Board of Directors
Who are the people leading Marin Healthcare District?
The Directors of Marin Healthcare District are elected by Division, by the residents of the District. Directors serve four-year terms, in which they strive to promote the health and welfare of the residents of the communities they serve.
District Election Procedures
Two seats on the Marin Healthcare District Board of Directors will be open for election in November 2024. For full information on District election procedure, please refer directly to the County of Marin Registrar of Voters:
- Elections Department: http://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv
- Election Schedule: http://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/election-info/election-schedule
Current Board Members of the Marin Healthcare District
Edward J. Alfrey, MD
Chair, Board of Directors
Represents Division 5
Current Board Term: 2020-2024
Email: Edward.Alfrey@marinhealthcare.org
Dr. Alfrey received his undergraduate degree from the University of Denver and then worked as a paramedic for the City of Denver for four years before starting medical school at the University for Colorado. After medical school he completed his surgical residency at the University of Arizona and a Fellowship in Transplantation at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has a Master’s Degree in Health Care Management from Harvard University. He has practiced surgery as a transplant and trauma surgeon at Stanford University, the Penn State University, and at Southern Illinois University where he was also the Chair of General Surgery. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific articles and served as a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health, and as a candidate examiner for the American Board of Surgery.
Dr Alfrey began practicing in Marin in 2011 and currently serves on the Quality and Patient Safety Committee of the MarinHealth Medical Center Board. He is the Medical Director of Trauma Services and Chair of the Department of Surgery for MarinHealth Medical Center. He is on the Board of the San Francisco Marin Medical Society and is Chair of the Board for the Prima Medical Group. In 2017 he received the Legacy Award from Operation Access for his work with the uninsured, and in 2019 served on a medical mission to Guatemala.
Ann Sparkman, JD, BSN
Vice Chair, Board of Directors
Represents Division 2
Current Board Term: 2020-2024
Email: Ann.Sparkman@marinhealthcare.org
Ann Sparkman has extensive healthcare experience, and was appointed the Marin Healthcare District Board in November, 2011. Since 2006 she has served as Deputy Campus Counsel for Health Affairs at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Prior to that, she served as in house counsel at Kaiser Permanente program wide. In addition, she was an attorney in private practice, and was a partner in healthcare law at Hassard Bonnington. Sparkman has a law degree from University of San Francisco (USF), a nursing degree from University of California, San Francisco and an undergraduate degree in Zoology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Jennifer Rienks, PhD
Secretary, Board of Directors
Represents Division 4
Current Board Term: 2022-2026
Email: Jennifer.Rienks@marinhealthcare.org
Dr. Rienks was elected to the Marin Healthcare District Board in 2006. She has a PhD in social psychology, and is the Associate Director of the Family Health Outcomes Project at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Rienks has served as research director for projects to prevent HIV and reduce African American infant mortality. She has also evaluated programs for cancer and diabetes prevention, and led needs assessment initiatives for the California Department of Health Services’ California Children’s Services program. Dr. Rienks also conducts training for staff from local public health departments throughout California on topics ranging from community needs assessments and intervention development to interpreting trends in health outcomes. Originally from Connecticut, Dr. Rienks has been a Marin resident since 1986. Her passions include photography and hiking the spectacular trails of Marin.
Brian W. Su, MD
Director, Board of Directors
Represents Division 3
Current Board Term: 2022-2026
Email: Su.Brian2@marinhealthcare.org
Dr. Su is a Spine Surgeon at California Orthopedics and Spine and is Medical Director of Spine Surgery at MarinHealth Medical Center. He serves on the MarinHealth Medical Center Board Quality and Patient Safety Committee. Dr. Su has an engineering degree from Duke University and a M.D. from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. He completed orthopedic surgery residency at Columbia University’s New York Presbyterian Hospital and a spine surgery fellowship at the Rothman Institute at the Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Su has authored over 40 manuscripts and book chapters and presented over 95 podium and poster presentations. He is a reviewer for multiple spine journals, and is active in the Cervical Spine Research Society and North American Spine Society. Dr. Su has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, San Francisco Magazine Top Doctor, and [415] Top Doctor for Spine Surgery. His daily interactions with patients, nurses, physicians, and staff gives him a unique perspective into what is needed to ensure the highest level of care at MarinHealth Medical Center. Dr. Su and his wife Thomasina have been Marin residents since 2009 and reside in Kent Woodlands.
Samantha Ramirez, BSW
Director, Board of Directors
Represents Division 1
Current Board Term: 2022-2026
Email: Samantha.Ramirez@marinhealthcare.org
Samantha Ramirez earned a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from San Francisco State University in 2012. She is a first-generation college graduate and a proud daughter of immigrants from El Salvador & Honduras. She currently works at Youth Leadership Institute as a senior-program coordinator, she coordinates the Marin County Youth Commission, and leads other youth programs across the county. Samantha cares deeply about her students and uplifting youth voices in Marin County. She has a passion for youth development, social justice, and health and wellness for all. She currently serves on the Marin County Women's Commission and is a Board member for Community Action Marin.
In 2022, Samantha was awarded the San Rafael Citizen of the Year Award by the San Rafael City Council for her volunteerism in the community she grew up in. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, traveling and journaling.