The California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) is pleased to announce two new appointments. David O'Neill has been appointed senior program officer in the Hospitals and Nursing Homes program and Steven Birenbaum joins as communications officer.

David D. O'Neill

As senior program officer, O'Neill, JD, MPH, will manage projects focusing on hospital financial health, best practices in facility construction, end-of-life care, translation services, and hospital and nursing home staffing. Previously O'Neill held executive level positions, including CEO or COO, at Alameda Hospital, Alameda, California; Saint Joseph Medical Center, Burbank, California; Providence Hospital, Oakland, California; and Alta Bates Hospital, Berkeley, California. He also served as divisional senior vice president of Voluntary Hospitals of America, Inc., with responsibility for 13 western states.

O'Neill received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Notre Dame, a juris doctor from the Northwestern University School of Law, and a master's of public health from the University of California, Berkeley. He is licensed to practice law in Illinois and is a diplomate of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Steven J. Birenbaum

As communications officer, Birenbaum, MPA, is responsible for communications support for CHCF'S program areas. Prior to joining CHCF, Birenbaum served as communications consultant to Blue Shield of California and the Gap Inc. Previously, he was executive writer for Blue Shield of California and account manager/senior writer for Chandler Chicco Agency, a health care public relations firm based in New York.

Birenbaum received a bachelor of arts in history and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and holds a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Texas at Austin.