By Megan Barnes, Daily Breeze
Seven months after losing his bid to join the governing body of the Beach Cities Health District, Vish Chatterji has been appointed to an 18-month term at the preventative health agency.
Chatterji, a holistic health and leadership coach from Redondo Beach, was chosen from a crowded field of 30 hopefuls during a special meeting Tuesday to replace Lenore Bloss, who stepped down in April due to health issues.
He had run against Bloss and two other incumbents, Vanessa Poster and Jane Diehl, in the November 2016 election for three director seats serving residents of Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.
In a statement, Chatterji said he is “excited to serve in the stewardship of this thought-leading organization, among an excellent group of people.”
“I look forward to sharing my holistic perspectives on health, on a path to making our beach cities one of the happiest places to live in the world,” he said.
The board unanimously selected Chatterji after hearing three-minute presentations from 20 applicants and narrowing the field down to five finalists including Michael Bobola, Andrea Giancoli, Fred Manna and Mitch Ward.
Board President Michelle Bholat said in a statement that she is “inspired and awed by the number of qualified residents who applied for the position; it validates the integrity of this short-term appointment process.”
“It certainly wasn’t an easy decision, but Vish is the right candidate,” Bholat said. “He has a close connection to our community as well as a demonstrated interest in public service and health. I believe his business acumen and background in holistic health practices will create balance on the board, and I look forward to his service.”
Chatterji, a tech startup founder and married father of three, will serve until the next election cycle in November 2018.
He grew up in Hong Kong, earned an MBA from the University of Michigan and worked as a product manager for corporations in Germany and China before settling in the South Bay in 2008.
Chatterji has been involved in the Beach Cities Health District’s mindfulness programs and, with two parents suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, has a passion for senior issues.
Formed six decades ago to manage the former South Bay Hospital, the Beach Cities Health District today oversees a variety of community health initiatives and programs for beach cities residents. The agency is exploring building new senior housing, renovating the medical building on its 11-acre Prospect Avenue campus in Redondo Beach and creating initiatives to curb teen drinking rates.
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