Physician and Surgeon Representative, Chair

Thomas G. Keens, MD

Professor of Pediatrics, Physiology and Biophysics, USC
Division of Pediatric Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
4650 Sunset Boulevard, Box 83
Los Angeles, CA 90027-6062
Phone: (323) 361-2101
tkeens@chla.usc.edu
tkeens@gmail.com (Alternate)

Vice Chair/Secretary

Lorie Gehrke

SIDS Parent
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Phone: (925) 207-8113
lorie.gehrke@gmail.com

First Responder Representative

Kris Concepcion

Fire Chief
Vacaville Fire Department
650 Merchant Street
Vacaville, CA 95688
Phone: (707) 449-5462
kris.concepcion@cityofvacaville.com

Coroner Representative

Heather Griffiths

Deputy Coroner, Sacramento County
Sacramento, CA 95820
Phone: (916) 874-1703
griffithsh@saccounty.net

Medical Examiner Representative

James K. Ribe, MD, JD

Retired Senior Deputy Medical Examiner
Los Angeles County Department of Coroner
Malibu, CA
atlantic2677@hotmail.com

Northern Regional Council President
(ex-officio Council Member)

Laurie Lawson

SIDS Parent
Alameda County
Proverbw1984@gmail.com

Southern Regional Council President
(ex-officio Council Member)

Kathleen “Kitty” Roche, RN, PHN, BSN, MSW

Retired SIDS Coordinator
San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency
Phone: (760) 390-4576 (Cell)
kittyr065@gmail.com

Public Health Nurse Representatives

Mayela Gutknecht, RN, PHN, CNS

Field Public Health Nursing
Maternal Child Adolescent Health
​333 Valencia Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103
Office direct line: (415) 581-2403
Work cell: (415) 963-2847
mayela.gutknecht@sfdph.org

Kathleen “Kitty” Roche, RN, PHN, BSN, MSW

Retired SIDS Coordinator
San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency
Phone: (760) 390-4576 (Cell)
kittyr065@gmail.com

SIDS/SUID Parents

Kathleen Beichley

Placerville, CA 95667
Phone: (530) 622-8474
Alt: (530) 748-7874
beichley@comcast.net

Lorie Gehrke

SIDS Parent
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Phone: (925) 207-8113
lorie.gehrke@gmail.com

Jennifer Su, MD

SUID Parent
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Phone: (626) 226-7178​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​