Richard Ponce, MD, has joined the volunteer Board of Directors of Cottage Health.

A native of Santa Paula, California, Dr. Ponce received his undergraduate degree in psychobiology from University of California, Los Angeles, and his medical degree from University of California, San Francisco. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at UCLA and was a chief resident.

Dr. Ponce joined Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara in 1993 and was head of the Pesetas Clinic Internal Medicine department for 20 years. He is a current member and past president of the Santa Barbara County Medical Society, and Castle Connolly recognized him with a Top Doctor award in 2014.

Members of the Cottage Health Board of Directors serve without compensation to guide the not-for-profit hospitals in the mission to provide superior health care through a commitment to our communities and to our core values of excellence, integrity and compassion.