Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc.

Fred Benharash MBA, CPA, Esq.

Fred Benharash, MBA, CPA, Esq. took a journey into healthcare leadership that is a testament to the unpredictable nature of life. Growing up in Tehran, Iran, Fred imagined himself working in physically active jobs until he was about 16 years old. It was then that he changed the course of his aspirations, eventually leading him to pursue a career in law and finance in the healthcare sector in Southern California.

Fred's educational journey commenced in the early 90’s with his undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, with emphasis in corporate finance for his MBA. Building on this foundation, he continued his academic pursuits at the University of West Los Angeles School of Law, earning his Juris Doctor (J.D.) in Law in the late 90’s.

Like every other kid, I wanted to be a soldier, a police officer, a soccer player, a basketball player, all that stuff. Then when I was 16, I decided I wanted to be a lawyer...

While Fred’s initial ambition after finishing graduate business school was to pursue a career in finance on Wall Street, fate had other plans for him. An opportunity to work in hospital finance marked the beginning of his journey in healthcare finance leadership. Shortly thereafter, he managed to obtain his law degree and started the practice of law independently and as part of other Los Angeles law firms, all the while making grounds in his healthcare career. Fred's diverse educational background equipped him with a unique skill set, blending business, law, and finance, ultimately shaping his trajectory toward impactful leadership in the healthcare sector.

For the next two decades, Fred was involved in various areas of healthcare and in key leadership roles within a number of southern California health systems and medical groups. This was the period that led him to get more involved with healthcare policy issues and was able to effectively use his understanding of various areas of healthcare to finetune his skills in development and successful execution of strategic and turnaround plans.

His multidisciplinary expertise has played a pivotal role in his impactful leadership within the healthcare sector. But at the core of everything he does, the things that stand out are his adherence to integrity as the bedrock of every action he takes and his unwavering commitment to give back to the community and help serve the underserved, all of which are the guiding principles in all his business decisions.

Fred has held the position of Chief Financial Officer at Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc., since March of 2022. His unique background as a lawyer and CPA has proven to be a valuable asset in identifying root cause financial issues and developing plans and solutions to address them, all in an effort to ensure Clinicas’ continued viability to ensure it can serve its mission of serving the underserved with quality healthcare.

The ongoing challenge is to ensure that revenues cover expenses while providing quality care and attracting and retaining qualified personnel.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Fred is passionate about a diverse array of activities. He enjoys riding his Harley, engaging in mountain biking, hiking, playing basketball, working out, and spending quality time with friends and family. Fred deeply values the balance between work and personal life, which allows him to unwind and savor life outside the demanding realm of healthcare leadership.