Award-winning Physician Provides Quality Care and Exemplary Leadership

In September, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution In September, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution honoring Dr. Kristen Kleen Hughes ’04 as the Central Coast Medical Association’s 2025 Physician of the Year. “It doesn’t take long to recognize greatness, especially when you encounter it on a day-to-day basis,” said Dr. Mouhanad Hammami, Santa Barbara County Public Health Director. “Dr. Hughes stepped into her role as chief physician with passion and dedication but also with the ultimate purpose of providing quality care as well as leadership to our team.”

Kristen joined the public health department in 2016 and became the chief physician of the Franklin Healthcare Center in 2024. She transformed team‑based care by leading an ambulatory Cottage Children’s Medical Center pediatric residents’ clinic, launching a Westmont undergrad internship program, and implementing the EyePACS camera system to screen diabetic patients for retinopathy. 

She completed the UCSF Champion Provider Fellowship focused on nutrition, physical activity and chronic‑disease prevention in children, volunteers internationally, and advocates for policies addressing social and environmental determinants of health, especially those focused on improving children’s and teens’ relationships with screen-based technology.

At the supervisor’s meeting, Kristen praised the Public Health Department for providing essential safety-net care to vulnerable community members. “I’m privileged to work alongside dedicated colleagues and staff who labor tirelessly to advance our mission to prevent disease, promote wellness and ensure equitable access to care,” she said.

Her husband, Dr. Robert Hughes ’04, serves as the college physician at Westmont.

Her greatest joy comes from spending time with her family, including their two children, Robert (“Bo”) and Summer.