Richard D Cordova

Cordova assumed his current role in 2006, a year after he became president and chief operating officer. At CHLA, he also serves as a member of the hospital Board of Trustees. Prior to his arrival at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Cordova worked with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals. With revenues in excess of $20 billion, the nonprofit integrated health care system included 30 hospitals in eight states, a health plan with more than eight million members and eight physician groups. Until 2004, Cordova was president of the Southern California Region of the Kaiser Permanente Health Plan and Hospitals with responsibilities for 11 hospitals with a licensed capacity of 2,300 beds, as well as a health plan for more than three million members, including 45,000 employees. He also led the organization’s regional efforts in marketing, strategic planning, finance, quality and patient safety. Cordova served as chief operations officer for Southern California at Kaiser through 2002, prior to his appointment as president. Before that, he was senior vice president and service area manager, with responsibilities for four hospitals in Northern California East Bay Service Area, including those in Contra Costa and Alameda counties. A native of Southern California, Cordova was born and raised in Montebello. He began his career in healthcare after graduating from California University, Los Angeles with a degree in business administration in 1972. A year later, he began working for the Department of Health Services for the County of Los Angeles. Through 1991, he held various roles as a leader for Los Angeles County, serving as administrator of General Hospital of Los Angeles County (LAC/USC Medical Center) and associate hospital administrator of operations at Olive View Medical Center. Cordova received his master’s degree from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University in 1984. He completed a PEW Fellowship at the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems as well. Expanding his healthcare experience, Cordova then went to work with the Department of Public Health for the City and County of San Francisco in 1991. Through 1998, he served as executive administrator of the Community Health Network with responsibilities for San Francisco General Hospital, Laguna Honda Hospital and 12 community health centers. During this time, he served as CEO of San Francisco General Hospital, an acute care hospital specializing in trauma and AIDS. Cordova was a founding member of the San Francisco Public Health Authority, which created the Medi-Cal managed care organization for the City and County of San Francisco. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala also appointed Cordova to the Council on Graduate Medical Education. In 2010, California State University, Los Angeles named Cordova Alumnus of the Year. He was also given the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine in 2006.