plan is to serve Medi-Cal beneficiaries, enhance the quality of healthcare, provide greater access, improve service and provide choice. The Plan provides health benefits to more than 203,000 beneficiaries in Ventura County, Calif. To learn more about Gold Coast Health Plan, visit us at: www.goldcoasthealthplan.org.