Leadership Council


Chris Searles

R. Chris Searles, MD, FAAFP
Co-Chair
UCSD Family and Preventive Medicine

Christine Wood

Christine Wood, MD
Co-Chair
Kids Eat Great, Inc.

Wilma Wooten

Wilma Wooten, MD, MPH
Co-chair
County of San Diego
Public Health Officer

Council Members


Naomi Butler

Naomi Butler
County of San Diego
Health & Human Services Agency

Sabrina Covington

Sabrina Covington, RD
Healthy Kids Choice, Inc

Tracy Delaney

Tracy Delaney, PhD, RD
County of San Diego
Health & Human Services Agency

Cheri Fidler

Cheri Fidler
Rady Children's Hospital
Center for Healthier Communities

Kristin Garrett

Kristin Garrett, MPH
Community Health Improvement Partners

Phyllis_Hartigan

Phyllis Hartigan, MPH
Rady Children's Hospital

Stephanie Gioia

Stephanie Gioia
Office of San Diego County
Supervisor Ron Roberts

Deirdre Kleske

Deirdre Kleske
County of San Diego

Christine Lafontant

Christine Lafontant
County of San Diego
Department of Parks & Recreation

Debbie MacDonald

Debbie MacDonald
YMCA Childcare Resource Service

Sandra McBrayer

Sandra McBrayer
Children's Initiative

Paige Metz

Paige Metz, NBCT
San Diego County Office of Education

Cheryl Moder

Cheryl Moder
San Diego County
Childhood Obesity Initiative
Community Health Improvement Partners

Jamie Moody

Jamie Moody
SDSU Institute of Behavioral & Community Health

Howard Taras

Howard Taras, MD
UCSD Division of Community Pediatrics

Nicholas Yphantides

Nicholas Yphantides, MD, MPH
County of San Diego
Health & Human Services Agency

Become A Partner Subscribe to E-News Quick Facts

Quick Facts

  • More children are being diagnosed with diseases linked to overweight and obesity previously seen only in adults, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease (The Obesity Society, 2009).
  • In 2006 alone, overweight; obesity; and physical inactivity cost California $41 billion in healthcare and productivity loss
  • One in four children in San Diego County is overweight or obese; this is slightly higher than the national average (California Center for Public Health Advocacy, 2009)

Core funding provided in part by:

First 5 San Diego The California Endowment Kaiser-Permanente San Diego County

A project facilitated by:

California Health Improvement Partners

San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative
9370 Chesapeake Drive, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123
(p)858.609.7964 - (f)858.609.7998