Board Members
Marita Aguas is a registered nurse whose role on the board is to represent registered nurses in Oregon. She has certifications as a critical care registered nurse and a clinical nurse leader with a Master’s degree in practicing at the bedside. Ms. Aguas is currently a staff nurse in the Surgical Services Post Anesthesia Care Unit at a magnet-designated Portland Medical Center and is an active member of The American Association of Critical Care Nurses. She values being a part of the Oregon Patient Safety Commission’s Board of Directors because registered nurses, as strong patient advocates, need to participate in developing tools that improve patient safety and decrease incidents and serious events that harm patients. Appointed: 2010 |
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Beth Biggs serves as the post-acute/nursing facility representative for the board. She is the director of operations for Marquis Companies, overseeing the operations of post-acute and assisted living for seniors receiving health care services within Marquis facilities located in Nevada, Idaho, and parts of Oregon. Ms. Biggs has devoted over 20 years of her career to the senior health care profession and remains passionate about seniors’ needs within the health care continuum. She sees the Oregon Patient Safety Commission as a valuable partner to the public and private health care sectors working together to ensure optimal outcomes for patients within the health care delivery system. Appointed: 2010 |
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Nancy Chi is the current chair of the board and is serving her second board term representing insurers. As vice president of business intelligence at Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Ms. Chi has a particular interest in the accurate and timely reporting of information. She values her role on the Commission’s board as an opportunity to improve the quality and safety of health care services through sharing of actionable information and knowledge. Nancy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Quantitative Economics and Decision Sciences from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master’s of Health Services Administration from the University of Southern California. Appointed: 2005 |
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Joyce DeMonnin, MPH, represents consumers on the Oregon Patient Safety Commission’s Board of Directors. Ms. DeMonnin provides community and strategic leadership to promote AARP’s social impact agenda related to health issues, patient safety and healthy aging. She also directs education and advocacy on economic security issues and consumer protection, and she leads community engagement. She also serves as a media spokesperson for AARP Oregon. In addition to her work with the Oregon Patient Safety Commission, Joyce is also on the Friday Forum Committee at the Portland City Club. Appointed: 2006 |
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Norm Gruber represents the hospitals and health systems in Oregon on the Oregon Patient Safety Commission’s Board of Directors. Currently he is the president and chief executive officer of Salem Health. Mr. Gruber values being part of the Commission’s board, which allows him to have input into patient safety initiatives on behalf of the hospitals in Oregon. Appointed: 2009 |
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Bruce Johnson represents the concerns and shares the viewpoints of Oregon ambulatory surgery centers on the Commission’s board. Dr. Johnson is currently a practicing otolaryngologist and partner with five other otolaryngologists in Willamette Ear, Nose, Throat and Facial Plastic Surgery, LLP in Salem. They also own and operate River Road Surgery Center. Dr. Johnson is honored to be able to contribute to the Oregon Patient Safety Commission as a board member and feels that he provides the perspective of a practicing physician and surgeon while helping incorporate and champion the Commission’s work in his own practice and within the medical community. Appointed: 2004 |
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David Labby is medical director and director of clinical support and innovation for CareOregon, a Medicaid health plan with 135,000 members. Dr. Labby has been responsible for the development of the plan’s complex care case management program, CareSupport, focused on improving health outcomes for high risk members and is also is responsible for CareOregon’s “Primary Care Renewal” (PCR) initiative to spread a team based/population outcome oriented medical home model of care within network practices. Dr. Labby has been with CareOregon since 2000, having previously served as medical director for a number of primary care practices. He is board certified in internal medicine and received his Doctor of Philosophy in Cultural Anthropology. Appointed: 2008 |
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Joseph Lassiter is an assistant professor and the director for experiential education in the School of Pharmacy at Pacific University and represents the interests of the profession of pharmacy on the Commission’s board. He values his role in advising the Commission and feels that improving public health and safety in relation to the use of medicines is an important priority for all Oregonians. Dr. Lassiter completed Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Pharmacy at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, and a Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. He is a board certified pharmacotherapy specialist and his professional interests and responsibilities include social/administrative pharmacy, medical informatics, integrative medicine and experiential education. Dr. Lassiter serves in an elected or advisory role for the following organizations: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine Formulary Council, Oregon Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Appointed: 2010 |
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Diane Lovell represents public purchasers on the Oregon Patient Safety Commission’s Board of Directors and serves on the board’s strategic communication and planning committee. Ms. Lovell is honored to serve on the board because of the positive role the Commission plays among consumers, providers, and advocates to improve the safety of patient care in Oregon. Ms. Lovell is a union representative for Oregon AFSCME, supporting employees at OHSU. She also serves on the Public Employees Benefit Board, the Public Purchasers Subcommittee of the Oregon Health Fund Board and is active in the work of Governor Kitzhaber’s healthcare transformation efforts. Appointed: 2010 |
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Jim Martin has 15 years of experience with Goodwill. For the last nine years he has served as president of Goodwill Industries of Lane and South Coast Counties. Prior to re-locating to Eugene, Mr. Martin worked for six years with Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana as director of operations of the Workforce Services Division. Before his Goodwill career, Mr. Martin was appointed by Governor Bayh to manage Indiana’s welfare reform program. Mr. Martin currently serves on the Goodwill Industries International Board of Director’s and is chair of the Membership Standards Committee. He is also chair of the Northwest Association of Goodwill’s. Oregon Governor Kulongoski appointed Mr. Martin to the Oregon Disabilities Commission and to the Oregon Patient Safety Commission where he serves as treasurer. Jim earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Oregon and an Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis. Appointed: 2006 |
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Melinda Muller serves as a physician member for the board. She is an internist at Legacy Health in Portland. Dr. Muller is the clinical vice president for primary care for the Legacy Medical Group with oversight responsibilities over all the primary care clinics at Legacy. She also maintains a primary care practice in internal medicine at Legacy Medical Group Good Samaritan Clinic. Dr. Muller has been committed to safety and improving quality care for Oregonians for many years. She feels that the intersection of inpatient and outpatient care is a critical component in improving safety and feels the Oregon Patient Safety Commission is a key player in helping to bridge that gap. Appointed: 2011 |
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Naomi Kaufman Price is one of two consumer representatives on the board. She is an editor and writer specializing in business proposals after a career in journalism. Naomi spent more than 20 years at The Oregonian in roles that included op-ed editor, assistant business editor and deputy suburban editor, as well as a senior reporter. She values looking for ways to involve patients and families directly in their care and stressing the importance of safety as a quality measure. Appointed: 2009 |
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Jill Rissi is an assistant professor in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University where she teaches health management and policy courses in the MPH, MPA, and PhD programs. Representing higher education on the Commission’s Board of Directors, Dr. Rissi’s experience as a nurse, management analyst, health system administrator, and foundation executive bring a practical perspective to academia and to the goals of improving quality and patient safety within a complex health system. Dr. Rissi holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and nursing, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration. She received her Doctor of Philosophy from the School of Public Affairs at Arizona State University where her research focused on public engagement and health policy. She values the opportunity to contribute to the Commission’s efforts to enhance patient safety through research, practice, and policy. Appointed: 2010 |
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Dana Selover is currently the public health officer designee and an ex-officio member of the board from Oregon’s Public Health Division. She serves on the board’s patient and family engagement and legislative subcommittees. Since March 2010, Dr. Selover has managed the Public Health Division’s Health Care Regulation and Quality Improvement section. This office ensures the health and safety of Oregonians through licensing and certification of health facilities, encourages quality and patient safety through collaborative projects, ensures ethical public health research through the Public Health Institutional Review Board, and oversees the Certificate of Need program. Dr. Selover has been involved with the Oregon Patient Safety Commission in various capacities since 2006, including staff support, project development, and finally the designee from the Oregon Public Health Division. Looking at similar organizations across the country, Dr. Selover is compelled by Oregon’s approach to statewide patient safety improvement using a balance of reporting programs and health facility support. Current term: ex-officio |  |
Brett Sheppard represents the role of surgery and surgeons in improving the safety of all patients cared for in Oregon. Dr. Sheppard is currently professor and clinical-vice chairman of surgery at OHSU. Dr. Sheppard has a professional and research interest in pancreatic cancer. He is also the physician champion for the National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) and a founding member of the Oregon NSQIP Consortium. Patient safety and improving the quality of health care outcomes is the first order priority in medicine. This will not be accomplished by any single specialty or special interest group. Dr. Sheppard values the Oregon Patient Safety Commission for the opportunity to work with members representing all facets of healthcare to achieve a single, unified goal – improving the healthcare provided to Oregonians and making Oregon the best state in the nation for healthcare. Appointed: 2007 |
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Natasha Tobias-White was appointed to the Oregon Patient Safety Commission Board of Directors as a labor representative. Ms. Tobias-White obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing in 1999 from Linfield College and is currently working towards her Master’s in Public Health at Portland State University. She has worked as a registered nurse in Oregon in a variety of settings including ambulatory care, acute care, critical care, and as an adjunct nursing instructor at Linfield College. She currently works in the Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center, where she is a member of the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals. Natasha values being a part of the Commission’s board as it presents the opportunity to help promote a healthcare delivery system in Oregon that is safe and of high quality, thereby advocating for patients and the healthcare workforce. Appointed: 2011 |
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Jim Wathen fills a hospital administration seat on the Commission’s board and has been involved in healthcare management for over thirty years, twenty-four of which have been in Oregon hospitals. He is currently the chief executive officer for Southern Coos Hospital and Health Center in Bandon, Oregon, where he has managed for the past sixteen years. He is a past chairman of the Oregon Rural Health Association Board of Directors and the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems Board. He currently is chairman of the Oregon Research and Education Foundation and sits on the Board of Oregon Healthcare Enterprises. Appointed: 2010 |
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