History

The California Latino Medical Association (CaLMA) was officially incorporated as a professional medical society in October 1998. The mission that Dr. Juan Villagomez, our first President, so valiantly championed for CaLMA was to strive, as an association of concerned physicians, to insure the provision of quality and culturally sensitive medical care to the largest under-served population in California.

Dr. Juan Villagomez worked tirelessly on his dream of forming CaLMA – an organization that would serve to bring California Latino physicians and their colleagues together, united in mission. Dr. Villagomez, who succumbed in October 1999 to an untimely illness, created from his dream a new medical association and a challenge to all California physicians to go forward to help realize the CaLMA’s mission.

CaLMA Founders

The physicians below were instrumental in the formation of CaLMA from CHAMA and CMAC in 1999.

	Juan Villagomez MD Family Practice Deceased 1999
	Paul Urrea MD Opthomology
	Robert Beltran MD General Surgery
	Jorge Lopez MD Family Practice
	Al Lopez MD Emergency Medicine Deceased 2011
	Hector De La Rocha, MD Family Practice

History of California Latino Medical Association (CaLMA)

• 1998 - CaLMA is Founded and Incorporated with unification of CHAMA and CMAC
• 1999 - CaLMA’s Founder Juan Villagomez MD dies and is laid to rest. Juan Villagomez, MD- Founding President in Memorium
• 2000 - Robert Beltran, MD, First President of CaLMA •1st Annual Latino Health Conference
• 2001 - Paul Urrea, MD, MPH, Second President of CaLMA •Una Noche de Gala is adopted from CHAMA and raises funds for CaLMA
• 2002 - Margaret Juarez, MD Third President Of CaLMA CaLMA’s Statewide Offices open in Monterey Park, California US Surgeon General is lauded at Una Noche de Gala Bakersfield, Riverside, Orange County Chapters join CaLMA
• 2003 - CaLMA BOD is restructured to include Statewide Representation Fresno, San Diego Chapters join CaLMA Symposium and Gala double in attendance
• 2004 - Sacramento Chapter joins CaLMA Strategic plan developed and statewide activities
• 2005 - Planning for new elections for Statewide representation begin Margaret Juarez, MD, Re-elected President
• 2006 - Blue Cross Foundation Grants Nursing Scholarship Starts
• 2007 - Jorge R. Lopez, MD, Forth President of CaLMA New Statewide BOD elected representing Statewide
• 2008 - New Grants Authorized to CaLMA
• 2009 - Blue Cross Foundation Grant completed successfully
• 2011 - Restructuring of CaLMA Organization and Bylaws

Past Presidents:

	1999 - Juan Villagomez MD Founding President in Memoriam Family Practice Deceased 1999
	2000 - Robert Beltran MD General Surgery
	2001 - Paul Urrea MD Opthomology
	2002 - Margaret Juárez, M.D. Obstetrics and Gynocology
	2004 - Margaret Juárez, M.D. Obstetrics and Gynocology
	2007 – Jorge Lopez MD Family Practice