Newswise — Los Angeles (May 10, 2016) – Recognizing his decades of health care leadership, the Health Policy and Management Alumni Association (HPMAA) of UCLA’s Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health has selected Paul S. Viviano, president and CEO of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), as its 2016 Leader of Today Honoree.

“We are elated to honor Paul Viviano, as he is a distinguished alumnus embodying the qualities of leadership, integrity and humility we hope to inspire in our students,” said HPMAA President Neil Jay Sehgal. “The personal stories emerging from Board members upon Paul's nomination are a testament to his embodiment of these ethics throughout his career, and his continued involvement with and generosity towards the Fielding School has been an inspiration to many of us on the Board.”

Viviano, who received his master’s degree in public administration and public health from the Fielding School, has spent more than 30 years leading academic medical centers and other health care organizations in Southern California. Prior to joining CHLA in 2015, he served as CEO of the UC San Diego Health System and associate vice chancellor of UC San Diego Health Sciences; as chairman and CEO of Alliance HealthCare Services; as president and CEO of USC University Hospital and USC/Norris Cancer Hospital, a private research and teaching hospital that is a designated comprehensive cancer center with more than 200 basic scientists, physicians and faculty members.

Additionally, Viviano held various hospital and regional chief executive positions within the St. Joseph Health System in Orange, California, including Health System president and chief operating officer. He’s also served as president and CEO of Long Beach Community Hospital and CEO of Los Alamitos Medical Center.

"Paul could not be more deserving of this honor," says Lynda Boone Fetter, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Board co-chair. "In less than a year at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, he has shown time and again how deeply he cares for the health of our patients and the considerations of our staff. His commitment to excellent care and the integrity that has guided him throughout his career shines through here at CHLA." With a worldwide network of hundreds of alumni, the UCLA Health Policy and Management Alumni Association seeks to build healthy futures for communities worldwide while fostering leaders in health care in partnership with the Fielding School of Public Health. The annual HPMAA Leaders of Today, Leaders of Tomorrow Dinner, now in its 27th year, recognizes leaders in the field of health care, as well as the Health Policy and Management graduating class, the “Leaders of Tomorrow.” Proceeds from the dinner help fund student scholarships and other student-oriented activities such as professional development and case competition participation.

In addition to his duties at CHLA, Viviano serves as a board member of various community and health care organizations. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC), and serves as the chair of HASC’s Los Angeles Central Area.

Viviano also is a member of the Board of Trustees at Loyola Marymount University, where he was recently elected to serve as chair of the Board effective June 1. He currently serves as Board vice chair, Governance Committee chair and as a member of the Executive and Finance Committees. He is the previous chair of the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties and a member of the executive committee of the California Hospital Association.

A California native, Viviano earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He and his wife Carole have two daughters and three grandchildren.

Viviano will be honored at the dinner on May 19th at UCLA’s Covel Commons Grand Horizon Ballroom. Reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and program at 7 p.m. For tickets and more information, please visit http://hpm.ph.ucla.edu/events/hpmaa-leaders-today-leaders-tomorrow-annual-dinner or contact Kelli Hornachek at [email protected].

About Children’s Hospital Los AngelesChildren's Hospital Los Angeles has been named the best children’s hospital in California and among the top 10 in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. Children’s Hospital is home to The Saban Research Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States. Children’s Hospital is also one of America's premier teaching hospitals through its affiliation since 1932 with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

For more information, visit CHLA.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram, or visit the CHLA blog.

About the UCLA Health Policy and Management Alumni AssociationThe mission of the UCLA HPMAA is to establish and maintain a strong bond between the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management and its graduates, through service and program offerings, and to support, financially and otherwise, the students, faculty and alumni.

About the UCLA Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public HealthThe UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, founded in 1961, is dedicated to enhancing the public's health by conducting innovative research, training future leaders and health professionals from diverse backgrounds, translating research into policy and practice, and serving our local communities and the communities of the nation and the world. The school has 600 students from more than 35 nations engaged in carrying out the vision of building healthy futures in greater Los Angeles, California, the nation and the world.