Our leadership team is comprised of passionate, dedicated individuals who are committed to making an impact on health and health care in our community.
Santos Vera, PA, MHA
Chief Executive Officer
Santos Veria has served as CEO of Imperial Beach Community Clinic since October 2021. In this role, he provides overall strategic direction and operational oversight for the organization. Santos has significant expertise and experience managing the operations of safety-net health centers, clinics and hospitals. He has achieved success through collaboration, innovation (outside-the-box thinking), and operational excellence. He is known for creating an organizational culture that thrives on humility, transparency, authenticity. Santos servant leadership and inclusive style allows him to engage frequently with internal and external stakeholders. Additionally, Santos attended the University of Southern California where he received a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration with an emphasis on Leadership and Finance. He is currently completing his Ph.D. in Healthcare Strategy and Leadership.
Eric J. Leute, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Eric J. Leute has served as Medical Director of Imperial Beach Community Clinic since March 2006. He has been board certified in Family Practice since 2004. Dr. Leute works closely with the local residency program and other community health centers. Under his guidance, the Imperial Beach Health Center added OB deliveries and hospital newborn care to its spectrum of care, and has expanded from one clinic site to two. He also serves on the Clinical Quality Committee of Integrated Health Partners.
Clinton Wiese
Chief Financial Officer
Clinton Wiese joined the Imperial Beach Community clinic in 2019. He received his BSBA in Accounting from the University of Arizona in 1996. Mr. Wiese’s 24 years of experience within both the public and private sector, as well as working for both For Profit and Not for Profit entities, created the type of qualifications necessary to execute the CFO role within the Imperial Beach Community Clinic. Prior to his professional career Mr. Wiese was a hospital corpsman with the US Navy Reserve and worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse while attending college.
Clarissa Damasco, DMD
Dental Director
Clarissa Damasco joined the Imperial Beach Community clinic in 2020. Clarissa has a background as a general dentist with extensive knowledge of dental procedures. She is able to work well with front office staff and back office dental assistants, cultivating an atmosphere of professionalism and teamwork. With compassion and competence, possesses the ability to put patients at ease while working efficiently to meet productivity expectations and clinical responsibilities.
Lissa Romero
Chief Operations Officer
Lissa Romero joined the Imperial Beach Community clinic in 2022. Lissa has over 12 years of Healthcare experience and has devoted her career to federally qualified health centers. Lissa has an extensive background in developing and implementing workflows and procedures. Previous to joining our team Lissa was part of the leadership team for an East County community health center. She had direct oversight of over 120 employees, managed seven different specialties, and was responsible for patient quality care, productivity, and staff morale. Lissa says her approach is a mixture between supportive/innovative and motivational. She believes it is essential to lead by example and openly welcome collaborative efforts from colleagues to improve operations/policies and make mindful and efficient changes to allow organizational growth.
Veronica Gomez
Chief Human Resources Officer
Veronica Gomez joined the Imperial Beach Community clinic in 2022. Veronica is a dedicated HR professional with decades in the field both as a consultant and as an employee working for private and non profit sectors. Her background includes start-ups for one person HR departments as well as for a 50+ HR staff. Most recently Veronica was with the AltaMed organization in Los Angeles managing the team through the pandemic as well as mergers and acquisitions. Health Care has become a true passion of Veronica and her commitment and dedication to the field is evident. Prior to working in HR Veronica was a crises counselor working for a national emergency hotline. He also previously volunteered for organizations assisting families with disabled children. Veronica is an alumni of UCSD with a degree in Experimental Psychology and working on additional HR certificates including Masters in Organizational Psychology. It is her belief that constant development is healthy for strong leadership skills.
Jovita Arellano
Vice President of Marketing and Philanthropy
Jovita joined the Imperial Beach Community Clinic in 2022. Jovita brings over 25 years of experience working in San Diego County specifically in the Southbay area communities. She is a skilled facilitator for nonprofits with core competencies in strategic planning, board development and effective nonprofit management. Jovita has strong interpersonal skills, able to work effectively across diverse, multigenerational workplaces using capacity building framework for nonprofits. Jovita brings an equity and inclusion lens to all her organizational development projects. She believes that diversity, equity and inclusion work must be integrated into the fabric of an organization to transform how board, staff, and volunteers create inclusive work environments and high-impact program strategies. Jovita has led numerous strategic initiatives with several agencies throughout San Diego County. Jovita has also led community building workshops on effective nonprofit leadership, fundraising and management to increase collaboration among nonprofit leaders. Her passion is working with people to solve complex organizational and leadership challenges. Whether those problems are large-scale social issues, organizational dysfunction, or leadership effectiveness, she thrives on understanding the whole system and finding creative and engaging solutions using relationship oriented and strength-based approaches to create inclusive, mission-driven positive environments for all.
