Desert Regional Medical Center's (DRMC) Governing Board is responsible for the governance and financial and professional directions of DRMC.
The Board consists of the President, the Chairman, Vice-Chair, Secretary and eleven directly elected members.
CHAIRMAN
Frank Ercoli, MD FACS FCCM
Medical Director, Trauma Services
Desert Regional Medical Center
Dr Ercoli is a practicing Trauma and Critical Care Surgeon and is the Medical Director of Trauma Services at Desert Regional Medical Center. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the College of Critical Care Medicine. Dr Ercoli is a past president of the DRMC Medical Staff of which he has been a member for more than twenty years. Prior to being appointed Governing Board Chairman, Dr Ercoli presided over various Medical Staff and Hospital committees, participated in numerous hospital strategic and program planning projects and is the Founding Chairman of the Hanson House Foundation, a not for profit hospital hospitality house located on the campus of Desert Regional Medical Center.
VICE-CHAIRMAN
Ralph M. Steiger, MD
Department Chair, OBGYN
Desert Regional Medical Center
Ralph Steiger, MD, is an obstetrician who specializes in Maternal Fetal Medicine, commonly referred to as high-risk obstetrics. He is on the medical staff at Desert Regional Medical Center and is the immediate past president of the Medical Staff. As the immediate past president he serves as the Chairman of the Administrative Affairs Committee and the Bylaws Committee. He is also the Chairman of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Committee. Before coming to Desert Regional Medical Center he was the Medical Director of Perinatal Services at Fountain Valley Regional Medical Center. He was on the faculty at U.C. Irvine as an Associate Adjunct Professor and Director of the Clinical Clerkships in Obstetrics and Gynecology for the third year program in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He has authored publications on obstetrics in national and international peer reviewed journals as well as two book chapters on obstetrical ultrasound.
SECRETARY
Jeanne Stanton, R.N.
Administrator
Windsor Court Assisted Living
Jeanne Stanton, has been an R.N. Administrator of Windsor Court Assisted Living since 1997 and is currently earning her certification as a Legal Nurse Consultant (CLNC). She served on the Palm Springs City Council for 12 years, 5 years as Mayor Pro Tem. Honored with the Athena Award as Entrepreneur Woman of the Year in 1991 and the Terra Award for Community Service in 1992 from the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Stanton also was named Outstanding Woman of the Year in the field of Medicine by Palm Springs Life Magazine. Jeanne and her husband, David, have made their home in Palm Springs for the past 38 years.
Edward Anderson, MD
Medical Director, El Mirador Outpatient Surgery Center
Desert Regional Medical Center
Edward Anderson, MD, currently serves as the board certified medical director of the El Mirador Surgery Center at Desert Regional Medical Center. He holds professional memberships with the American Society of Anesthesiology, Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, the American Medical Association, American Pain Society, International Society for the Study of Pain, and serves as the president of the Southern California Society of Pain Medicine.
Frederick Axelrod, MD
Medical Director
Lifestream Blood Bank Services
Frederick Axelrod, MD, currently serves as President/CEO for LifeStream, a nonprofit blood center that provides life saving blood products and services to more than 70 hospitals in Southern California. Dr. Axelrod is a board certified pathologist and a member of the medical staff for Desert Regional Medical Center. Previously, he held medical leadership positions in the medical device and pharmaceutical industry. Currently, Dr. Axelrod has a federal appointment in the Dept. of Health and Human Services on the Advisory Committee for Blood Safety and Availability whose role is to advise the Secretary of Health on safety and availability issues of blood products and ethical and legal issues related to transfusion and transplantation safety. Dr. Axelrod also serves as an Officer on the board of directors for America's Blood Centers, the national trade organization for independent blood centers. Locally, Dr. Axelrod serves on the board of directors for the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP).
Walter Ehrman, MD
Medical Director, Thoracic Oncology
Desert Regional Medical Center
Walter Ehrman, MD, currently serves as the Medical Director for Thoracic Oncology. Dr. Ehrman is a board certified surgeon with academic appointments at various medical schools including, most recently, Loma Linda University. Ehrman has served on the Thoracic Tumor Board and is a member of the American Medical Association and has many publications on the topics of genes, RNA processing and coronary artery bypass grafting.
Richard Grundy
Retired Hospital CEO
Richard Grundy, a community member appointed by Desert Healthcare District, is a retired hospital CEO. Former member of the California HealthCare Association Board, former president of Huntington Beach Rotary and Chamber of Commerce. Past president of the National Association of Accountants (Orange County) and past national director.
Kay Hazen
Consultant
Kay Hazen & Company
Kay Hazen owns and operates a Palm Springs based public and government affairs consulting practice. She previously spent over 20 years working in a wide variety of health care settings including serving as a Vice President at Desert Hospital (now Desert Regional Medical Center). A long time active, local community volunteer, Kay has served as President of the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and President of the American Heart Association Desert Division. She currently serves as Vice President/Secretary on the publicly elected Desert Healthcare District board and as a board member of The Friends of the Desert Mountains.
Ghassan Kazmouz, MD
Cardiologist
Desert Regional Medical Center
Ghassan Kazmouz, MD, currently serves as a cardiologist at Desert Regional Medical Center. He holds memberships in many organizations including the American College of Cardiology, American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians. Dr. Kazmouz is a prolific researcher and writer authoring more than 17 presentations and publications on topics ranging from stenting to acute coronary syndrome.
Brad Poncher
General Manager
Homewood Suites by Hilton La Quinta
Brad Poncher is the General Manager of the Homewood Suites by Hilton La Quinta hotel, located in La Quinta CA. Brad's career in the hotel business includes 15 years with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in various sales, marketing and management positions and 12 years with the boutique Palm Springs hotel, homeowners association and club: Smoke Tree Ranch. In addition to serving on the Board of Governors of Desert Regional Medical Center, Brad is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention & Visitors Authority (CVA) and the Board of Directors of Arrowhead Conferences & Events, a Christian meeting planning company. Brad has been named General Manager of the Year twice in the past 10 years by the CVA for achievements in the category of hotels he was managing. One award was for his activities and results at Smoke Tree Ranch and the second was for his accomplishments at the Homewood Suites by Hilton La Quinta.
David H. Ready, Esq., Ph.D
David H. Ready currently serves as the city manager of Palm Springs. Previously, as a city administrator in Flint, Michigan and Canton, Ohio, Ready holds a Doctor of Philosophy, Political Science/Public Administration from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. In addition, Ready has been involved with numerous professional and community associations over the course of his career.
Sid Rubenstein, DDS
Retired Dentist
Sid Rubenstein was originally appointed to the Desert Healthcare District Board as a representative in 1998 and reappointed in 2008. As a retired dentist, he currently serves as a public relations consultant for a contracting business. Sid served as director of the Desert Healthcare District Board, a past chairman and is now a Program / Grant Committee Chairman.
Narasimha Rao, MD
Chief of Staff to President, Medical Staff
Desert Regional Medical Center
Narasimha Rao, MD, currently serves as a board certified cardiologist at Desert Regional Medical Center. He holds memberships in many organizations including the American College of Cardiology, International Physicians, Physicians, Chest Physicians, Physician Executives, the Riverside County Medical Association, California Medical Association, and the American Heart Association.
Karolee M. Sowle, FACHE
President / CEO
Desert Regional Medical Center
Karolee Sowle is President & Chief Executive Officer of Desert Regional Medical Center. She is board certified in Health Care Management and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). She joined the hospital in 1997 and previously served as the Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer. In November 2006, she was named interim CEO and COO. She became President & CEO in March 2008, the same year she was honored with the Athena Award by the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Prior to coming to Desert Regional Medical Center, Sowle was Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer at St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and Chief Nursing Officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tomah, Wisconsin. She holds an MBA and MS in Nursing from University of Wisconsin.
Ziad A. Tannous, MD
Medical Director, Critical Care Medicine
Desert Regional Medical Center
Dr. Tannous is a board certified critical care, internal and pulmonary medicine physician at Desert Regional Medical Center. He holds extensive teaching experience and honors as well as extensive research and publications on topics ranging from sleep apnea, inflammatory lung disease and gastroenterology.
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