Heluna Health is pleased to announce that Denise Gee, MPH, RDN, has been appointed Executive Director of PHFE WIC, a program of Heluna Health and the nation’s largest WIC agency, effective April 6, 2026.
Denise’s connection to WIC spans more than three decades. She first joined the program in 1989 and has held roles at nearly every level since, from center supervisor to Deputy Director of Program Quality and Communication, a role she held from 2019 to 2025, before being promoted to Associate Executive Director. Throughout her career, she has been instrumental in connecting WIC families to CalFresh, Medi-Cal, Welcome Baby, and Home Visitation programs, managed cross-agency partnerships to advance preconception health, and developed operational tools that remain woven into the fabric of PHFE WIC’s day-to-day work. She led the statewide rollout of WIC WISE, California’s WIC information management system, and guided the program through its shift to remote service delivery during the pandemic.
Denise succeeds Kiran Saluja, whose 41 years at PHFE WIC helped shape it into the nationally recognized organization it is today. Kiran’s dedication to WIC families, her years of service on the National WIC Association Board of Directors, and her partnership with organizations across Los Angeles leave a profound and lasting mark on the field.
As PHFE WIC looks ahead, including the April 2026 food package updates and ongoing advocacy for permanent remote service options through the MODERN WIC Act, Denise’s depth of experience and commitment to the program’s mission position the agency for continued growth and impact.
We congratulate Denise and look forward to this next chapter.
