Valerie Powell Stafford, FACHE, Steps into a Regional Leadership Role

On August 3, 2026, Valerie Powell Stafford, FACHE, began serving as senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente’s Greater Southern Alameda Service Area. She enters the position with more than 25 years of experience in complex health systems and a background spanning hospital operations, physician relationships, organizational culture and community engagement. 

The Greater Southern Alameda Service Area serves more than 374,000 members through two medical centers and four medical office buildings. Leading such a broad network requires an understanding of how clinical care, operations, workforce priorities and community relationships affect one another. 

Connecting the Parts of an Integrated System 

The position brings together hospital operations, health plan priorities, physician partnerships, labor relationships, member service and community engagement. Decisions involving access, scheduling, communication or care delivery rarely affect only one department. 

Coordination across those areas helps teams understand shared priorities and respond more effectively to the needs of members. It also requires close working relationships with physicians, employees, labor partners and organizational leaders throughout the service area. 

Learning the Greater Southern Alameda Communities 

The service area includes communities across Southern Alameda County, including San Leandro, Fremont, Hayward, Newark, San Lorenzo and Union City. Each community has its own institutions, transportation patterns and local health care needs. 

Relocating from Connecticut to the San Francisco Bay Area adds another layer to the transition. Becoming familiar with the region means learning how residents access care, which local organizations they rely on, and how Kaiser Permanente participates in the broader community. 

Experience as a Foundation 

Valerie Powell Stafford, FACHE, brings experience in operational performance, physician collaboration, professional development and organizational leadership. That background provides a foundation for the role, while local teams offer the knowledge needed to understand the service area in practice. 

Her early work will focus on learning about the organization, strengthening relationships and supporting clinical excellence across the Greater Southern Alameda Service Area.