Desert Healthcare District board to gain at least three new members after Nov. 3 election

The Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Board will seat at least three new directors following the Nov. 3 general election, after three incumbents chose not to seek re-election to the seven-member panel, it was announced Wednesday.

Five of the board’s seven seats are on this year’s ballot. Three of those seats will change hands: two because sitting directors are not running again, and a third because it has sat vacant since Director Greg Rodriguez resigned earlier this year form the Zone 1 seat which represents Palm Springs and parts of Cathedral City and Rancho Mirage.

Carole Rogers, the board’s longest-serving member, and Kimberly Barraza, who serves as board president, both confirmed they will not seek additional terms. Incumbents Evett PerezGil and Anyse Smith, whose terms are also ending, have filed to run again for their seats.

The board’s other two seats, held by Dr. Daniel Logsdon and Leticia De Lara, are not up for election this year.

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve my community on the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Board and to help advance its mission across the entire Coachella Valley,” Barraza said in a news release issued by the district. “I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished over the past four years and grateful to have played a role in strengthening the District and positioning it for a strong future.”

“While I have decided not to seek another term, my work is not finished, and I look forward to continuing to serve as board president through December,” Barraza added. “I have great confidence in the District’s future and its ability to bring our communities and partners together, expand access to care, and ensure our resources have the greatest impact where the need is highest.”

Board directors serve four-year terms as volunteers, working with district and foundation staff to improve health access and outcomes for residents through funding and partnerships intended to strengthen local communities.

“My service on the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Board has been an absolute honor,” Rogers said. “It’s allowed me to share the knowledge and experience I’ve gained during more than 50 years as a registered nurse, healthcare executive, patient advocate, and as a resident of Desert Hot Springs, a community I love. However, after 12 years on the board and 20 years total in public service, I’ve decided to not seek re-election.”

“It’s time to bring new ideas and energy to the future of our Healthcare District and its important role in our community’s well-being,” Rogers said. “I will continue to support our nonprofit friends in their mission and plan to volunteer for District & Foundation programs in the future.”

Each director represents one of the district’s seven geographic zones, which have about 60,000 residents apiece. Aside from Zone 1, Zone 2 — represented by Rogers — covers Desert Hot Springs, Garnet, Desert Edge and Sky Valley. Zone 4, represented by PerezGil, primarily covers Cathedral City, while Zone 5, represented by Smith, covers parts of Palm Desert, Bermuda Dunes and Indio. Zone 6, represented by Barraza, covers Coachella and Indio.

Zones 3 and 7, represented by Logsdon and De Lara, respectively, are not up for election this year. Zone 3 covers La Quinta, Indian Wells and parts of Indio south of Highway 111. Zone 7 covers parts of Coachella, along with Thermal, Mecca and other unincorporated communities in the eastern Coachella Valley.

Residents can find their voting zone using an interactive map on the district’s website. Choose the ‘Adopted (Hummingbird) Map. A list of qualified candidates for the positions can be found in this document starting on page 58.

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