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Staff

More than 60 full-time and 140 part-time staff and instructors at Beach Cities Health District, the Center for Health & Fitness and AdventurePlex help deliver evidence-based health and wellness programming to the residents of Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Together, this incredible team of employees comprises the largest preventive health agency in the nation.

Executive Officers

Lisa M. Santora, MD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer

Lisa M. Santora, MD, MPH, is the Chief Medical Officer for Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) in Redondo Beach, California. She joined BCHD, the nation’s largest preventive health agency, in 2008 to provide oversight for evidence-based community strategies to improve the health and well-being of Beach Cities residents.

Dr. Santora prepares the BCHD Triennial Community Health Snapshot Report, which assesses community needs and determines BCHD’s health priorities.  She developed research and evaluation framework to demonstrate measureable improvements in the health and well-being of Beach Cities residents over the past 5 years.  Dr. Santora also played an instrumental role in bringing the nationally recognized Blue Zones Project, which has successfully lowered smoking and obesity rates in the community, to the Beach Cities. In addition, she oversees the implementation of the LiveWell Kids obesity prevention program in local schools, which has demonstrated nearly a 50% reduction in obesity among 5th graders.

Prior to BCHD, Dr. Santora was a staff physician at the Venice Family Clinic in Venice, California, where she provided comprehensive primary health care to underserved community members.

From 2004 to 2006, Dr. Santora worked with the Helen B. Bentley Family Health Center in Miami, Florida, where she served in several positions, including director, HIV/AIDS Services and the physician champion, Health Disparities Collaborative. Her last position with the health facility was interim medical director.

Dr. Santora is a graduate of UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, where she received a doctor of medicine degree. She completed her residency in preventive medicine at SUNY at Buffalo, her residency in family medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, and an internship in family medicine at Harbor UCLA. She earned a master’s degree in public health from SUNY at Buffalo and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut.

Dr. Santora is a member of the American Public Health Association, American College of Preventive Medicine, American Academy of Family Physicians and a Diplomate on the American Board of Family Medicine.

Susan Burden
Chief Executive Officer

Susan M. Burden is Chief Executive Officer of Beach Cities Health District, where she has served since 2004. She provides strategic leadership and direction to all functions of the nation’s largest preventative health agency and manages $90 million in assets, 175 employees and 700 active volunteers. 

Always active in the community, Ms. Burden is the recipient of a Scroll of Recognition from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for her leadership in developing community-based training programs for mental health, youth services and law enforcement agencies.  Additionally, the Mental Health Association of Orange County recognized Ms. Burden for her volunteer work addressing mental health and homelessness; and she is the recipient of the James J. McWilliams Tough Love Award from the National Council on Alcoholism.

In 2011, Ms. Burden received the Chairman’s Award from the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce and was named a People of Distinction winner for health/wellness by the Daily Breeze newspaper. Additionally, she received the 2010 Education Advocate of the Year award from the Redondo Beach Unified School District.

Ms. Burden is honored to be a part of the application team at the Beach Cities Health District that bested more than 55 other communities across the country to bring the Blue Zones Project, in partnership with Healthways, Inc., to the Beach Cities.

Prior to Beach Cities Health District, Ms. Burden served as senior vice president at a national provider of education and treatment services for youth and families.  She managed 15 residential treatment centers and specialty schools nationwide, and opened and managed 21 children and adolescent mental health clinics.  Ms. Burden worked to design home-based services for families unable to make clinic trips.  In addition, she provided leadership with other community agencies to start new service delivery systems in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. 

Ms. Burden was graduated with honors from Chapman University with a master’s degree in health administration. She also holds a master’s in theology and counseling. She earned her Bachelor of Science in education from Central Missouri State University. 

Jackie Berling, SPHR
Chief Resources Officer

 Jackie Berling, SPHR, is the Chief Resources Officer for Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) in Redondo Beach, Calif. She joined BCHD, the nation’s largest preventive health agency, in 2002 to oversee human resources.

Under direction from the CEO, Mrs. Berling is responsible for providing leadership in developing and executing business and operational strategies in order to ensure the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and people systems in place to effectively meet the overall business plan and strategic direction of BCHD.

Additionally, Mrs. Berling designs and directs human resources, and health and fitness functions, aligning talent and people strategies with the organizational needs of the district.  She also chairs the BCHD Safety Committee, which directs the district’s risk management and safety functions, and serves as staff liaison for BCHD’s Strategic Planning Committee.

Mrs. Berling was instrumental in BCHD earning the American Psychological Association’s “Psychologically Healthy Workplace” honor for California in 2009 and 2013.  Under Mrs. Berling’s guidance, BCHD also received the 2009 Champions Award for Safety and Wellness Practices from Alpha Fund, a worker’s compensation carrier.

Prior to coming to the district, Mrs. Berling served as Director of Human Resources at NEC Business Network Solutions, Griffin Holdings Inc., and CHS Florida Hospitals.

Mrs. Berling earned Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Arts degree in Negotiation, Conflict Management and Peacebuilding from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Steve Groom
Chief Financial Officer

Steve Groom joined Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) in 2004 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the nation’s largest preventative health agency.  Mr. Groom is responsible for overseeing BCHD’s finance and real estate departments, which include more than $8.5 million in revenue.

With agency-wide fiscal oversight as CFO, Mr. Groom directs the annual budget process, monthly financial reporting, audit preparation and seeks to deliver organization-wide clarity, accuracy and ethics.  As a department head, he is responsible handling BCHD’s revenue through investment, partnerships, property management and tax forecasting. 

Under Mr. Groom’s financial leadership, BCHD leads all other California health districts in accountability and transparency, as the only district to earn budget, CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report) and investment policy awards, in addition to posting financial information publicly on the web.

A proponent for excellence in municipal budgeting, financial reporting and treasury, Mr. Groom is certified as a Certified Government Financial Manager by the Association of Government Accountants; a Certified California Municipal Treasurer by the California Municipal Treasurers Association; and a Certified Public Finance Administrator by the Association of Public Treasurers, US & Canada.  On State-wide Municipal Finance and Treasury associations, he is an award program reviewer of CAFRs, Budgets and Investment Policies.  Additionally, Mr. Groom is an advocate for the advancement of best practices and is an active leader on various committees.

Steve and his wife live in Torrance, where he ran for City Treasurer in 2010.  Throughout the election process, he developed relationships with citizens in over 60 precincts and gained first-hand insight into how public accountability factors into government. 

Steve Groom earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, from California State University Northridge in 1984.  He began his finance career in healthcare and advanced to the position of Controller before moving to the non-profit world in 2000 and government in 2004.