Spring 2023 Forum

Andrea “Andy” Amalfitano was named the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine’s fifth dean in December 2018. He is a clinical geneticist with training in pediatrics and internal medicine, as well an internationally regarded researcher in developing cutting-edge therapeutics, including enzyme and gene transfer-based technologies to foster treatment of genetic and acquired human conditions such as cancer and infectious disease. Current vaccine technologies developed in the Amalfitano laboratories are currently being utilized in dozens of human clinical trials to treat a variety of solid tumors, as well as part of the “project warp speed” initiative to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.

In his clinical work he has cared for infants, children and adults potentially affected by a variety of genetic conditions, including autoimmune diseases, and this work has guided additional research output from the Amalfitano laboratories. He holds the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation endowed university chair, is a professor of pediatrics, microbiology and molecular genetics and was the director of MSU’s Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. An MSU and MSUCOM alumnus, Amalfitano is a prolific investigator, he has been a primary or contributing author on over 100 peer-reviewed journal publications, contributed to eight book chapters, nearly 100 scientific abstracts and has served on the editorial board of more than a dozen journals in addition to roles as scientific advisor or grant reviewer, the latter inclusive of NIH study sections. He has been awarded millions of dollars in extramural funding from the US government (primarily NIH), national foundations (MDA, AMDA), and corporate sponsors.

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Tony Denton, JD, MHSA

Senior Vice-President and Environmental, Social and Governance Officer, University of Michigan Health- Michigan Medicine and Chairman of Board of Trustees, Michigan Health and Hospital Association (MHA)

Tony Denton joined the University of Michigan in 1981 as an Administrative Fellow and has risen steadily through health system leadership. He was appointed as Chief Operating Officer in 2004 for U of M Health System, and served as Acting CEO in addition to being COO from June 2014-December 2015. On January 1, 2016, Tony was appointed Senior Vice- President and Chief Operating Officer of the reorganized University of Michigan Health System of Michigan Medicine. Tony has served and continues as an active member on multiple senior leadership committees in the Health System, Michigan Medicine and the University of Michigan.

Tony has been and remains active on state and national boards in the health care industry, including a five-year term as Commissioner on the Board of the Joint Commission. Tony is currently an executive officer and Chairman of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association Board of Trustees, and a member of the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board 5. Tony is on the executive board for Vizient, a total health performance improvement organization. He also serves as Co-Chairperson of the Board for the Center for Health Research and Transformation.

Tony is a champion for environmental sustainability and stewardship, having recently served on the University of Michigan President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality, and is now an executive leader on implementation of the plan.

Tony believes in the value and importance of equity improvement, disparity reduction and community service, having served as co-chair of the University of Michigan’s United Way Campaign for the 7 years. He recently completed a 3-year appointment on the United Way Washtenaw County Board of Directors. Tony is also a board member of Food Gatherers, a
county-based food rescue organization. In addition, he is a passionate advocate for the American Heart Association, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, The Education Project for Homeless Youth and the Ann Arbor Summer Festival.

Tony obtained his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University, a master's degree in Health Services Administration from UM School of Public Health, and a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

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Farah Hanley

Chief Health Director, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Farah Hanley is chief deputy director for health overseeing the MDHHS Behavioral and Physical Health and Aging Services Administration and the MDHHS State Hospital Administration.

Between 2014 and 2022, Hanley was MDHHS's senior deputy director of Financial Operations overseeing the agency's $31 billion budget, 7,000 + contracts and grants, finance and accounting operations, federal and state audits, and information technology financial support services areas. Previously, she served as senior deputy director of Central Operations Administration for the former Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), where she oversaw all aspects of the MDCH budget, accounting, purchasing and audit areas.

Hanley also has served as manager of the MDCH budget within the State Budget Office at the Department of Technology, Management and Budget. In this role, she assisted MDCH and the SBO in key decisions, including the development, passage, and implementation of the Healthy Michigan Plan. In addition, she served as a federal health and budget specialist within the State Budget Office supporting efforts for the federal marketplace in Michigan.

Prior to that, she served as a senior Medicaid consultant for The Medstat Group, now IBM, where she developed analytic methods and supported policy analyses for state Medicaid programs across the country.

Hanley also served as MDHHS's acting director in early January 2019 during the transition to a new administration.

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Dr. Diane Golzynski, PhD, RDN, SNS

Interim Deputy Superintendent for Finance and Operations, Michigan Department of Education

Dr. Golzynski is the Directorof the Office of Health and Nutrition Services and the State Child Nutrition Directorat the Michigan Department of Education. She is responsible for theUSDA child nutritionprograms,the USDA Commodity household programs,andthe School Health and Safety Programs which includes mental and behavioral health, youth suicide prevention, bullying prevention, HIV and sex education, nutrition, physical, and health education, and chronic absenteeism.

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Elizabeth Kutter

Senior Director, Government and Political Affairs, Michigan Health and Hospital Association (MHA)

Elizabeth Kutter joined the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) in 2022 and currently serves as senior director, government and political affairs. Elizabeth works with the advocacy division of the MHA, focusing heavily on state legislative and state appropriations work on behalf of member hospitals. She works collaboratively with legislators, stakeholders, administration and department officials on proactive legislative opportunities as well as ensuring the practical impacts of legislative and policy changes have on hospitals and healthcare systems.

Prior to joining the MHA, Elizabeth was the director of state affairs for Wayne State University.

Elizabeth holds a juris doctor and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Michigan State University.

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Melanie Brim

President and CEO, Michigan Health Council (MHC)

Melanie Brim is President and CEO of the Michigan Health Council, a non-profit organization whose focus is on building, enhancing and strengthening the healthcare workforce. Melanie and her organization are dedicated to building healthcare workforce capacity by developing innovative products and services, delivering resources and data, and forming strategic partnerships to create effective and sustainable solutions for workforce needs.

Prior to joining the Health Council, Melanie served as Senior Deputy Director of the Public Health Administration and Senior Deputy Director for Health Policy and Planning with the Michigan Department of Community Health. Her roles at the Department included management and direction of public health programs and policies, leadership in health planning, health policy, and access to care programs, as well as managing workforce development activities, the Certificate of Need Program, and the Office of the Chief Nurse Executive. Melanie has also served as the Director, Bureau of Health Professions and managed the licensing and regulatory functions for over 400,000 health professionals in Michigan, representing 37 professions and 25 regulatory boards. Prior to her 22 years of state service, Melanie worked in a variety of health care settings including acute care, community-based health care, mental health, correctional health care, long term care, and physician practice management.

Melanie is a graduate of Indiana University where she received both her B.S. in Medical Record Administration and her Master of Health Administration.

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Shana Lewis, SHRM-SCP

Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Workforce Development Programs, Trinity Health

Shana Lewis, SHRM-SCP has more than twenty years of successful Talent Acquisition and Workforce Development experience. In her current role she serves as Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Workforce Development Programs for Trinity Health. Which includes Trinity Health Michigan. Trinity Health is the 2nd largest Catholic Health System nationally with locations in 25 states.

Ms. Lewis has implemented several innovative recruitment and talent strategies including workforce development programs, a regional sourcing model and hiring practices that have significantly improved and strengthened the hiring process, including the Evidence-Based Selection Process. The Evidence Base Selection Process and workforce development programs have significantly increased the diversity of Mercy Health's workforce. In 2019 Ms. Lewis, in collaboration with The Source, West Michigan Works and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, launched The Mercy Health Career Development Center, the first of its kind for Trinity Health. These strategies have been nationally published.

Ms. Lewis has frequently been invited to speak at nationally, including an invitation by the Obama and the Trump White House Administrations to participate in Employer Healthcare Workforce Roundtable discussions and most recently she serves on the Industry Recovery Panel for the Biden Administration.

Ms. Lewis is passionate about removing barriers and creating greater access to higher wage careers. She leads an Elite nationally recognized Talent Acquisition and Workforce Development teams that were instrumental in introducing apprenticeship programs to the Healthcare Sector, including the registered Medical Assistant Apprenticeship program, which is the first of its kind in the nation, and for which has received local and national recognition.

Throughout her career she has served in multiple leadership roles throughout the community and at the state and national level. Most recently Shana was appointed to Michigan Governor’s Workforce Development Board (LEO). Ms. Lewis is an active board of trustee for a national organization BLU – Business Leaders United. Shana has been invited to participate in the Biden Administration’s Healthcare Recovery Panel to shape the caregiving workforce initiative and other policy responses focused on health care workforce. This often takes her to Washington DC to meet with legislators to advocate for policies advancing workforce equity.

Additionally, she serves as a Board Trustee for Michigan Works! West Michigan Works Executive Council and Workforce Board, Council Member for Grand Rapids Mayor Racial Equity and Inclusion, and Board Trustee for KConnect. Shana was named as one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan in 2016, accepted the 2017 and 2022 Pillar Award on behalf of Trinity Health Michigan for her work in the advancement of minorities and woman, she was recognized by Crain's Detroit Business with the 2019 HR Excellence Award, and most recently received the Innovator of the Year Award presented by League for Innovation in The Community College.

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April Osburn, M.S.A.

Executive Director, Mid Central Area Health Education Center and Western Regional Community Consortium, Central Michigan University College of Medicine

Ms. Osburn has over 20 years of experience in non-profit development, community development, and workforce development.

The core of my work and the foundation of what I stand for has always been collaboration and teamwork among colleagues, across communities, and in my personal development.

In addition to her ability to collaborate with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, she has extensive experience managing non-profit organizations within the context of IRS regulations and reporting requirements, as well as grants management expertise, including financial reporting, goal and objective completion, and evaluation and outcome reporting. Through her leadership of the Mid Central Area Health Education Center and Western Regional Community Consortium, she has established strong relationships with a variety of community members, including clinicians, private companies, academia, and grassroots organizations.

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Dr. Amy Lee

Executive Dean for the Center of Collaborative Programs, Michigan Community College Association

Dr. Lee has 25 years of experience in the healthcare profession, with the last 18 of those years in imaging science and higher education. She started her educational journey like many others, unsure of what she wanted to do, but knew she needed to do something. She found her passion at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, MI, where she studied Radiography. Shortly thereafter, graduating from her local community college, she completed a bachelor’s in business administration and then went on to complete a masters and doctorate in education. Dr. Lee currently serves as the Executive Dean for the Center of Collaborative Programs at the Michigan Community College Association. Her work with the community colleges has allowed for in-demand, low enrolled, high-cost healthcare programs to be developed and shared across the State of Michigan.

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Jaimee Gerrie

Associate Professor of Nursing, Lake Superior State University

Jaimee Gerrie is an Associate Professor of Nursing for Lake Superior State University and remains active in nursing practice as a Legal Nurse Consultant and owner of UPvision Consulting, LLC. Making rural health care the focus of her career, Jaimee has been a registered nurse for 29 years and has worked in a variety of practice areas all in rural health care. She is the program director for a new graduate program, the Post Baccalaureate Rural Nurse Residency Certificate Program at Lake Superior State University. This program is the first of its kind, targeting the gap in nursing practice that once addressed hopes to improve BSN recruitment, retention, diversity, equity, and access in rural areas.

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Angie Barksdale

Chief Operating Officer, West Michigan Works!

Angie Barksdale is currently Chief Operating Officer for West Michigan Works! where she oversees the development and implementation of workforce programs for a seven-county region. Previously she served as Deputy Director for the Ottawa County Michigan Works!. Angie played an active role in the merger of Ottawa and three other Michigan Works! agencies to create the current workforce agency.

In addition to her experience in the public sector, Angie is well-acquainted with world of non-profits and community service. Angie previously held posts at Ottawa County United Way as Director of Development, the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District as part of Grant Development, and with Allendale Township as its Youth Coordinator.

Angie earned a B.A. in Psychology from Grand Valley State University and a Master’s in Family and Consumer Science from Western Michigan University.

She lives in Allendale, Michigan with her husband, Adam, and three children: Alaina, 18; Jacob, 16; and Joseph, 12.

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Dr. Nike Shoyinka

Health Officer, Ingham County Health Department

Dr. Shoyinka currently serves as the Medical Health Officer at Ingham County Health Department where she provides leadership to public health operations and medical oversight to all public health program operations, community incidents, and planning and policy.

In her previous capacity as Medical Director at Ingham County Health Department, she played a prominent role in the COVID Pandemic response ensuring care was equitably distributed in the communities she served.

She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Preventive Medicine, and Infectious Diseases and holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan with a focus on Healthcare Management and Policy.

She also provides inpatient clinical care as an Infectious Disease consultant at community hospitals across the region where she treats a broad range of infectious disease complications. She has over 16 years of clinical experience in internal medicine, infectious disease, and public health and has practiced medicine in several settings including Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa. Her research and publications have focused primarily on global health, local public health practice, and clinical outcomes of serious antibiotic-resistant infections.

She graduated from the University of Ibadan Medical School and completed her Internal Medicine residency in Harlem Hospital at Columbia University in New York City and an Infectious Disease Fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital/Wayne State University in Detroit. Throughout her career and training, she has made providing quality healthcare to vulnerable populations, domestically and internationally, a priority.

Dr. Shoyinka believes that when barriers to basic needs for life, including optimal healthcare, are removed every individual and the family unit, as a whole, has the opportunity to thrive. Her passion for bridging healthcare gaps in resource-limited communities has led her to volunteer with various international non-profit organizations where she works to identify and create innovative programs to develop sustainable capacity in those low-income settings in Africa.

Dr. Shoyinka is an active member of the Infectious Disease Society of America and the American College of Preventive Medicine and serves on committees and workgroups in both organizations.

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Drew Murray

Senior Director for Strategy and Public Affairs, Michigan Health Council (MHC)

Drew Murray is the Michigan Health Council's Senior Director for Strategy & Public Affairs. He leads efforts to increase the organization's visibility, reach, and revenue.

Drew previously served as the Michigan Health Information Network's Senior Director for Community Engagement where he helped physician organizations, hospitals/health systems, health plans, and state government partners share real-time patient health information for treatment, payment, and health operations.

Drew graduated from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA with a B.A. in Sociology and Political Science. He graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with a M.A. in Higher Education Administration and a Master of Public Policy degree.

Resources

Strategies:

Nursing:

Emergency Medicine:

Behavioral Health:

Primary Care:

The Health of US Primary Care: A Baseline Scorecard Tracking Support for High-Quality Primary Care

Public Health:

Care for the Caretakers: Building the Global Public Health Workforce

Pathways:

Strengthening and Retention:

Michigan HealthPolicy Forum

Dean, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine