About Frank Meza

Frank Meza, a highly distinguished Physician in Charge at the East Los Angeles Kaiser and a Partner at the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, who later became Chief Medical Officer at Altamed, was a beacon of hope for the Latino and Chicano communities. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Meza’s life was a testament to resilience, determination, and a deep-rooted commitment to his cultural heritage. His influence extended beyond his medical practice, as he actively worked to recruit Latinos to pursue careers in medicine and education even before finishing medical school. His decades-long service to the Hippocrates Circle, the Latino Medical Student Association, and MiMentor, which prepares underserved students for careers in medicine, has paved the way for many aspiring Latino professionals.

Dr. Meza’s journey to becoming a well-respected medical doctor was not without its challenges. He attended Cathedral High School, where he excelled both academically and as an athlete. He went on to run cross-country track in college and initially struggled to grasp the high-level German, Latin, and Chemistry classes he had enrolled in. But nothing could discourage him from pursuing his dream of becoming a medical doctor. He transferred to Cal State Northridge, where he studied both journalism and public health. He did not give up, earning a dual bachelor’s degree and subsequently attending medical school successfully.

For nearly 50 years, in his personal and professional lives, Dr. Meza was committed to reducing health disparities in underserved California communities. Many current West Coast Latino physicians are likely practicing today due to the tireless advocacy and increased opportunities inspired by Meza. In addition to Dr. Meza’s decades of service as a Kaiser Hospital Staff Physician, he taught at a family medicine residency at Los Angeles Kaiser Medical Center, aimed at providing better access to quality healthcare in the Los Angeles community.

Born to immigrant parents from Mexico, Frank grew up in the downtown quadrant of Los Angeles before moving to the predominantly Spanish-speaking community of Frogtown, also known as Elysian Valley.

Both his parents worked hard to ensure their children could live better lives; his mother was employed as a garment worker, and his father worked as a busser at Musso & Frank Grill, a legendary Hollywood restaurant renowned for its fine dining menu options. Meza’s father passed away when he was only four years old, and he was then raised by his single mother, who not only stressed academics but also made sure Frank was physically active throughout his childhood.

It was Dr. Meza’s love and talent for running that not only paved the way for him to attend college on a cross-country track scholarship but also became a lifelong passion. Even after college, Dr. Meza continued to excel at long-distance running, participating in marathons throughout college and his professional life.

His personal achievements in running were a testament to his passion and dedication. He was aware of the precedent he and other Latino college students were setting as some of the first Latino Americans in his community to pursue higher education. He gave credit to those people and organizations who supported and inspired him and others to pursue higher education. The year Dr. Meza entered medical school, his class had nine Chicanos, the largest number at that time.

Dr. Frank Meza earned both his B.A. and M.A. degrees in Journalism from California State University at Northridge (1972 and 1974). Meza knew he wanted to fulfill a lifelong desire to serve his community, so he applied and was accepted into the UCLA graduate program, where he received a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a specialty in Epidemiology in 1974, and his medical doctorate (MD) from the University of California, Davis, in 1978.