The Health Service Board Promotes Rey Guillen to Executive Director of the San Francisco Health Service System
SAN FRANCISCO – May 8, 2025 – After a rigorous four-month search where highly qualified candidates from across the country and various industries were considered, the Health Service Board today promoted Chief Operating Officer Rey Guillen to the position of Executive Director of the San Francisco Health Service System (SFHSS). Guillen has served as Interim Director since March 15, 2025.
Guillen brings more than two decades of experience in employee benefits administration, serving in similar roles at the counties of San Mateo and Santa Clara. For the last three years, he served as the Chief Operating Officer for SFHSS, where he led the team through the pandemic recovery and restored in-person support for our members. As Executive Director, Guillen will drive the vision to lead SFHSS forward. The organization is responsible for administering more than $1.1 billion annually in health care premiums and providing coverage to over 125,000 employees, retirees, and their dependents of the City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Unified School District, City College of San Francisco, and Superior Court of San Francisco.
“Rey’s passion for and dedication to the well-being of SFHSS members is clear and we look forward to working with him in his new role as Executive Director, said Mary Hao, President of the Health Service Board. “His experience and expertise in employee benefits administration will serve us well as we face the continuing changing landscape of health benefits.”
“As the Chief Physician for CCSF employees, I have worked with Rey for several years in his role as COO of HSS,” says Commissioner Fiona Wilson, MD. “He's smart, engaged, hardworking, and deeply committed to CCSF and our workforce. I look forward to working with him in his new role as executive director of HSS.”
District 6, Supervisor and Health Service Board Commissioner Matt Dorsey added, “I have complete confidence in Rey’s ability to lead SFHSS as I have witnessed his solutions-driven and collaborative approach, which seeks to bring all parties together for a common goal.”
“I am honored by the Health Service Board’s faith in me to continue the long legacy of stewardship at the San Francisco Health Service System with the support of SFHSS’ dedicated and capable staff,” said Guillen. “Administering health benefits for our diverse membership in today’s landscape continues to present several key challenges, including compliance with evolving regulations, managing rising costs, and integrating complex technology systems. I stand ready to work diligently to help SFHSS meet these challenges by continuously improving our member experience and innovating solutions to modernize how we administer benefits. This will ensure we can provide sustainable, quality health benefits.”
Prior to joining SFHSS in 2022, Guillen worked as the Human Resources Manager for the County of Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness. He honed his collaborative leadership style through more than 30 years of experience in human resources and employee benefits administration, including leadership roles at the counties of Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, and San Mateo.
Guillen officially takes office as full-time Executive Director of SFHSS on May 12, 2025.
About the Health Service Board (HSB)
The Health Service Board (HSB) is the governing and policy-making body of the San Francisco Health Service System (SFHSS). The Board supports SFHSS's mission to preserve and improve sustainable, quality health benefits and to enhance the well-being of members and their families.
About the San Francisco Health Service System (SFHSS)
Established in 1937, the San Francisco Health Service System (SFHSS) is charged with managing the health benefits for the employees, retirees, and their dependents of the City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Unified School District, City College of San Francisco, and the Superior Court of San Francisco. SFHSS negotiates and administers the health benefits for more than 125,000 covered lives. For more information, visit http://www.sfhss.org/.