SANTA CRUZ, CA – Santa Cruz Community Health (SCCH) today announced that Dr. Casey KirkHart has transitioned from his position as Chief Medical Officer. The organization has appointed Dr. Rose Lovell and Dr. Stephanie Chang to serve as interim Co-Chief Medical Officers while a search for a permanent replacement is conducted.

“We are grateful to Dr. KirkHart for his contributions to SCCH’s medical excellence and patient care initiatives,” said Anita Aguirre, CEO of SCCH. “During this transition period, we have full confidence in Dr. Lovell and Dr. Chang to provide continued clinical leadership and maintain our commitment to high-quality healthcare for our community.”

Dr. Rose Lovell (she/her) is a Board-Certified Family Medicine physician with strong ties to the Santa Cruz Mountain community. After earning her MD from the Frank H. Netter School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, she completed her residency at Natividad in Salinas. At Santa Cruz Community Health, Dr. Lovell provides comprehensive care for patients of all ages, with special expertise in LGBTQ+ healthcare and creating trauma-sensitive environments.

Dr. Stephanie Chang (she/her) is a Board-Certified Family Medicine physician raised in nearby Morgan Hill. She completed her residency training in Family and Community Medicine at UCSF/San Francisco General Hospital after studying Social Welfare at UC Berkeley. Dr. Chang brings diverse experience as a former social work case manager and non-profit consultant, along with a passion for reproductive health to her role at Santa Cruz Community Health.

“We are fortunate to have such talented physician leaders in Dr. Lovell and Dr. Chang stepping into these interim roles,” said Aguirre. “Their combined expertise and dedication to our patients will ensure we maintain the highest standards of care during this transition period.”

SCCH has initiated a comprehensive search process to identify the organization’s next Chief Medical Officer. The position will be responsible for overseeing clinical operations, quality initiatives, provider relations, and advancing SCCH’s healthcare mission.

“We are seeking an experienced physician leader who can build upon our strong foundation of clinical excellence and help drive SCCH’s next phase of healthcare innovation,” added Aguirre. “This is an exciting opportunity for a visionary medical executive to join our leadership team.”

SCCH is partnering with UHC Solutions to recruit our next Chief Medical Officer. Interested candidates can reach out to Christine Cranston at UHC Solutions: Christine@uhcsolutions.com.

About Santa Cruz Community Health:

Through the Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center, the Live Oak Health Center, and the Santa Cruz Mountain Health Center, Santa Cruz Community Health (SCCH), a Federally Qualified Health Center, provides comprehensive primary care services to the whole family, regardless of language spoken, personal identity, or ability to pay. Seeded by the Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center in 1974, SCCH has maintained a 51-year commitment to its mission: to improve the health of its patients and the community and advocate the feminist goals of social, political, and economic equality. SCCH’s health centers serve over 13,000 patients through a dedicated staff of medical and behavioral health providers, nurses, case managers, health educators, and administrative personnel.

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