Board of Trustees

David O’Reilly has over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur in the life sciences industry and in the founding, financing, scaling and partnering of innovative pharmaceutical and medical technology companies.  He is currently the Managing Director of Bayview Biosciences, a firm that provides strategic advisory, product development and financing services to global life sciences companies, start-ups and investors.  

He serves on the Board of Directors of Baymatob (a women-founded and led medical technology company focused on maternal and fetal health) and Cavalon Therapeutics (a biotechnology company focused on drug/device combination products for Parkinson’s disease). He also serves on the Advisory Boards of HealthRhythms (a digital therapeutics company focused on mental health) and Paradromics (a medical technology company focused on Brain Computer Interface products).  

Prior to Bayview Biosciences, David held co-founder and executive roles at several other successful life sciences companies, including Proteus Digital Health, Catalyst Biosciences, Iconix Biosciences, ARIAD Pharmaceuticals and L.E.K. Consulting.  David is an inventor on over a dozen issued and pending patents related to digital technologies and their application to drug discovery, therapeutic products and health care monitoring.  He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he graduated with Distinction, and a BA from Wesleyan University, where he was named the Gilbert H. Clee Scholar.

Wei-ting Chen, PhD is the Executive Director of the Office of Community Engagement and the Food for Health Equity Lab at Stanford Medicine. In both roles, she guides her team in developing bi-directional research partnerships to improve health equity and leads efforts to pave the research-to-policy pathway. A sociologist by training, Wei-ting’s research interests focus on how social inequality shapes people’s life chances across the life course. Wei-ting is a first generation immigrant, first generation college graduate, English language learner, and a graduate of CA’s community college system. She is thrilled to be a part of The Health Trust community.

Brad Baron is a Senior Vice President-Financial Advisor and a member of the Consulting Group at RBC Wealth Management in the San Jose, California Branch.

Over the last 28 years he’s been an active volunteer in the community having served on the Board of Trustees of the Health Trust, Via Services, Catholic Community Foundation, SJSU College of Business Alumni, Almaden Country Day School, Financial and Administrative Support Services, Thomas Cowan Bell Scholastic Foundation, RotaCare Bay Area, Rotary Club of San Jose Endowment and Rotary Club of San Jose.

Born and raised in San Jose, Brad graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory and received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from San Jose State University and is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

Ben is a venture capitalist investing in innovational passionate teams that fuse technology and science to improve health for everyone. He is founding Health Gap Ventures to fund and build companies that enhance the health of more than one-third of Americans who suffer from healthcare inequities. Previously, he was a managing partner at Asset Management Ventures for 15 years, investing in technology to healthcare solutions.

As an entrepreneur, he co-founded two software companies and ran them through their sale. Before that, he was an engineer building hardware/software products at Sun and Lockheed. He serves on several non-profit boards, such as the Foothill-De Anza College Foundation and the HBS Association of Northern California. He has volunteered with such groups as Cancer CAREpoint, No Bully, BAWSI, Reset Foundation, and the Computer History Museum.

Ben has BS degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan and MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Expertise: Finance, portfolio management, partnerships with  potential donors

Renee Fung is a seasoned Vice President at Goldman Sachs  with over 18 years of experience, specializing in serving ultra high-net-worth families and institutional clients. As a trusted  financial advisor, she excels at building long-term client  relationships by actively listening to their needs and connecting  them with Goldman Sachs experts across investment strategy,  portfolio management, tax solutions, estate planning, and  philanthropy.

Beyond her primary role, Renee completed APALI’s Board  Leadership Academy last year, which focused on value-based  leadership and provided insights into the AANHPI  community. In addition, she has recently become an active  partner at Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2).

Expertise: South County, public policy

Rebecca Garcia is a seasoned housing professional with nearly  two decades of public sector experience. Since August 2024, she  has served as the Director of Housing at the Santa Clara County  Housing Authority, following more than nine years as the Director  of Housing for the City of Morgan Hill.

Her extensive expertise in housing policy, programs, and  homelessness solutions spans multiple jurisdictions, including  San Jose, the County of Santa Clara and Morgan Hill. This broad  experience has provided her with a deep understanding of South  County’s unique housing challenges and opportunities.

During her tenure in Morgan Hill, Rebecca led the city to surpass  its Regional Housing Needs Allocation goals across all income  levels and introduced innovative homelessness programs that  reshaped the community’s approach. She also assisted in the  development of HouseKeys, a program that modernized Below  Market Rate (BMR) housing services across 15 cities, reflecting  her regional perspective and collaborative leadership.

Lisa Gauthier is a dedicated public servant and community leader. She was elected to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in November 2024, representing District 4, which includes Redwood City, East Palo Alto, parts of Menlo Park, and North Fair Oaks. Lisa’s journey into public service began in 2012 when she was elected to the East Palo Alto City Council. She has served as Vice Mayor in 2014, 2018, and 2022, and as Mayor in 2015, 2019, and 2023.

Lisa’s commitment to public service is driven by her desire to address key community challenges, such as public safety, affordable housing, immigration, and homelessness. She is dedicated to promoting equity, healthcare, and education and ensuring all communities have access to resources and opportunities to thrive.

Lisa is an active board member of the City/County Association of Governments (CCAG), San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services, Stanford Medicine Community Council, San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency Agency, and alternate to the San Francisquito Creek JPA. She has experience in the EdTech, Biotech, Technology, and Venture Capital industries and was selected by Silicon Valley Business Journal as one of Silicon Valley’s 100 Women of Influence for 2020 and received the Woman of the Year Award from Assemblymember Marc Berman in 2022.

Her interests include building community pride, advocating for homeless and affordable housing, working with the youth and underserved communities, and supporting former President Barack Obama’s, My Brother’s Keeper initiative.

Expertise: Policy, advocacy, health, marketing

Maribel Montanez is a seasoned leader in policy, advocacy, and  community engagement, with extensive experience in nonprofit  development and healthcare access. As Director of Development,  Marketing & Outreach at Gardner Family Health Network, she has been  instrumental in expanding the organization’s reach, securing federal  earmarks, and advocating for equitable healthcare access.

Her work includes transforming Gardner’s development department,  increasing revenue by 500%, and championing systemic changes such  as improving health insurance enrollment processes. She has played a  critical role in policy advocacy, successfully securing federal funding for  solar infrastructure and mental health services.

Throughout her career, Maribel has leveraged her expertise in  government relations and strategic partnerships to influence policy  decisions at local, state, and federal levels. Her deep connection with the  community is reflected in her commitment to addressing healthcare  disparities, mentoring future public health leaders, and challenging  systemic biases—especially during the COVID-19 response. Her  leadership continues to drive impactful change in healthcare accessibility  and nonprofit sustainability.

The guiding principle of Rajan Narang’s work is to help develop stronger, more mutually supportive relationships between national groups and the local organizations that must lead the way in rebuilding our democracy.

Rajan plays an ongoing role in this effort through his service as a Senior Advisor for Stand Up America, as a State Strategist for the Pro-Democracy Campaign, and as a formal and informal advisor to leaders around the nation. Previously, Rajan served as Executive Director of the State Democracy Project coalition, and as Director of State and Local Campaigns at End Citizens United/Let America Vote. He started his career working to pass the Affordable Care Act as a volunteer organizer in the South Bay – a memory that he cherishes to this day.

Rajan serves on the board of the State Democracy Project and is the Board Chair of the Redwood City Library Foundation. When not working or volunteering, Rajan can most often be found spending time with family, enjoying the California outdoors, or rummaging through used book sales.

Expertise: Hospitalist, care coordination, healthcare

Dr. Michelle Pezzani is a highly experienced physician and  healthcare leader with over 20 years in hospital-based internal  medicine and critical care. Board-certified in Internal Medicine  and Quality Assurance/Utilization Review, she has a strong  background in clinical program development, hospital resource  management, and health policy.

Currently a Medical Doctor at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center,  Dr. Pezzani previously served as Medical Director at El Camino  Hospital, where she played a pivotal role in utilization  management, transitional care, bundled care payment initiatives,  and Medicare policy compliance. She has led efforts to optimize  hospital efficiency, improve patient-centered care, and  implement telehealth and post-acute care strategies.

Beyond her clinical leadership, she is actively engaged in  community service, serving on the boards of Mission Hospice  and Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence. A Yale-trained  physician, Dr. Pezzani continues to drive innovations in  healthcare delivery, policy, and patient advocacy.

Craig Stephens comes to the Health Trust with 23 years of experience in administration, research, and teaching in higher education at Santa Clara University. He is a Professor of Biology and Public Health at SCU, where his primary teaching responsibilities are in microbiology, infectious diseases, and public health. His research, which is supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, is focused on the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria associated with human health and disease. He was the founder of the Public Health Program at SCU in 2009, and served as the Director of the program for its first decade. (Notably, SCU was recently ranked as one of the top 20 undergraduate public health programs in the nation.) Over his career at SCU, he has won awards for curriculum innovation, program development, and community outreach.

Craig has gained extensive knowledge of the community health sector from a decade of placing public health students in local internships, and has continued to learn while serving on the grants committee for the Health Trust for the past 4 years. Previously, he worked for more than 15 years with the Tech Museum as an advisor and judge for the Tech Awards, recognizing humanitarian applications of technology.

Craig holds a B.S. in biology from Roanoke College and a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Virginia. He was a post-doctoral research scientist at Stanford University prior to his faculty position at SCU. He lives in Mountain View with his wife Beverly.

Expertise: San Benito County, community outreach &  engagement, food bank Board member

Mayra Zendejas is an experienced nonprofit leader with deep  roots in San Benito County, where she was raised and  continues to work. With over 15 years of leadership at the  Central Coast YMCA, she currently serves as Senior Vice  President, bringing extensive expertise in operations  management, community engagement, and team leadership.

Throughout her career, Mayra has successfully built and  trained high-performing teams across multiple branches,  enhanced the YMCA’s presence in the community, and led  strategic initiatives in membership growth and fundraising.  Having spent years serving Hollister and the surrounding areas  in roles such as Executive Director and Vice President of  Membership & Community Engagement, she has a firsthand  understanding of the region’s needs and challenges.

Her strong connections to San Benito County, combined with  her expertise in event planning, strategic planning, and  operational oversight, make her a dedicated and impactful  leader in the nonprofit sector.