Anna Yap 1st Asian American woman elected to CMA executive committee

Anna Yap, M.D., has been elected Vice Speaker by the California Medical Association.

Yap is the first Asian American woman and the first Early Career Physician ever elected to CMA’s Executive Committee in the association’s 169-year history.

The California Medical Association represents more than 50,000 physicians statewide and is one of the most influential medical organizations in the country. It plays a significant role in shaping California’s health policy and advancing physician advocacy on issues ranging from healthcare access and equity to workforce sustainability and public health.

CMA’s Executive Committee is composed of seven physician officers who guide the association’s statewide strategy, oversee the Board of Trustees and House of Delegates, and act on urgent policy matters that impact physicians and patients across California.

Yap, an assistant professor of emergency medicine and director of the UC Davis Administration and Health Policy Fellowship, focuses her work on bridging medicine, advocacy, and administration—preparing physicians to turn ideas into impact for patients and communities.

“This moment isn’t just about me—it’s about what it represents,” Yap said. “Every time we expand who gets to lead and whose voices are heard, we make medicine stronger. I’m grateful to be part of a community like UC Davis that not only values equity and advocacy but actively cultivates it. Together, we’re showing what it means to lead with purpose and to build a future that reflects all of us.”

Yap is also the youngest officer ever elected, only the third female Vice Speaker in CMA’s history, and one of just five women to ever serve on the Executive Committee. She said her election reflects UC Davis’ broader commitment to leadership diversity and physician advocacy.

“This highlights how our academic community continues to train and elevate leaders who shape healthcare at every level,” Yap said. “I am incredibly proud to be part of the UC Davis family and the work we do here.”