LVMC Quarterly| Fall 2026 | Volume 1 • Issue 1
I am pleased to welcome you to the first edition of our new quarterly employee newsletter — created especially for the people who make Lompoc Valley Medical Center and our entire healthcare district such a special place to work.
Our goal with this newsletter is simple: to help us stay connected, celebrate one another and share the many accomplishments taking place across LVMC, Lompoc Health and the Comprehensive Care Center.
Each quarter, you’ll find news from throughout the District, including the names and job titles of employees who have recently joined our team, updates about Lompoc Hospital District Foundation lectures and fundraising activities, and other information about programs, events and initiatives happening across our organization.
Most importantly, we want this newsletter to celebrate you.
We encourage employees to share professional and educational milestones with us. Have you earned a degree, certification or credential? Completed specialized training? Reached an important career milestone or received professional recognition? We want to hear about it and celebrate your accomplishments with your colleagues.
With employees working in many different departments, facilities and roles, we may not always have the opportunity to see the great work happening beyond our own areas. I hope this newsletter gives us another way to learn about one another, recognize our collective achievements and strengthen the sense of connection that makes our organization special.
Thank you for everything you do each day on behalf of our patients, residents, families and community. I look forward to seeing your stories and accomplishments featured in the editions ahead.
Yvette Cope
Chief Executive Officer
Ceremony of Champions
The biannual Ceremony of Champions, celebrating LVMC employees reaching service milestones from 5 years all the way to 35 years, was celebrated in September in the Cafe with a banquet prepared by our Dietary Services team!
CEO Yvette Cope, MSN, RN, shared a meaningful message with our honorees:
“Five years, 10 years, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 years. Every one of those milestones represents a choice — a choice to stay, a choice to serve, a choice to be part of something bigger than any one of us. ... You are the reason LVMC is what it is. The community is healthier because you chose to be here.”
At this celebration, we were especially proud to recognize some remarkable longtime members of the LVMC family:
20 years: Maria Cervantes, Gilbert Gonzales, Nina Ruaro, Misty Clouse, Keith Imano, Phoebe Hang and Jay-ar Ruaro
25 years: Mitch Greer, Carmen Nunez, Maria Bustamante, Shirley Ball-LaCambra, Eduardo Zarate, Malakia Lino and Christopher Ludwig
30 years: Socorro Herrera and Sharon Smith
35 years: Anette Berroteran
Twenty-three employees marked 5 years of service while 11 reached the decade mark.
To every employee recognized at our Ceremony of Champions, thank you for choosing LVMC, for choosing to serve and for continuing to be part of our community.
We are so fortunate to have you as part of the LVMC family.
Community Engagement
The first quarter of FY 2027 brought many opportunities for LVMC employees to connect with one another, share their expertise and represent the organization throughout our community.
Team members helped introduce young people to careers in healthcare through the Youth Summit | Level Up Resource Fair at Allan Hancock College and by welcoming students from CommUnify’s Empower U program to LVMC for hands-on career exploration. We also hosted members of the Lompoc-Vandenberg AAUW and local Tech Trek students, where Clinical Laboratory Scientist April Villarreal shared her career journey and encouraged the next generation of STEM professionals.
Our employees also gave back to the broader community. LVMC leaders volunteered at the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce Military Appreciation Barbecue at Vandenberg Space Force Base, serving meals to hundreds of military members. Staff and community partners also came together for the Family Resource Fair and Books & Bubbles at Ryon Park, connecting local families with resources and support during National Breastfeeding Month.
Employee engagement extended beyond outreach as well. LVMC’s Code Blue softball team brought coworkers together outside of work, finishing fourth in the city recreation league after a strong playoff run.
From July through September 2026, these activities reflected what Our People. Our Purpose. Our Community. looks like in action.
Lompoc Health – Village Center: Project Progress
Construction continues to move forward inside Lompoc Health – Village Center, with offices, exam rooms and other clinical spaces quickly taking shape.
In July, community leaders and donors were invited to a special “Building the Village: A First Look” reception at the construction site, offering guests an exclusive preview of the facility and an opportunity to see firsthand the progress being made.
Since then, all rough plumbing, electrical, HVAC and framing inspections have been successfully completed, marking another important step toward completion of the first phase.
Planning is also moving ahead for Phase 2, which will include approximately 7,500 square feet of additional interior renovation and expansion. The project was put out to bid in August, with two bids submitted for review following a mandatory job walk on Aug. 26.
Phase 2 bid documents are expected to go before the LVMC Board of Directors in October for approval.
With construction advancing and plans for the next phase progressing, Lompoc Health – Village Center continues to move closer to becoming an important new healthcare resource for residents of Vandenberg Village, Vandenberg Space Force Base and the surrounding communities.
Employee Health and Wellness Fair
Our employees took some time to focus on their own health and well-being during our annual Employee Health & Wellness Fair!
Organized by Employee Health Nurse Whitney White, MSN, NP, the fair gave our team a chance to step away from their busy workdays, visit with local health and wellness partners, get a flu shot or health screening, pick up some free fresh fruits and vegetables from Route One Farmers Market and Veggie Rescue and learn about resources available to support their physical, nutritional and financial well-being.
Employees visited booths from a great mix of community partners and wellness organizations -- and, as you can see from these photos, had some fun along the way! There were also some fantastic raffle prizes and giveaways to add a little extra incentive to explore all the fair had to offer.
Employees were able to connect with representatives from organizations including the Lompoc YMCA, Lompoc Parks and Recreation, Digbi, Blooming Energy Yoga, Community Partners in Caring, Awaken Cardio Kickboxing, Savie Health, Blue Shield, Route One Farmers Market, Dare 2 Dream Farms, MissionSquare Financial, Corvus Financial, Transcarent + Accolade, MetLife, Lincoln, Transitions Mental Health and Life Chiropractic, as well as resources from our own LVMC Rehabilitation and Nutrition departments.
Employee Engagement Committee
LVMC’s Employee Engagement Committee brought a cool treat directly to our hardworking employees and physicians across the acute Hospital, Comprehensive Care Center and Lompoc Health clinics earlier this summer.
Thirst-quenching lemonade was delivered throughout our facilities and across day and night shifts, with strawberries, blueberries and blackberries available for everyone to create their own refreshing summer drink. Staff particularly enjoyed adding in fresh fruit, much of it generously donated by Campbell Ranches Produce Stand.
The effort was coordinated by Volunteer and Marketing Coordinator Kristina Grasser, with LVMC directors and members of the leadership team pitching in to prepare, serve and deliver the treats.
Thank you to our employees and physicians for the work you do every day to care for our patients, residents and community -- and for supporting one another along the way.
A special thank you to Campbell Ranches for helping us make the day a little sweeter!
CNA Graduation
Congratulations to our newest class of CNA graduates!
We’re proud to celebrate these dedicated individuals who have successfully completed the rigorous Certified Nursing Assistant training program at our Comprehensive Care Center.
Throughout the program, our graduates devoted countless hours to classroom learning and hands-on clinical training, developing the skills, knowledge and compassion needed to care for patients and residents.
Congratulations, graduates! You’ve worked hard to get here, and we’re proud to celebrate your achievement!
GRANTS & SPONSORSHIPS
The first quarter of FY 2027 brought strong momentum in philanthropic and community funding for LVMC and the Lompoc Hospital District Foundation. From July through September, several awards were secured to support the Lompoc Health – Village Center and other community health initiatives.
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Chumash Foundation — $500,000 commitment
Supporting the Lompoc Health – Village Center. The commitment will be distributed over multiple years, with $250,000 allocated to FY 2027. -
Santa Barbara Foundation — $30,000 grant
Supporting pediatric equipment and furnishings for the Village Center, with $15,000 allocated to FY 2027. -
AgWest Farm Credit — $3,500 grant
Supporting equipment for the Lompoc Health – Village Center. -
CenCal Health — $6,000 sponsorship
Supporting a community first-aid and AED initiative with AYSO, including training and safety resources.
Together, these awards represent $539,500 in total funding commitments, including $274,500 in funding secured for FY 2027. These investments help strengthen access to care, support the development of new clinical space, and expand health and safety resources for the Lompoc Valley community.
RURAL HEALTH TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM (CAL RHTP)
LVMC has been conditionally selected for up to $2,573,673 through the California Rural Health Transformation (CalRHT) Accelerator Partners Program to develop an Integrated Rural Diabetes Transformation Model focused on Diabetes Poor Control and Tele-Endocrinology.
The program will create a coordinated pathway for patients with poorly controlled diabetes, including EHR-based patient identification, Community Health Worker outreach, diabetes education, medication management, care coordination and access to specialty care when needed. LVMC has identified Alina Telehealth as its tele-endocrinology partner, which will expand access to endocrinology specialists through virtual visits and e-consults for patients who need additional support. This is especially significant for the Lompoc Valley, which currently does not have a local endocrinologist.
EHR Modernization Funding
LVMC was also conditionally selected for up to $333,191 through the CalRHT EHR Modernization Program. This funding will support LVMC’s work to modernize its ambulatory electronic health record and transition outpatient services from eClinicalWorks to Altera Sunrise, creating greater continuity between hospital and clinic care.
Moving toward a more unified EHR will strengthen care coordination, data sharing and reporting across the organization and support tools such as patient registries, care-gap outreach and performance dashboards.
Together, the two conditional selections represent up to $2,906,864 in potential CalRHT funding for LVMC. Both remain subject to final HCAI review and execution of the required funding agreements.
EMPLOYEE GIVING
- Our annual fundraising goal is $24,000 toward employee giving.
- We’re currently at about $6,000 in annual recurring payroll deductions, or 25% of the fundraising goal.
- Employees have also donated about $1,600 in PTO hours.
- This year’s campaign project is a new visitor registration kiosk for the acute hospital.
- The kiosk will help check in guests, provide Wi-Fi information, print visitor name badges, and provide directions.
- The goal is to make visits easier to navigate while also improving visitor management and safety for patients and staff.
OPEN ENROLLMENT
Open Enrollment is underway and will continue to take place through October 31, 2026. This is your annual opportunity to elect, change, or drop coverage for yourself and your eligible dependents, including switching between the EPO and PPO medical plans.
The Open Enrollment period will cover the following benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, LTD Buy-Up and Voluntary Term Life (VTL)
All enrollments and changes must be completed electronically through the BCC portal. As previously communicated, there will be no change to your 2027 semi-monthly contributions for Medical, Dental, LTD, LTD Buy-Up, or VTL coverage. Your vision premium will decrease slightly.
If you are satisfied with your current coverage, your elections will automatically carry forward into 2027, and no action is required. Your elected coverage will remain unchanged.
Please note that, beginning in 2027, our Medical carrier will be Blue Shield for the EPO and PPO, and our Dental carrier will be Guardian.
Open Enrollment posters have been distributed throughout facilities. Each poster includes a QR code that will take you directly to the 2027 Employee Benefit Guide for easy access and review.
Printed copies of the enrollment instructions and benefit guides will also be available in Human Resources.
Have questions or need assistance, please contact HR at X3344.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
