Leadership
By the Bay Health prides itself on building a mission-driven group of individuals to lead our organization. Our leadership teams include professionals and volunteers from all backgrounds who are driven by a commitment and passion to serve others.
Learn more about our leadership below.
Corporate Officers
SKELLY WINGARD, RN, PHN, MSN
Chief Executive Officer
Skelly Wingard, Chief Executive Officer of By the Bay Health, joins the organization with more than 10 years of progressive leadership experience, including her most recent role as Vice President of Continuum of Care for Kaiser Permanente, Mid-Atlantic States, where she led strategy and operations for hospital and post-acute services, emergency care management, health plan utilization, transportation, regional care management, and more.
Wingard, who holds a Master’s Degree in Nursing from the University of San Francisco, began her career in healthcare as a bedside nurse before joining North American Health Care in 2008, where she held both clinical and administrative leadership roles. In 2012, she joined Ensign Services as Director of Nursing, and was promoted to Vice President of Care Continuum in 2014. In 2017, she joined Kaiser Permanente Health Plan, where she held Continuum of Care leadership roles across Northern California. In 2020, she progressed within the organization as the executive leader, overseeing Continuum health plan operations in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
Wingard currently lives in Petaluma, is an avid trail runner, and enjoys spending time outdoors with family and friends.
LESLIE HASSAN-SEIDMAN, MSN, APRN, NP-C, CHA
Chief Patient Care Services Officer
Leslie joined By the Bay Health in 2010, serving in direct care, management, and leadership roles before becoming Interim Chief Operating Officer in 2024. She is a certified Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner by training and received her Master’s degree in Nursing from The University of Massachusetts. She holds Bachelor’s degrees in Nursing and Sociology from Syracuse University and Hobart and William Smith Colleges, respectively.
As Interim COO, Leslie oversees our community, home and inpatient hospice teams, our volunteer and bereavement programs as well as our intake and admissions department.
Leslie began her nursing career as a thoracic surgical nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital before relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area and joining By the Bay Health. She lives in Sonoma County with her family and spends her spare time hiking and enjoying nature.
ROBERTINA SZOLAROVA, RN, MS
Chief Administrative Officer
Robertina Szolarova joined By the Bay Health in 2003, serving in clinical leadership and quality & compliance roles before becoming CAO in 2018. She is a registered nurse by training, and received her Master’s degree from UCSF’s Health Policy Nursing program. She oversees Human Resources, Education, Quality & Compliance, Service Excellence, Marketing & Communications, and Retail Operations.
KAI ROMERO, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Kai Romero is board certified in Emergency Medicine. She completed her residency at UCSF-ZSFGH and fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Care at UC San Francisco. She continues to practice Emergency Medicine at Kaiser San Francisco, and outpatient Palliative Care at UCSF. She joined By the Bay Health in 2018.
PETER BUSSI, MBA
Senior Director, Strategy Execution
Peter joined By the Bay Health in 2021. As Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, he oversees the organization’s strategic efforts to better serve patients, their families, and communities. He also serves on cross functional committees including the finance, Epic Steering, emergency preparedness, and safety committees. Prior to By the Bay Health, he served as Chief Operating Officer at CMI, a technology solutions provider until it was acquired, and served as an equity analyst at JMP Securities where he was Vice President covering the technology sector. He has also held various positions within the technology industry including Hewlett-Packard where he managed strategic alliances. Peter holds a degree in Finance from Santa Clara University and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
Peter resides in Marin County with his wife and three children and enjoys skiing, backpacking, and fishing.
JIM KELLY
Chief Financial Officer
Jim Kelly joined By the Bay Health in 2015, filling the CFO role as of 2021. He oversees the Finance, Accounting, and Billing departments, while also serving on many committees and groups within the organization. Prior to By the Bay Health, Jim worked for Klutz Press, a subsidiary of Scholastic Inc., providing financial leadership as the Business Manager.
Jim grew up in New Jersey, and attended Lehigh University, receiving his B.S. in Accounting with a minor in Asian Studies. He moved to California in 2002, and currently resides in Marin County with his wife and two children. Outside of work, Jim enjoys hiking, camping, skiing, and traveling.
MIGUEL RUELAS
Senior Director, Community & Advancement
Miguel joined by the Bay Health in 2018. As Chief Development Officer he manages all aspects of fundraising, including Major Gifts, Planned Giving, Grant, Events and Retail Operations. Miguel grew up in a small border-town in South Texas, was educated at the University of Minnesota and moved to Marin County California in 1996 to work at Schwab Charitable. Prior to joining By the Bay Health, he spent 17 years working with Community Foundation Sonoma County as Director of Philanthropic Advising.
Miguel currently lives in San Rafael with his husband of 36 years, he is a proud father and has two granddaughters. In his spare time, you will find him sailing in the San Francisco Bay.
Board Officers
ROBERT J. SIMON, Chair
Senior Vice President, Investments
Simon Investment Group
Stifel Investment Services
MICHAEL A. KADEL, Vice Chair
Director of Human Resources/Chief Administrative Officer
SSL LAW FIRM LLP
GREGORY A. LeCLAIRE, Treasurer
CFO, Muso, Inc.
WENDY C. CHOW, J.D., Secretary
VP Legal, Head of Health Care & Privacy Officer, WeightWatchers
STEVEN Z. PANTILAT, MD, At Large
Chief of Palliative Medicine, Division of Palliative Medicine, UCSF
SKELLY A. WINGARD, RN, MSN
CEO, By the Bay Health
Directors
MUKUND ACHARYA, PhD
Social Entrepreneur & Advocate
ARMIKA J. BERKLEY, DSc
Chief Administrative Officer, Kaiser Permanente
STACY A. BLANCHARD
Senior Managing Director, Accenture
DANIEL E. COHN, JD
Partner, Farella Braun + Martel LLP
SHELBY K. DECOSTA
President, UCSF Health Affiliates Network & Chief Market Development Officer, UCSF Health
JEFF M. GERARD
Retired Health Care Professional
TRACY A. HOGAN
Director of Development, Dominican University of California
CATHERINE C. JAMENTZ (Kate)
Retired in 2016 from Academic Deputy Superintendent, Fremont Union High School District
SWAMINATHAN M. JAYARAMAN
President, Vascular Innovations, Inc.
PATRICIA A. KENDALL
Retired, Medical Group Administrator
Kaiser Permanente
KAREN E. MAY, PhD
Advisor/Coach/Board Member
KENNETH MEISLIN
Principal, Meislin Investments
MICHELLE S. MOURAD, MD
Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs and Value, Department of Medicine
Medical Director, Transitions in Care
UCSF Health
GERALD R. PETERS, JD
Retired Attorney
Former Partner, Latham & Watkins
RICK SANCIANGCO
CEO/Owner
Nothing Bundt Cakes
SCOTT TAYLOR SMITH
CEO, Viant Group & Viant Capital, a merchant bank in San Francisco
Emeriti
MARY TAVERNA, President Emeritus
Former President/CEO
Hospice of Marin/Hospice by the Bay
STEPHEN A. THAL, Chair Emeritus
Retired Certified Gemologist and founder of Fox’s St. Francis Jewelry Store, San Francisco
By the Bay Health Physicians
KAI ROMERO, M.D., Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Kai Romero is board certified in Emergency Medicine. She completed her residency at UCSF-ZSFGH and fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Care at UC San Francisco. She continues to practice Emergency Medicine at Kaiser San Francisco, and outpatient Palliative Care at UCSF. She joined By the Bay Health in 2018.
JESSICA KEANE, M.D.
Dr. Jessica Keane is board certified in Internal Medicine. She completed her residency at UC Davis and later went on to serve as Chief Resident. She practiced primary care in San Rafael for seven years before joining By the Bay Health in 2014.
JESSICA SAFRA, M.D.
Dr. Jessica Safra is board certified in Internal Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She completed her residency at Oregon Health & Science University and fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Care at UC San Francisco. She practiced inpatient and clinic-based Palliative Care for three years before joining By the Bay Health in 2015.
MICHELLE NICHOLS, M.D.
Dr. Michelle Nichols is board certified in Internal Medicine. She completed her medical school and residency at UCSF. She practiced in primary care and as a hospitalist for 15 years before focusing her clinical practice on Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She joined By the Bay Health in 2017. She compliments her Hospice practice with work in medical education and serves as Medical Director for the Physician Assistant Program at Dominican University.