Board of Directors
Saint Agnes Board of Directors play a vital role in furthering our healing mission. Our Board members volunteer their time to ensure Saint Agnes delivers the highest quality of care, while making recommendations for hospital strategic plans and advocating for our community benefits ministry, among other responsibilities.
We're grateful for each of their individual contributions to Saint Agnes and for helping shape the future of health care in the Valley.
Board Officers
Ronald J. Wathen, PE | Chair
Ronald Wathen currently serves as the President and CEO of Quad Knopf – a 125-person multi-disciplined professional engineering and consulting firm located in Visalia, California. He has over 30 years of civil engineering and leadership experience. He also is an active member of several professional and community boards and organizations.
Ron is actively involved with the Saint Agnes Foundation and has served as President of the Men’s Club. He joined our Board of Directors in January 2022.
Janet L. Young, EdD | Vice-Chair
Dr. Janet Young served as Superintendent of Clovis Unified School District (CUSD) from 2011-2017. She served CUSD in a variety of capacities throughout her career, starting as a teacher before moving into school site and later district administration.
She brings nearly 40 years of experience in instruction and business administration. She has received numerous awards and recognitions for her contributions to education. She joined our Board of Directors in January 2022.
Board Members
Adam J. Richins (SAHS Board Chair, Ex Officio)
As part of Saint Agnes’ alignment with the Trinity Health West Region, the Chair and Vice Chair of the SAHS Board also serve as an ex-officio members of the Saint Agnes Board of Directors. Adam J. Richins serves as the Saint Alphonsus Health System (SAHS) Board Chair for 2025. He was named Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Idaho Power in October 2019. Previous roles at Idaho Power since 2011 include Vice President of Customer Operations and Business Development, General Manager of Customer Operations Engineering and Construction, and Senior Counsel.
Adam holds two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in mathematics from the University of Puget Sound and a second in civil engineering from Columbia University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. He earned his law degree from the University of Washington with high honors. Richins graduated from Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program in 2016.
Adam serves on the board (Vice President) of the Boise Schools Foundation, the Boise Chamber of Commerce, and the Pacific Northwest Utility Coordinating Council. In the past, he served on the Urban Land Institute, the Association of Corporate Council, the US Green Building Council, and the Boise Contemporary Theatre.
Alan Birnbaum, MD
Dr. Alan Birnbaum is a neurologist and long-time member of the Saint Agnes Medical Staff. Throughout his medical career, Dr. Birnbaum has served the Valley working with various medical groups, including Kaiser Permanente Foundation, Fresno Neurological Associates Medical Group, Vascular Laboratory of Fresno and Spruce Multispecialty Group.
Dr. Birnbaum has been the Medical Director for the Stroke Program at Saint Agnes since 2010 and serves on the faculty of our Graduate Medical Education program. Dr. Birnbaum joined the Board of Directors in January 2025.
Angela Taylor (SAHS Board Vice Chair, Ex Officio)
As part of Saint Agnes’ alignment with the Trinity Health West Region, the Chair and Vice Chair of the SAHS Board also serve as ex-officio members of the Saint Agnes Board of Directors. Angela Taylor serves as the Vice Chair for Saint Alphonsus Health System (SAHS) Board of Directors. Angela is the Founder and CEO of AFT22 Enterprises, LLC.
AFT22 Enterprises is comprised of several corporations, including NetWorks Sports Consulting, LLC, Tindall Avenue Events + Entertainment, LLC, and The DIGNITAS Agency, LLC. In addition to managing AFT22 Enterprises, Angela also has extensive experience managing and running business operations for professional sports teams, including stints General Manager for the Atlanta and Washington WNBA teams.
A native of Idaho, Angela first served as the President of the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center Community Board before being named to the SAHS Board. She joined the Saint Agnes Board of Directors in January 2025
Dalpinder Sandhu, MD
Dr. Dalpinder Sandhu is a well-respected cardiologist and has been on the Saint Agnes Medical Staff for 16 years. He is Past-President of Medical Staff and an active member of the Board of Directors Medical Affairs Council, the Integrated Leadership Team and the Graduate Medical Education Committee.
As a medical staff leader, Dr. Sandhu chartered several collaborative projects with the Medical Center, including a sepsis collaborative, a physician recognition program, and improvements in daily operations for the heart and vascular service through physician co-management.
Desrie van Putten
Desrie van Putten is an experienced realtor with VHP Brokers/Valley Harvest Properties and has served as President of Guarantee Real Estate since 2019. In addition to her experience as a realtor, Desrie also has experience in classroom instruction and office administration. Desrie is deeply involved in the Fresno community, serving on numerous philanthropic boards.
Her current memberships include Central Valley Community Foundation (Board Member), Fresno Association of Realtors (Chair-Elect, 2025) and The Rotary Club of Fresno (Member). Desrie joined the Board of Directors in January 2025.
Janelle Dunn
Janelle Dunn is a respected accounting professional in Fresno with more than 30 years of experience. She is the sole owner of Janelle P. Dunn EA. In addition to her accounting experience, Janelle has been a valued member of the Saint Agnes Foundation since 1999. She has served in multiple committee and officer positions on the Women’s Club, including four terms as Club President.
After the end of her most recent term as Women’s Club President, Janelle joined the Foundation Board of Directors and served as Chair in 2020, 2021 and 2023. Janelle joined the Board of Directors in January 2025.
Kirandeep Kaur Batth, MD
Dr. Kiran Batth is an independent internal medicine physician practicing in lifestyle medicine and primary care in Fresno for over 15 years. She currently practices at Community Pulmonary Associates. In addition to her experience as a physician, Dr. Batth’s family also has connections to agribusiness throughout the Central Valley. Dr. Batth joined the Board of Directors in January 2025.
Mark LePage, MD (Trinity Health Representative, Ex Officio)
Mark LePage, MD, serves as Senior Vice President of Medical Groups and Ambulatory Strategy for Trinity Health and represents the system in an ex officio capacity on the Saint Agnes Medical Center Board. In this role, he has national responsibility for Trinity Health's medical groups, providing strategic leadership for more than 6,800 physicians and clinicians across the system.
A board-certified vascular and interventional radiologist, Dr. LePage brings a strong combination of clinical expertise, financial acumen, and strategic leadership. Prior to his current role, he served as the first physician CEO of IHA, Trinity Health's largest multi-specialty medical group, where he led significant growth initiatives, including regional expansion, primary care acquisition, and development of a Medicare Shared Savings Program. Earlier in his career, he served as Chief Medical Officer of Marshfield Clinic and as a Staff Interventional Radiologist in the United States Air Force.
Dr. LePage hold a Bachelor of Science and medical degree with distinction from the University of Michigan, along with a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Finance from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. He completed executive education at Harvard Business school and serves on several national and regional boards.
Pilar De La Cruz Samoulian, RN, MSN
Before retirement, Pilar De La Cruz Samoulian served as the Faith Community Nurse at the Diocese of Fresno. As a registered nurse for 54 years, she brings an extensive health care career to Saint Agnes, with over four decades of leadership experience in both acute and long term care. Her years of service in executive roles – including Chief Nurse Executive of Fresno Heart Hospital, United States University Dean of Nursing and CSUF Director of Central California Center for Excellence in Nursing – are an asset to the Board of Directors.
Pilar also was an active member of the California Board of Registered Nursing for four years. She joined our leadership in January 2019.
Robert Oliver
The Honorable Judge Robert Oliver first served on the Saint Agnes Board more than 25 years ago. He remained connected at Saint Agnes through his support of the Saint Agnes Foundation, rejoined the Board in 2018 and was appointed as President in 2020. Judge Oliver is a graduate of California State University, Fresno and Golden Gate University School of Law and has long-term ties to the local community. Judge Oliver retired from the bench in 2015 following 20 years of service.
An accomplished local attorney with a prestigious firm in Fresno specializing in business law and estate planning, Judge Oliver was the Vice-President of the Board of Governors of the State Bar of California and named Chair Emeritus of California State University, Fresno Foundation after 16 years of service. He continues teaching at local law colleges and holds numerous leadership roles in the community. Judge Oliver served in the Air National Guard for 22 years, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Sister Mary Alice Bowler, CSC
Sister Mary Alice Bowler is currently the Coordinator of the Holy Cross Sisters’ Nonviolent Communication project located in South Central Los Angeles, CA. Joining the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross in 1957, her early years in ministry were primarily in institutional health care in the US. From the early 1980's to 2010, Sister Bowler lived and ministered in Uganda (East Africa) where she was involved in a variety of ministries in health care, religious formation of young sisters, and congregational area leadership for the Area of Africa. She returned to ministry in the US in 2010. Sister Bowler joined the Board of Directors in January 2019.
Sontaya Rose Schmidt
Sontaya Rose serves as Director of Communications for the City of Fresno, where she leads media relations, social media and strategic communications related to City initiatives and public priorities. She also helps communicate Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer's One Fresno vision, ensuring clear and consistent engagement with the community.
Since 2022, Sontaya has been an active member of Saint Agnes Medical Center's Mission and Community Benefit Committee, contributing her expertise in communications and community engagement. She has supported Saint Agnes' philanthropy efforts through the Fund a Need initiative and has contributed to community-focused discussions, including the Poverello House partnership at the Holy Cross Health and Wellness Center and Clinic. Sontaya also serves as a strong advocate for Saint Agnes in the community.
An Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist, Sontaya brings more than 24 years of experience covering major news stories across the Central Valley, California, and the nation. She is widely recognized for her thorough, fair and compassionate reporting.
A lifelong Fresno County resident, Sontaya has built strong relationships with local government leaders, residents and media organizations, bringing deep local knowledge and trusted community connections to her role and board service.
Susan D. Kuszmar, LMFT
Susan Kuszmar is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and former Saint Agnes colleague. While at Saint Agnes, she served in a number of roles, including Vice President of Mission Integration, Director of the Center for Spiritual Care, Expressive Arts Therapy Coordinator and Bereavement Coordinator. Throughout her career, she has provided counseling and support for patients and community members.
Susan played an integral part in developing Saint Agnes’ FOOTSTEPS program – an expressive arts program for children/caregivers affected by significant loss. She joined our Board of Directors in January 2022.