Welcome to the Michigan Healthy Community Advisory Committee
The Michigan Healthy Community mission is to advance public discussion and encourage social commitment to change by conceiving of health as a community process within the special context of the University workplace.
The Michigan Healthy Community Advisory Committee invites community contributions to these deliberations with particular focus on how effectively, how seamlessly, and to what consequence, the University can integrate the promotion of healthy living with the provision of health care coverage and service delivery. The linkages between healthy living and health care create the possibility of an exciting and valuable synergy.
The Michigan Healthy Community Advisory Committee, with representatives from each campus and the Health System, allows MHC to draw on the rich and broad-based intellectual resources of the University to help address the national challenge in health care by developing innovative long-range solutions to improving health at the University and beyond.
The information has been assembled to help foster engagement and partnership among the colleagues of the MHC Advisory Committee in this shared purpose.
Karen Arthur
Benefits Representative, Human Resources, Flint Campus
karthur@umich.edu
Karen Arthur is the Benefits Representative for Human Resources at the University of Michigan-Flint, where she is responsible for counseling employees regarding their benefits, processing of benefits, resolution of benefit issues, management of the open enrollment process, conducting retirement counseling and survivor counseling, administration of sick leave for faculty and staff, coordination of training for professional development, managing a yearly Service Awards event, coordinating a Resource Fair for the new faculty in the fall, and conducting new employee orientations. She has been an employee with the university for 20 years, all of which she has served in Human Resources. She is a graduate of Mott Community College.
Jack E. Billi, M.D.
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Medical School and
Associate Vice President, Medical Affairs
jbilli@umich.edu
Dr. Billi is Professor of Internal Medicine and Medical Education. He leads the Michigan Quality System, the University of Michigan Health System’s unified approach to improve quality, safety, efficiency, appropriateness and service using lean tools and philosophy. Dr. Billi’s research and leadership interests are in health services delivery and the use of community consortia for quality improvement. He is active on statewide and regional groups affecting quality of care, pay-for-performance and public reporting. He chairs the Michigan State Medical Society’s Committee on Quality, Efficiency and Economics and the Essential Benefit Design Work Group and is a member of MSMS’s Board of Directors. Dr. Billi co-chairs the Medical Director Committee for the Michigan Quality Improvement Consortium which develops and disseminates evidence-based practice guidelines used by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and 15 other health plans representing over six million members.
Susan G. Blitz, M.D., M.P.H.
Medical Director, Employee Health Service;
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School
sblitz@umich.edu
Dr. Blitz received her M.D. from the University of Michigan (1978) and her M.P.H from the University of Michigan (1991). She currently serves as the Medical Director, Employee Health Services and as an employee health physician at the Ann Arbor VA Medical Center. Her clinical interests include primary care, occupational safety and environmental health. Her research interests include occupational injuries in health care workers.
Katarina T. Borer, Ph.D.
Professor, Division of Kinesiology
katarina@umich.edu
A professor of Movement Science in the Department of Kinesiology, Katarina Borer’s teaching relates to her research interests. Her central career focus has been research scholarship with particular emphasis on the exploration of hormonal and metabolic mechanisms involved in partitioning of nutrient energy among growth, body mass and energy storage depots, and exercise and metabolic energy expenditure. She received her undergraduate degree in Biology and her Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Pennsylvania.
Patricia M. Butler, Ph.D, R.N., C.D.E.
Vice President, U-M Retirees Association
pdbutler@ic.net
Patricia Butler obtained her B.S.N. and M.S. degrees from the U-M School of Nursing and her Ph.D. from the U-M School of Education. She was an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing from 1970-1990; a Coordinator and Diabetes Educator in the Diabetes Outpatient Education Program from 1990-1995 and served in Staff Development, Educational Services for Nursing from 1995-1998. She retired from U-M in 1998 and subsequently assumed positions at Eli Lilly and Matria Healthcare, Inc. She has coauthored several publications on Patient Empowerment and Patient Empowerment Programs and currently serves as Vice President of the U-M Retirees Association, where she was instrumental in developing the annual Health Day for members.
Robert Ernst, M.D.
Medical Director, Health Service Clinic Operations,
Division of Student Affairs
Robert Ernst, M.D. is the Medical Director at University Health Service (UHS). He graduated from the University of Notre Dame, received his medical degree from the University of Michigan, and completed Internal Medicine training at the University of Michigan Hospital. Before coming to UHS he spent eight years on the faculty at the Medical School, during which time he served as the Director of the Inpatient General Medicine Services and Associate Director of Graduate Medical Education for the Department of Internal Medicine. His clinical interests include the evaluation and management of both common and complex medical problems, physical fitness, exercise counseling and nutrition.
Jeffery R. Frumkin, Ph.D.
Assistant Provost and Senior Director, Academic Human Resources
jfrumkin@umich.edu
Jeffery Frumkin is the Assistant Provost and Senior Director for Academic Human Resources. He has been at the University of Michigan since January 1998. Previously, he worked at the University of California, Michigan State University, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System and Eastern Michigan University. He earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from Michigan State University in Higher Education Administration.
Kyle L. Grazier, M.S., M.P.H., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Health Management and Policy,
School of Public Health and Professor of Psychiatry, Medical School
kgrazier@umich.edu
Kyle Grazier is a Professor in the Department of Health Management and Policy and the Department of Psychiatry. Her research is on financing health care with special emphasis on benefit design and mental health. She serves on the National Advisory Board for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the NIMH Services Review Committee, as an advisor to the IOM, Pacific Business Group on Health and National Quality Forum, as well as chair of the University of Michigan Committee on Benefit Redesign. She is the Editor of the Journal of Healthcare Management, and teaches graduate courses in corporate finance and healthcare payment systems and insurance. She holds graduate degrees in engineering, public health and management sciences from the University of Notre Dame and the University of California at Berkeley.
Mary Heffelfinger, B.S.N, R.N.
Senior Compliance Auditor, Medical School Compliance
mheffelf@med.umich.edu
Mary Heffelfinger received her B.S.N. from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and has worked as a staff nurse at U-M for many years. She currently serves as the Medical School Compliance Department’s Wellness Champion and as a member of the Voices of the Staff Health and Wellness Team.
Kimberly Hickey, M.S.N., R.N., C.S.
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Institute of Gerontology,
University of Michigan Health System, Representative of Michigan Nurses Association
khickey@umich.edu
Kimberly Hickey is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gerontological Nursing. She has been at the University of Michigan Health System in numerous professional nursing roles since 1980 and in her present position since 1988. Areas of expertise are acute care of the older inpatient with delirium and continuity of care for older adults. Kimberly is certified as a Clinical Specialist in Gerontological Nursing and Primary Care of the Adult. She is active in the Michigan Nurses Association, the American Nurses Association, the American Geriatrics Society and other organizations. She has been a member of the University of Michigan Professional Nurse Council for 27 years and is in her fourth term as an elected trustee for the Plymouth District Library.
Robert P. Kelch, M.D.
Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs
rkelch@umich.edu
Dr. Kelch oversees the U-M Health System, which has nearly 19,000 faculty and staff and operating expenses of $1.36 billion. It includes the top-ranked U-M Hospitals and Health Centers, the U-M Medical School and the Michigan Health Corp. A noted endocrinologist who has written more than 110 scientific publications, three books and nearly 100 book chapters, Kelch has specialized in studying the hormones involved in growth and sexual maturation. He received his undergraduate degree from Wayne State University and medical degree at the University of Michigan. He was elected to membership in the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 1996. In 2004 he received the Midwest Society for Pediatric Research Founders Award for his contributions to pediatric research and the career development of academic pediatricians. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs appointed Dr. Kelch to serve on the VA’s National Research Advisory Council.
Linda Kennedy
Human Resources Officer, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
lkennedy@umich.edu
As the Ford School of Public Policy’s HR Officer, Linda is responsible for overseeing all human resources functions for faculty and staff. Linda has been employed with the University for over 20 years, and the majority of those years have been focused in HR administration. Her background includes developing and introducing new HR procedures and policies, recruitment, classification and compensation, and processing HR transactions. In addition to serving on the Michigan Healthy Community Task Force, she is a member and former co-chair of the Women of Color Task Force. In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and traveling.
Claudia Kocher, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Finance, School of Management, Dearborn Campus
ckocher@umich.edu
Claudia Kocher is an Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration (Finance) from Michigan State University and has been on the faculty at UM-Dearborn since 1993. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Illinois Wesleyan University and a Master of Business Administration from Marquette University. She worked as a registered nurse for eight years in a variety of specialty areas before entering graduate school. Her current teaching and research interests are in corporate finance and finance pedagogy.
Gary Krenz, Ph.D.
Special Counsel to the President, University of Michigan
gdkrenz@umich.edu
Gary Krenz is Special Counsel to the President at the University of Michigan, a position he has held since 1996, serving two permanent and two interim presidents. He acts as a senior advisor to the president and is responsible for a variety of presidential operations and initiatives. He received his B.A. from Northwestern University in 1980 and his Ph.D. from SUNY-Stony Brook in 1987, both in philosophy, and currently teaches in the Department of Philosophy at U-M.
Ted Makowiec, M.B.A., C.P.H.Q.
Benefits Strategist, Human Resources
makowiet@umich.edu
Ted Makowiec has over 14 years of health care experience. Before becoming the Benefits Strategist at U-M, he was the Director of Clinical Performance Management at M-CARE. Prior to that, he was the National Manager of Reimbursement for General Motors. He has also worked for the Oakwood Healthcare System, Medstat and Care Choices HMO. He has a Bachelor of Science from Central Michigan University and an M.B.A. in Finance from Wayne State University. He is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, The National Association for Healthcare Quality and is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality.
Katie Mason
Graduate Student Instructor, Microbiology and Immunology,
Rackham School of Graduate Studies
masonkl@umich.edu
Katie Lynn Mason graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2004 with a B.S. in Microbiology. As an undergraduate, she performed research in the laboratory of Alice Telesnitsky, Ph.D. Upon graduation she worked as a research assistant for the chair of the Biochemistry Department, William Smith, Ph.D. Currently, she is a graduate student in the Microbiology and Immunology Department where she studies the microbiota and immunology of the murine gut in the labratory of Gary Huffnagle, Ph.D. and John Kao, M.D.
Diana McVey
Custodian II, Plant Building Services, AFSCME
gmac@umich.edu
Diana McVey has worked at the University of Michigan for 14 years in Plant Operations, serving the Engineering and Chemistry communities. She graduated from Roosevelt High in Ypsilanti and currently lives in Belleville, Michigan. She enjoys working with all of the different people at the University and plans to use her excellent communication skills to contribute to the MHCAC.
LaVaughn Palma-Davis, M.A.
Senior Director of University Health & Well-Being Initiatives
lvp@umich.edu
LaVaughn Palma-Davis is the Senior Director for University Health and Well Being Initiatives. In this role she provides leadership for the implementation of Michigan Healthy Community, an ambitious, collaborative effort to leverage the University’s resources to promote the health and well-being of its faculty, staff, dependents, retirees and students. LaVaughn also serves as the Administrator for the University of Michigan Health System’s Occupational Health and Health Promotion Services. These include the MWorks Occupational Health Clinic, Employee Health Services, MWorks Disability Management Services, the UMHS Employee Assistance Program, and the MFit Health Promotion Division. She is responsible for approximately 85 employees who provide services to the University of Michigan, to its patients and area communities and to approximately 300 other employers in Southeastern Michigan. LaVaughn received her B.S. in health education from the University of Dayton and her M.A. in public health education from Central Michigan University.
Joanne Pohl, Ph.D., M.S.N
Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean, Community Partnerships, School of Nursing
jpohl@umich.edu
Joanne Pohl, Associate Dean for Community Partnerships, earned her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1992. She received her M.S.N from Wayne State University (1979), and her B.S. from Southern Connecticut State College (1969). She is currently the Principal Investigator on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation funded project National Network for Nurse Managed Health Centers and serves as President of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. Her research interests include nurse managed centers, smoking cessation and primary care of the homeless.
Kenneth R. Silk, M.D.
Professor and Director, Personality Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry
ksilk@umich.edu
Kenneth Silk attended Brandeis University and went to medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. After completing a residency in Psychiatry at Yale, he came to Ann Arbor where he is currently Professor of Psychiatry. Dr. Silk is a consulting psychiatrist at University Health Service where he works 1 1/2 days a week. Dr. Silk was an Associate Chair in the Department of Psychiatry for ten years. He was Chair of the Health System’s Faculty Group Practice Board for two years while serving as a board member for eight years. Dr. Silk teaches residents and medical students in Psychiatry. He also sees outpatients in the Department of Psychiatry clinics. He is a member of the University of Michigan Depression Center.
Samuel M. Silver, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology,
Medical Director, Cancer Center Network
msilver@umich.edu
Samuel Silver is a Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, and Medical Director for both the Cancer Center Network and the Medical Management Center. He also serves as Assistant Medical Director for the Faculty Group Practice at the Medical Center. He earned his M.D. at Cornell University Medical College (1979) and his Ph.D. in Virology at Rockefeller University. His clinical interests include malignant hematology, bleeding disorders and platelet disorders, and his research interests include malignant hematology and quality of oncology care. Dr. Silver is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American Heart Association.
Charles B. Smith, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Pharmacology, Medical School, and Chair of SACUA and Senate Assembly
cbsmith@umich.edu
Charles B. Smith, M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Michigan Medical School. He is author of more than 200 publications that deal with neurobiology, neuropharmacology, antidepressant drugs, psychomotor stimulants and opiates. Professor Smith is currently Chair of the University’s Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs, the Senate Assembly and the Faculty Senate.
Dean G. Smith, Ph.D.
Professor of Health Management and Policy and
Senior Associate Dean for Administration, School of Public Health
deans@umich.edu
Prior to joining the faculty in 1985, Professor Smith was with a management consulting firm, where he was responsible for health care clients. He is committed to a line of research that helps to provide a better understanding of the financial aspects of working with and working in health care delivery and financing organizations. He serves as consultant to numerous health services, health financing and pharmaceutical firms. In July 2005, he became Senior Associate Dean for Administration at the School of Public Health. He is also Director of the Center for Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID) and chairs the University’s Pharmacy Benefit Oversight Committee.
Arvind Sohoni
Undergraduate Student Representative, Student,
Undergraduate Business Administration, Stephen M. Ross School of Business
avsohoni@umich.edu
Arvind Sohoni’s love for politics was cultivated at a young age during the 2000 election. He has been involved in campaigns and elections ever since. He is currently a Field Organizer for the University of Michigan College Democrats and is looking forward to continuing his involvement in politics at all levels. He is also a member of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity and has been involved in student government in various capacities. A sophomore in the Undergraduate Business Program, he intends to concentrate in business law and hopefully attend law school upon graduation.
Denise Stegall
Project Manager, University Human Resources
dstegall@umich.edu
Denise Stegall is on special assignment during 2007 as a project manager in Human Resources and will serve the committee as support staff. Denise has been with the University for five years with previous experience at Ford Motor Company, SunTrust Banks, Inc. and US Bank. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Madonna University and a M.B.A. from Marygrove College in St. Louis, Missouri.
James G. Stevenson, Pharm.D.
Pharmacy Director, UMH Pharmacy Administration;
Associate Dean for Clinical Sciences and Professor of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy
jimsteve@umich.edu
James G. Stevenson, Pharm.D., Associate Dean for Clinical Sciences and Professor of Pharmacy at the College of Pharmacy, and Director of Pharmacy Services at U-M Hospitals and Health Centers, is the Medication Safety Editor of the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, the leading journal in its field. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. His research interests are pharmacy practice management, pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research.
Kathleen M. Sutcliffe, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Research;
Gilbert and Ruth Whitaker Professor of Business Administration;
Professor of Management and Organization, Stephen M. Ross School of Business
ksutclif@umich.edu
Kathleen M. Sutcliffe holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, a M.S.N from the University of Washington, a B.S. from the University of Alaska-Anchorage and a B.A. from the University of Michigan. Her research is devoted to understanding the fundamental mechanisms of organizational adaptation, reliability and resilience. One stream of research focuses on how top executive team composition, cognition and learning influence a firm’s adaptability and performance. A second stream of work focuses on processes associated with team and organizational resilience, high-reliability organizing and investigation of the social and organizational underpinnings of medical mishaps, with the explicit goal of understanding how an organization’s design contributes to its member’s ability to successfully manage unexpected events.
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Laurita Thomas
Associate Vice President, University Human Resources
laurita@umich.edu
Laurita Thomas is the Associate Vice President for Human Resources at the University of Michigan. She gained a deep understanding of human resources as the former Administrator of Human Resources and Director of Allied Health Education in the Health System. Her human resources career spans roles in the financial industry, higher education and healthcare. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan in political science and economics. Her graduate work is in guidance and counseling and business administration. Her leadership roles have included officer positions in the University Health System Consortium’s Human Resources Officers Council, Medical Center Employee Relations Association, the Society for Human Resources Management, the Human Resources Planning Society, American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration and in many community service organizations.
Robert Winfield, M.D.
Chief Health Officer and Director, University Health Service
rwinf@umich.edu
Dr. Winfield is the director of the University Health Service (UHS) and the Chief Health Officer for the University. He has been a leader in the development of University policy on a variety of health-related concerns. From 2001 to 2003, he headed the University’s Mental Health Work Group, which created recommendations for far-reaching changes to improve mental health support for students. He co-chaired the SARS Campus Planning Group and he currently co-chairs the Infectious Hazards Planning Group that is focused on preparations for a possible influenza pandemic. In this capacity, he works closely with many units of the University, the Health System and the Washtenaw County Health Department. He has served for the past two years as a member of the Michigan Healthy Community Task Force and co-chairs the Student Health and Wellness Subcommittee. He currently chairs the Integrated Disability Oversight Committee and co-chairs the Michigan Healthy Community Steering Committee, both charged to improve the health, well-being and productivity of the University faculty and staff.
Marilyn Woolfolk, D.D.S., M.P.H.
Assistant Dean of Student Services and Professor of Dentistry, School of Dentistry
winder@umich.edu
Dr. Marilyn Woolfolk earned her dental degree from the University of Michigan in 1978 and a Master’s in public health from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 1982. She has served in numerous roles at the School of Dentistry, including Director of Student Affairs and Assistant Dean for Student Services and was awarded Fellowship in the American College of Dentists in 2007. A significant portion of her research and teaching activities has focused on documenting the oral health status of underrepresented populations and diversifying the health professions workforce. She has secured grants from the Bureau of Health Professions’ Health Career Opportunity Program to conduct programs that enhance the competitiveness of the underrepresented and disadvantaged applicants at the University of Michigan and helps current students achieve success both here and in their chosen career path.
Diane Wyatt
Administrator, College of Literature, Science and Arts History
dwyatt@umich.edu
Diane is the Administrator for History in the College of LSA. She provides administrative oversight for personnel management, policy development and implementation, annual budget and financial controls, facilities and research administration. She is also active in College committees such as the Key Administrator’s Group and the Human Resources Council. Diane has over 20 years of administrative experience at the University of Michigan including positions at the Medical School, Library, and LSA. She has a master’s degree in health services administration and a B.A. in health policy studies. Her continuing education includes conferences on research administration and human resources.