September 18, 2025, marked a delicious new chapter for the UCLA Health System Board. The board gathered for its 13th annual meeting, which focused on nutrition in health care, at the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center.
Johnese Spisso, MPA, president of UCLA Health, CEO of the UCLA Hospital System and associate vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences, opened the program with a warm welcome to guests and an overview of the health system’s accomplishments in the past year, including its ongoing expansion initiatives. She also announced that Beth C. Friedman ’87, a longtime friend of UCLA Health, has officially been named board chair.
President Spisso described a new direction for the board under Friedman’s leadership. Members will have greater opportunities to engage with faculty and receive firsthand updates on happenings at UCLA Health. Said Spisso, “Beth brings not only significant experience and insight but also a bold vision for what this board can become: a dynamic force connected to UCLA Health’s mission and impact.”
Following the opening remarks, attendees enjoyed presentations from an elite group of nutrition experts. Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, PhD, director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, was the evening’s guest lecturer. Trained as a cardiologist, Dr. Mozaffarian sees nutrition as the paramount tool for good health. He currently leads investigations into best practices for food intake and nutrition. In addition, through the institute, he studies the economic impact of poor eating habits and influences policymaking.
Vijaya Surampudi, MD, MS (FEL ’15), clinical chief of the UCLA Division of Clinical Nutrition, spoke next. She highlighted the health system’s unique multidisciplinary offerings in the nutrition space. Dr. Surampudi talked about how she started to champion nutrition when it became clear to her that diet was inextricable from wellness and key in helping her patients reach their health goals.
Following was Jonathan Jacobs, MD, PhD ’15 (RES ’15), co-director of the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center at UCLA and director of the UCLA Microbiome Core. Dr. Jacobs characterized the role of the microbiome, which is made up of the microbial organisms that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract, in immunity and the functioning of organ systems. He believes the science is pointing to microbiome-based precision nutrition to optimize food intake and health.
Steven Tan ’93, MD ’97, MTOM (RES ’00), an assistant clinical professor in the Division of Clinical Nutrition, was the final presenter. An expert in both internal medicine and traditional integrative medicine, Dr. Tan challenged the audience to rethink their definition of health — to consider it is an active process of balance, rather than absence of disease.
The program culminated with a panel discussion between the presenters, moderated by Zhaoping Li, MD, PhD (FEL ’94), holder of the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Endowed Chair in Human Nutrition, director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition and chief of the Division of Clinical Nutrition. The group delved into hot topics in nutrition, including GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic and Wegovy; protein intake; and the effectiveness of dietary supplements.
President Spisso retook the stage after the conversation to thank the speakers and audience members for their participation. A reception followed, where attendees were able to mingle and celebrate the next era of the UCLA Health System Board.
