Dear ACHE Colleagues,
As we enter 2025, it is a time of transition and uncertainty. There is a new administration in the
White House, a feeling of an ever-widening polarization of how people see our country and
society, mixed economic signals, and a feeling of unrest about our healthcare system. At best,
this is unsettling, and at worst, it creates anxiety and can feel hopeless.
In California, we started the year with the tragedy of the January fires in Southern California. In
my day job, I had a first-hand view of this at the company I work for, HumanGood. We had
several campus communities and many team members who were affected by the Eaton, Hurst,
and Sunset fires. As the fires quickly progressed, we had to make decisions about how and
when to evacuate, trying to predict what would happen with the fires versus the risks that
happen when you move patients and residents who are physically and medically fragile. The
fires had a wide range of impacts throughout the region—power, traffic, water, staffing,
healthcare capacity—so it shaped decisions on what we could do.
Similar to the pandemic, it is amazing to see what a team can do when there is trust and
commitment. Leaders and team members in the area rallied to figure out how to move several
hundred people out of the fire zone, essentially re-creating our campuses and services in a
large hotel about an hour away. Team members had to communicate with patients and
residents, their families, team members, and regulators about our actions and timelines. The
team had to source food, medications, and supplies for this large group (including team
members who could not return to their homes due to evacuation order), as well as personal
items for people who did not have what they needed due to the evacuations. For those not
forced to evacuate but on the edge of the fire zone, team members and resources were there to
provide safe care and ready to evacuate quickly if fire conditions changed.
When I reflect on what transpired, it gives me hope and optimism that we will get through the
challenges that our industry and our country face today. In a truly difficult time, leaders in our
organization stepped up to make things happen. And when I say leaders, this included team
members who had a formal leadership role—and those who did not.
As Simon Sinek said, “Leadership is a choice, not a rank… they have chosen to look after the
person to the left of them and to the right of them. This is what a leader is.”
As you navigate the coming year and its many challenges, I encourage you to be a leader
whatever your role may be. Make time to look up from your work, be aware of the people
standing next to you, and think about how you can look after them.
Welcome to Our New Regent
In 2025, it is a time of transition for me. This is my final message of my three-year term as
Regent. I am excited to announce that Nikhil Singal, FACHE, has been elected as the new
Regent for California – Northern & Central. He steps into the Regent role at ACHE Congress at
the end of March.
Nikhil has been a thoughtful and visionary leader within ACHE, most recently as President of
our local chapter, California Association of Healthcare Leaders. Nikhil will be a strong partner
with the CAHL board to further both ACHE’s and CAHL’s impact here in Northern California. I
congratulate Nikhil on his election, and I am excited to see what he will accomplish during his
Regent term!
Sincerely,
Philip Chuang, PhD, FACHE
Regent for California – Northern