Los Angeles psychiatrist George Fouras, M.D., elected Speaker of the House

Los Angeles psychiatrist George Fouras, M.D., was elected Speaker of the House of Delegates, succeeding Jack Chou, M.D. A CMA member since 1996, Dr. Fouras has served in the House for more than a decade and brings a long record of leadership to his new role guiding CMA’s policy-making body.

Dr. Fouras’s leadership within organized medicine spans decades. He previously served as vice speaker of the CMA House of Delegates, secretary-treasurer of the California Medical Association Political Action Committee (CALPAC), and chair of the Los Angeles County Medical Association Political Action Committee (LACPAC). He continues to represent California physicians as a delegate to the American Medical Association.

He has also led several professional societies, including the San Francisco Marin Medical Society, the Northern California Regional Organization of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Southern California Psychiatric Society.

Dr. Fouras earned his medical degree from Ohio State University and completed his residency in general psychiatry and fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center. He spent more than two decades with the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Foster Care Mental Health Program, where he helped create California’s first organized psychotropic medication oversight system. Since returning to Los Angeles in 2017, he has continued his work in specialized foster care for the county’s Department of Mental Health.

“I am honored to assume the role of speaker after Dr. Chou. Nothing is more important to me than ensuring that physicians across California feel empowered to participate in the processes that shape our policy and lead our profession,” Dr. Fouras said. “The strength of our House of Delegates lies in the diversity of our members and the unity of our purpose.”

UC Davis emergency physician Anna Yap, M.D., elected vice speaker

Anna Yap, M.D., an emergency physician and assistant professor at UC Davis Health, was elected vice speaker of the House of Delegates. At UC Davis, she directs the Administration and Health Policy Fellowship, training early-career physicians to become effective health-policy leaders.

A former CMA trustee, Dr. Yap currently chairs the CMA Early Career Physicians Section (formerly the Young Physicians Section) and serves as vice chair of the Council on Medical Services. She has authored more than 40 adopted policies and has served as speaker of two AMA sections; nationally, she now serves as chair-elect of the AMA Young Physicians Section.

“The House of Delegates is one of CMA’s greatest strengths,” Dr. Yap said. “It is where our members’ voices are heard and ideas become action. Together, we can protect our profession, our workforce, and the patients who depend on us.”