PAC & Forth Episode 17: Dr. Barbara Hrach
We sit down with Dr. Barbara Hrach, an internal medicine physician who has practiced in Santa Barbara for three decades. She is president of Santa Barbara Preferred Health Partners, a group of local independent physicians. In that role, she’s helping her colleagues push back against health care consolidation and protect patient choice in their community.
PAC & Forth Episode 16: Dr. Omer Deen
We welcome back Dr. Omer Deen, board member and chair of the Physician Association of California, and our very first guest on the show. After completing his fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Deen built a portfolio of independent practices in the South Bay, including the Deen Medical Group, a clinical nutrition and obesity practice in Torrance, Peninsula Urgent Care, which he co-founded in 2020, and a wellness clinic.
PAC & Forth Episode 15: Dr. Michael Leathers
We sit down with Dr. Michael Leathers, a second-generation orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician who runs his own practice in Midtown Sacramento. Trained at USC, UCLA, and UCSF, Dr. Leathers also volunteers as team physician for Christian Brothers High School and Sacramento State, bringing independent care from the clinic to the field.
PAC & Forth Episode 14: Dan Cavanaugh
We sit down with Dan Cavanaugh, Senior Vice President of Business Development at the Cooperative of American Physicians (CAP). With more than 35 years in the industry, Dan knows California’s malpractice landscape better than almost anyone.
PAC & Forth Episode 13: Sam Chung
We sit down with Sam Chung, Senior Vice President of Government Relations and External Affairs at California Life Sciences, which represents 1,300 organizations across the state’s biopharma, biotech, medical device, and research community.
PAC & Forth Episode 12: John Shirikian & Steffanie Watkins
We sit down with John Shirikian, President and CEO of the Association of California Life and Health Insurance Companies (ACLHIC), and Steffanie Watkins, the association’s Senior Vice President. ACLHIC represents 50 member companies, including the big six health insurers.
PAC & Forth Episode 11: Greg Wallis & Heath Flora
We sit down with Assemblymember Greg Wallis (Coachella Valley) and Assemblymember Heath Flora, the Assembly Republican Leader from the northern San Joaquin Valley. Both bring a frontline view of inland California, where access to healthcare is shrinking and physicians are leaving.
PAC & Forth Episode 10: Vincent Catalano
We sit down with Vincent Catalano, Founder and CEO of Clear Healthcare Solutions. Vincent brings decades of experience in employee benefits and insurance brokerage and now helps organizations manage cost and strategy across health care.
PAC & Forth Episode 9: Dr. Todd Otten
We sit down with Dr. Todd Otten, board-certified family physician, former U.S. Navy flight surgeon, co-author of Ripple of Change, and executive producer of the documentary Suck It Up, Buttercup. After two decades in practice and his own experience with burnout, Dr. Otten is one of the most candid voices on what is breaking the people who deliver care.
PAC & Forth Episode 8: Tyler Tracewski
We sit down with Tyler Tracewski, President of Astrana Care Partners, to unpack PAC’s new collaboration with Astrana and what it means for independent primary care physicians navigating Medicare’s shift to value-based care.