What does it really mean to co-create health care with patients and communities—and where do we fall short? This interactive plenary brings together leaders in community-engaged work for a candid conversation about trust, power-sharing, and partnership. Grounded in real experiences, the session will invite participants to reflect, contribute, and explore how co-creation can shape more responsive, equitable care and training environments.
Moderator: Megan Mahoney, MD, MBA, Chair, UCSF FCM
Panelists:
Freddy Martin, Director of Congregational Life & Community Engagement, Glide Memorial Church; Co-PI, UCSF Center for Excellence in Primary Care Community Advocates Program
Freddy Martin’s current position at GLIDE Memorial Church is the Director of Congregational Life & Community Engagement. He loves & values his role in the Church and is happy to serve the CL Groups and the Community through activism, education, events, and fundraisers. Also, he currently manages the Kairos: Spiritual Community Care Network at GMC, which provides support for people living with serious advanced illness, palliative, and end of life stage care needs while also supporting people with substance abuse, mental health, and emotional/spiritual crisis. Recently, he has worked with UCSF’s Center for Excellence in Primary Care on this amazing community advocates training , and reaching community members, supporting them on empowerment, and relationship with their healthcare providers. His work in the Tenderloin neighborhood goes back 16 years starting with TNDC Food Justice Volunteer work, eventually becoming a Community Organizer, leader, and Tenant Housing Organizer. His work at Housing Rights Committee of SF with HUD working with subsidized Project Based Section 8 tenants, helped to save over 5,000 housing tenants from being displaced or evicted; thus impacting their overall health.
Magdalena Ruiz Ruelas, FNP, MPH, Faculty & Director, Natividad Family Medicine Residency
The first in her family to attend college, Magdalena earned a B.A. in Community Studies and Latino Studies, focusing on healthcare inequalities. She went on to receive a Master of Public Health from UC Berkeley, followed by a Master of Science in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner) from UCSF. Magdalena has worked both locally and internationally to raise awareness around the health issues impacting Latinx immigrant communities. Her experience includes HIV prevention, community outreach and health education, health advocacy, and as a family nurse practitioner at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) primarily serving farmworker families.
Magdalena is currently Director of Community Medicine at Natividad Family Medicine Residency. She is passionate about collective approaches to building healthier lives- through community awareness, improved access to resources, and uplifting the existing strengths of each community.