Our Leadership Team

Robert Allen

Chief Executive Officer

Bob has more than three decades of executive-level experience in the healthcare industry. His versatile skill set includes roles at stand-alone facilities in both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations in the Southern California market.

Prior to joining the executive team at Pipeline Health in November 2020, he served as Global Group Chief Executive Officer for CHA Health Systems and CEO of CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. He also previously held CFO positions at Keck Medical Center of USC, Dignity Health, Valley Presbyterian Hospital, and Sherman Oaks Hospital & Health Center.

Bob became CEO of Pipeline Health in February 2023.

Mark Bell, MD, FACEP

Co-President

Mark is an emergency medicine physician who co-founded what is now Pipeline Health in 2008. His current role is to assist the Pipeline CEO with a variety of growth strategies for the company.

Over more than 30 years in the healthcare industry, Mark has developed strong expertise in hospital efficiencies, physician outreach, paramedic education, strategic planning, data analytics and leadership training.

Prior to co-founding Pipeline, Mark served as President and Co-founder of Benchmark Hospitalists, as well as President of Emergent Medical Associates, a large Los Angeles based emergency medicine management company.

Meghan Bisping

Chief Information Officer

Meghan has not only deep knowledge of IT systems, but also 13 years’ experience in clinical care as a physical therapist. She joined the Pipeline corporate IT team in February 2021 as Chief Clinical Informatics Officer. In that role she had a wide scope of responsibility for overseeing all aspects of clinical, departmental and revenue cycle information systems to ensure optimal operations and service delivery.

Prior to joining Pipeline, Meghan held the position of Director of Clinical Informatics for two Chicago hospitals. Meghan was named interim CIO for Pipeline Health in May 2022 and became CIO in October 2022.

Meghan earned a bachelor of science degree in exercise science and a doctorate of physical therapy degree, both from Marquette University.

Jane Brust

Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Jane offers deep experience in hospital system marketing and communications, including brand development, media relations and crisis communications, social media strategy, website development and community engagement, among other program areas.

Prior to joining Pipeline Health in July 2021, she held leadership positions at Verity Health, Cedars-Sinai Health System, Keck Medicine of USC and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Lisa Guzman

Chief Human Resources Officer

Lisa joined Pipeline in April 2023 with more than 40 years of diverse Human Resources experience and expertise including organizational development, strategic recruitment and retention, employee engagement, compensation planning, benefits design and more.

Lisa previously served as Vice President for Human Resources at Redlands Community Hospital (2016-2023). Prior to that, she served in leadership roles at Dignity Health, California Hospital Medical Center, Olympia Medical Center, Verdugo Hills Hospital, St. Luke Medical Center and Citrus Valley Health Partners.

Edward Gyimah

Chief Compliance Officer

Ed serves as Vice President for Internal Audit Services and Chief Compliance Officer. He leads a group tasked with providing independent and objective evaluations of company financial and operational business activities and is responsible for monitoring overall compliance with regulatory matters.

Ed has more than two decades of healthcare leadership experience with roles in Finance, Audit and Compliance. Prior to joining the company in August 2019, Ed served as Chief Financial Officer for the Howard University Hospital, an academic medical center, and as a Regional Compliance Director for Tenet Healthcare.

Marianna Kmbikyan

Vice President for Revenue Cycle

Marianna joined Pipeline Health in 2021 with more than 20 years’ experience leading organizations through revenue cycle transformation. She accomplished this by leveraging technology and process to drive optimal payment and billing strategy.

Prior to joining Pipeline, Marianna served as Vice President for Revenue Cycle and Chief Financial Officer for CHA Health Systems. She also has held executive positions at Keck Medicine of USC and Dignity Health/Optum 360.

Marianna holds two degrees from Woodbury University, a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership.

Nick Orzano

Co-President

Nick is a businessman with a wealth of experience in real estate, private equity, investment banking, and financial management. His expertise also includes the areas of transaction structures, due diligence, underwriting and portfolio management. He started his career in investment banking and focused on turnaround deals of distressed or bankrupt entities.

He co-founded what is now Pipeline Health in 2008. Nick’s current role is to assist the Pipeline CEO with a variety of growth strategies for the company.

Nick previously served as Director at Paladin Capital, LLC, a boutique investment bank in Los Angeles.

Elaine Stephenson

Vice President for Human Resources

Elaine joined Pipeline in 2021 as director of workforce planning and quickly assumed a growing portfolio of responsibility that includes strategic partnership with executive leaders across the system, development of plans to meet operational goals and implementation of a new Human Resources Information System.

She has more than 20 years’ experience in human resources management, training and development, including positions at Adeptus Health and at OB Hospitalist Group. Elaine was promoted to Vice President in February 2023.

Brittany Whitman, Esq.

General Counsel

Brittany serves Pipeline Health by advising the Board of Managers and senior management on legal and regulatory matters, while also overseeing all legal operations.

She joined Pipeline (previously Avanti Hospitals) in March 2015. Prior to joining the company, Brittany worked at a boutique law firm specializing in the provision of outside general counsel services to healthcare companies, including physician groups, ambulatory surgery centers, and management service organizations.

Brittany earned her juris doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. She is admitted to practice in California and Arizona.

Victor Carrasco

Chief Executive Officer

Victor Carrasco returned to Pipeline Health System in May 2023 as Chief Executive Officer of Memorial Hospital of Gardena. In December 2023 he was named Chief Executive Officer of Coast Plaza Hospital, assuming a new executive role for both hospitals.

Carrasco previously served Pipeline as CEO of East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital (2019-2022). During his tenure at East LA, he managed more than 20 physician contracts as well as a $3 million capital expansion program.

More recently he served as CEO and COO of Providence Milwaukie Hospital in Milwaukie (2022-2023). With more than 15 years of diverse experience in hospital systems, ambulatory care facilities, Managed care organizations, multi-specialty and multi-location physician group practices and management service organizations, Carrasco is known as a strategic and decisive leader.

Valentine “Happy” Duran, RN

Chief Nursing Officer

Happy brings to her daily work an overarching passion for improving healthcare in all arenas. She has a high level of expertise and experience lead Coast Plaza’s efforts to improve the quality of care and the patient experience for the community served.

She joined Coast Plaza in June 2024, coming from Redlands Community Hospital, where she served as Director of Medical Surgical Services for three years. Her portfolio included leadership of the Medical Surgical units, the Spine and Joint Institute, Transitional Care Unit, Lift Team, Wound Care Nursing and Float Pool for the 229-bed hospital.

Happy’s tenure at Redlands began in 2008. Her prior experience also includes nursing roles at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital and Kaiser Permanente Riverside Hospital.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Loma Linda University and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Phoenix. She holds a doctorate in nursing practice from Grand Canyon University.

Hector Hernandez

Chief Executive Officer

Hector Hernandez joined Pipeline Health in July 2024 as Chief Executive Officer of both East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital and Community Hospital of Huntington Park. Hector previously served as CEO of these two hospitals under Avanti Hospitals leadership from 2011 to 2014. He was employed by Avanti for 19 years, serving in various roles. He served as the company’s Senior Vice President for Quality, Risk and Accreditation from 2014 to 2016.

Between 2016-2024 Hector was CEO of the Alta Hospitals System, part of the Prospect Medical Holdings’ California operations. He operated community hospitals and a psychiatric facility in Los Angeles County.

Hector’s experience demonstrates a focus on ensuring the delivery of patient-centered, quality-driven care. He has an impressive track record of strategic leadership, financial acumen and operational excellence in the healthcare industry. He brings a strong commitment to fostering relationships with employees, physicians and the communities served by our safety net hospitals.

Hector holds a master of business administration degree from the University of Phoenix and a medical degree from the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California School of Medicine in Mexicali, Mexico.

Mitra Layeghi, DNP, RN

Chief Nursing Officer

Mitra Layeghi, DNP, RN, joined Community Hospital of Huntington Park as Chief Nursing Officer July 31, 2025,

She is a board-certified nurse executive with the American Nurses Credentialing Center with 15 years’ of healthcare leadership experience.

Layeghi’s areas of significant skill include strategic planning, team leadership, and clinical operations, with a focus on quality improvement and cost management. Her career achievements demonstrate success in driving healthcare innovation and fostering diverse, multidisciplinary collaborations.

She also is adept at enhancing patient outcomes through evidence-based care models and regulatory compliance.

Hector Hernandez

Chief Executive Officer

Hector Hernandez joined Pipeline Health in July 2024 as Chief Executive Officer of both East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital and Community Hospital of Huntington Park. Hector previously served as CEO of these two hospitals under Avanti Hospitals leadership from 2011 to 2014. He was employed by Avanti for 19 years, serving in various roles. He served as the company’s Senior Vice President for Quality, Risk and Accreditation from 2014 to 2016.

Between 2016-2024 Hector was CEO of the Alta Hospitals System, part of the Prospect Medical Holdings’ California operations. He operated community hospitals and a psychiatric facility in Los Angeles County.

Hector’s experience demonstrates a focus on ensuring the delivery of patient-centered, quality-driven care. He has an impressive track record of strategic leadership, financial acumen and operational excellence in the healthcare industry. He brings a strong commitment to fostering relationships with employees, physicians and the communities served by our safety net hospitals.

Hector holds a master of business administration degree from the University of Phoenix and a medical degree from the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California School of Medicine in Mexicali, Mexico.

June Dumaguet, R.N.

Chief Nursing Officer

June Dumaguet joined our East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital as Chief Nursing Officer in October 2022. She is quality-driven and patient-focused – qualities that are essential to the care of our patients and the success of her hospital.

She has expertise in the areas of acute care, staff development, patient and family advocacy, leadership and management—along with exceptional interpersonal skills. Her nursing career spans 14 years.

June previously served as Chief Clinical Officer for Kindred Healthcare, where she held several positions over 12 years. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Cebu Doctors’ University in the Philippines..

Victor Carrasco

Chief Executive Officer

Victor Carrasco returned to Pipeline Health System in May 2023 as Chief Executive Officer of Memorial Hospital of Gardena. In December 2023 he was named Chief Executive Officer of Coast Plaza Hospital, assuming a new executive role for both hospitals.

Carrasco previously served Pipeline as CEO of East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital (2019-2022). During his tenure at East LA, he managed more than 20 physician contracts as well as a $3 million capital expansion program.

More recently he served as CEO and COO of Providence Milwaukie Hospital in Milwaukie (2022-2023). With more than 15 years of diverse experience in hospital systems, ambulatory care facilities, Managed care organizations, multi-specialty and multi-location physician group practices and management service organizations, Carrasco is known as a strategic and decisive leader.

Traci Siler, RN

Chief Nursing Officer

Traci assumed the role of chief nursing officer at Memorial Hospital of Gardena effective Sept. 10, 2023.  She has served as the hospital’s director of the Emergency Department since 2019. In that role she has provided strategic leadership and financial and operational management for hospital-based services for the ED.

Traci is known for her collaborative leadership style. She has deep experience in designing and leading change initiatives, in addition to experience in achieving market share and volume growth.

Prior to joining the Gardena hospital, Traci served in a leadership role at Providence St. Joseph Health. She holds a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Humboldt State University and a master of science degree in nursing from Walden University.