10 Things About Ana Melgoza & San Ysidro Health

When one succeeds, we truly all succeed.

50 years ago, San Ysidro Health started caring for children in a small house with 4 volunteers. Today, their staff of 1,400 employees provides care from pediatrics to geriatrics for over 105,000 patients, of which nearly half are children. Ana Melgoza continues the legacy of San Ysidro Health by bringing high quality, culturally proficient, affordable health services to working class families, many of whom live in poverty.

10 Things About Ana Melgoza & San Ysidro Health

#1 I grew up in Kansas City, MO. Being one of seven children, we worked early on and I learned the value of good customer service, honoring your word and showing up on time.

#2 Apart from supporting family owned restaurants in west Chula Vista, my favorite poke and ceviche dishes are homemade by my husband.

#3 Watching movies is our favorite family pastime. I love to see diversity reflected in popular movies – it shows that we all have much of the same humor, nuances and triggers.

#4 A friend gave me a lokai bracelet to remind me daily that I have choices in order to make a difference in this world and they involve humility, hope and balance.

#5 I love hearing “grandma” screamed by my precocious 3 year old grandson who runs to me and greets me with a big hug and smile.

#6 When I met my husband, his son had just entered the Navy and eventually served as a Corpsman for 5 years while completing a tour of duty in Iraq. I admire my husband for opening his heart to parenting once again. We had our daughter 13 years ago and she is a very engaged aunt and served as flower girl in her older brother’s wedding.

#7 Through the Fieldstone Executive Fellowship, I was matched with Barbara Mannino who was former President and CEO of Vista Community Clinic. I look forward to our lunches – she is very wise, honest and compassionate.

#8 My siblings and I achieved our dreams because others believed in us and invested in our nutrition, healthcare, education and professional development. It is important we continue that tradition and bring out the best in hard working families.

#9 Dr. Raul Trejo grew up in San Ysidro and recalls getting his immunizations and care as a child at San Ysidro Health. After high school, he went to UC Berkeley, then Harvard Medical School. When he decided to become a doctor, Dr. Trejo knew he wanted to come back to the South Bay and contribute his skills and passion for health with his community.