Leadership

Structure

The California Tuberculosis Controllers Association (CTCA) is led by a volunteer-based Executive Committee (EC). The EC  consists of officers who serve a four-year leadership cycle, and representatives from large, medium, small, and rural health jurisdictions, following the Bylaws, revised March 2025.

At the start of each EC cycle, a Work Plan is developed to identify and prioritize the EC’s goals for the upcoming year. Workgroups or committees are formed on an as-needed basis to support specific priorities outlined in the Work Plan.

The EC holds monthly meetings to review progress, discuss emerging priorities, and take action where appropriate. TB Controllers and their staff are invited to participate in these meetings through the TB Controllers email list.

To learn more about the EC meetings or get involved with any of CTCA’s ongoing efforts, please click the “Contact Us” button below.

Judith Thigpen, MPH

Executive Administrator

Judith started her work with CTCA in September 2003, accepting a position as both CDPH TB Control Branch (TBCB) Health Educator and CTCA Executive Administrator. Two Project Specialists were supporting CTCA at the time. In October 2006, she took off the CDPH TBCB hat, to work exclusively for CTCA. Judith began her career in public health with an MPH from Tulane in Communications and Health Education in 1994. Working initially on short term contract grant funded positions, standing up new efforts and conducting formative and impact evaluations, ranging from improving sponsorship relations for a network of orphanages in Central and South America to running statewide focus groups gathering values from Oregonians to guide health care finance policies. Her work with CTCA is equally dynamic, changing with each volunteer leadership cycle and work plan.

Executive Committee 

  • Acting President (President-Elect)
    Cameron Kaiser, MD, MPH, FAAFP
    Deputy Public Health Officer / EPIC Bureau Chief and TB Controller
    Solano Public Health Services

  • Secretary-Treasurer & Representative from the Highest Morbidity Jurisdiction
    Julie Higashi, MD, PhD
    TB Controller
    Los Angeles County Public Health Tuberculosis Control Program

  • Past President
    Ankita Kadakia, MD
    Interim Health Officer
    San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency

  • Ex-Officio Member
    Jennifer Flood, MD, MPH
    Chief, TB Control Branch
    California Department of Public Health (CDPH)

  At-Large Members

  • TB Controller-at-Large
    Sharon Wang, DO
    TB Controller
    San Bernardino County Public Health, Communicable Diseases, Emerging Diseases

  • Nurses and Allied Health Professionals (NAHP) Representative
    Rocio Agraz-Lara, MSN, RN, PHN
    Nurse Manager
    San Francisco Department of Public Health, Population Health Division, Disease Prevention and Control, Tuberculosis Control

  • Rural and Small Health Jurisdictions (RSHJ) Representative
    Phuong Luu, MD, MHS, FACP
    Health Officer and TB Controller
    Sutter County Health and Human Services, Public Health, Communicable Disease (CD); Yuba Health and Human Services

  • Additional Executive Committee Members
    Amit Chitnis, MD, MPH
    Alameda County Public Health Department, Division of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention
    Ann Loeffler, MD
    Assistant Health Officer and Tuberculosis Controller
    Santa Clara County Public Health Department
    Angelito Bravo, MD
    Program Manager, Pulmonary Disease Services
    Orange County Healthcare Agency
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