Maritza Lara

Maritza Lara is the Executive Director of the Health Improvement Partnership (HIP) in Santa Cruz County. Her personal journey as an immigrant has shaped her commitment to creating accessible, high-quality, and human-centered healthcare—especially for minoritized communities. Since 2017, she has led initiatives across Santa Cruz, Merced, and Monterey counties, overseeing projects in primary care quality improvement, workforce development, and addressing adverse childhood experiences. Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she coordinated HIP’s response with local health agencies to promote health and racial equity, a contribution for which she was recognized with the 2021 Jeannine Rivet National Leadership Award from the American Nurses Foundation.
Before joining HIP, Maritza served as a Sacramento County Adult and Aging Commissioner and worked at UC Davis as the Workshop and Leadership Development Coordinator for Partners in Transforming Community Health. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Utah and a Master’s in Health-Care Leadership from UC Davis. Maritza is currently a Doctor of Public Health and Health Policy candidate at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, her research focuses on incorporating patient voices into healthcare systems. Maritza is a member of LSHTM’s Dialogue, Evidence, Participation, and Translation for Health (DEPTH) Centre, where she works to increase equity and amplify under-heard perspectives in community dialogues.