Committee on Clinical Leadership

James Porter, MD, FACHE, FACP, FAAP, Chair-elect, serves as president, Physician Division of Deaconess Health System Inc., Evansville, Ind. Dr. Porter joined Deaconess Hospital in 2000 as an adult and pediatric hospitalist & was appointed Vice President of Medical Affairs in 2002.  He has been a part of the senior executive team which has lead Deaconess Health System’s growth from a single hospital and small primary care physician group into a major referral and teaching integrated health system with 20 hospitals and 2,000 employed providers serving over 1.2 million people in three states.

Today he leads the physician division of one of the top-rated health systems for quality, safety, patient and employee engagement, and financial performance in Indiana. He also leads one of the top performing Medicare ACO’s in the nation and the expansion of teaching at Deaconess to include 4 residency programs and 2 fellowships.

Deaconess has been named the US News number 2 hospital in Indiana six times, HealthGrades’ best 250 hospitals, Forbes Best Large Employers in America, Forbes Best Employers for Diversity and is the only HIMSS 7 inpatient and outpatient health system in Indiana.

James received his BA in microbiology, magna cum laude, from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and his MD from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky and is board certified in both specialties.  Dr. Porter is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the American College of Physicians and of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

He is actively involved in the community serving on numerous boards including the IU School of Medicine-Evansville Community Advisory Committee, Southern Indiana Graduate Education Consortium (SIGMEC), Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP), Warrick County Chamber of Commerce, Evansville Aquatics Foundation and Scouting America Buffalo Trace Council.   He is the former chair of the United Way of Southwest Indiana board and served as the 2019 United Way Campaign chair.

Robert Vissers, MD, Board Liaison, serves as president and CEO of Boulder Community Health in Boulder, CO. Dr. Vissers joined Boulder Community Health in 2014 as COO before becoming President and CEO in 2015. During his time at Boulder Community Health, he has focused on creating efficiency and innovation to drive value in health care and improve the patient experience. Previously, Dr. Vissers served as a medical director and associate CMO for Legacy Health in Portland, Ore., and was president and CEO of Northwest Acute Care Specialists.

Dr. Vissers contributes to many local and national organizations, including as chairperson for Vizient’s Community Based Independent Hospital (CBIH) network of more than 100 independent hospitals nationwide. Vissers has also held various leadership roles with the Colorado Hospital Association board of trustees, including as chairperson in 2022.

Dr. Vissers’ leadership is grounded in 25 years of front-line practice in emergency medicine. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado and faculty for the University of Colorado Executive Health Care MBA program.  He has been clinical faculty at Harvard University, University of North Carolina and Oregon Health Sciences University.

Dr. Vissers earned his medical degree from the University of Western Ontario, completed a residency program in emergency medicine at the University of British Columbia and earned his master’s in business administration degree from Oregon Health and Science University/Portland State University.

Mohammed Agha, MD, MHA, serves as an Attending Physiatrist, US Physiatry at SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital - Lake St. Louis. In his new role, he sees patients who have different injuries such as strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and orthopedic maladies, as well as other patients who require intensive medical and rehabilitation oversight once they leave the acute care hospital. As the rehabilitation unit is located on the top floor of the acute care hospital, he remains closely connected to the physicians on the acute care floors by also providing PM&R consultations. Previously, Dr. Agha served as the the Medical Director of Care Coordination at SSM St. Joseph’s Lake St. Louis where he led and collaborated with hospital leadership, clinicians, case managers, utilization managers, and social workers to several initiatives to improve care coordination, reduce readmissions, standardize multi-disciplinary rounds, optimize utilization, and improve documentation integrity. 

Prior to his time at SSM, Dr. Agha worked on clinical integration at BJC HealthCare, where he coordinated quality and resource management across 15 hospitals in the system, focusing on radiology and lab/blood management. He also has extensive experience as a general musculoskeletal and non-interventional spine physiatrist at his prior role at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor of Clinical PM&R and Orthopedic Surgery, utilizing musculoskeletal ultrasound for diagnosis and injections.

Danny Branstetter MD, MSN, MHCM, is an experienced physician executive, award winning clinician, and sought after speaker and medical media correspondent.  Danny is currently serving as Chief Medical Officer at Wellstar’s tertiary and quaternary,  633 bed, level 2 trauma, regional medical center.  He continues to maintain an active infectious diseases clinical practice and is a multi-year awardee as an Atlanta Top Doctor.   His service on the Board of Wellstar Clinical Partners, a clinically integrated network, fulfills his  passion for developing innovative care models that expand and enhance care and access to all. Danny’s dedicated service to his teams, colleagues, and students has garnered accolades as a trusted leader and colleague.  Danny strives to be a difference maker pursuing  the highest quality, safest, and most affordable means to maintain and restore health.  

A graduate of Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health with a focus on Health Care Management. He completed a fellow in Infectious Disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Internal medicine residency at Emory University.  He maintains board certification in internal medicine and infectious diseases.  His health care career began as an acute care nurse practitioner working in trauma care and cardiac intervention at Vanderbilt Medical Center and HCA’s Centennial Medical Center in Nashville.  

Joy Drass, MD is executive vice president and chief operating officer for MedStar Health with executive oversight of 10 hospitals, Integrated Operations, Nursing, and Operational Support. She also has executive responsibility for MedStar Ambulatory Services, MedStar Health Home Care, MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, and MedStar Medical Group, the system’s physician enterprise activities. Previously, Dr. Drass served as executive vice president of Operations for the Washington region with responsibility for system wide Human Resources and Nursing functions and focused on regional program development and operational synergy among the D.C. market-based entities for MedStar Health. She provided strategic oversight and management for MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, and MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

An alumna of Georgetown University Medical School, Dr. Drass received her medical degree and remained in the Washington, D.C., area to complete her residency and critical care fellowship programs. Dr. Drass worked for 13 years as an intensivist in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, and the MedSTAR Trauma Unit at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, as well as held a variety of clinical leadership roles at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. In addition to her medical credentials, Dr. Drass received a master's in business administration from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business. Dr. Drass has served as chair of the District of Columbia Hospital Association Board of Directors and numerous other Washington, D.C., based task forces and committees. She speaks and writes on healthcare topics and regularly participates in conferences. 

Chris Frost, MD, MHM currently serves as the senior vice president, chief medical officer and chief quality officer with Lifepoint Health. In his role as senior vice president, chief medical officer and chief quality officer, Dr. Chris Frost is responsible for overseeing the development of specific clinical- and quality-focused processes to enhance safety and ensure optimal outcomes for patients. Dr. Frost also works to coordinate and integrate key functions – including peer review, medical staff governance, quality data and analytics, and clinical content governance – as essential infrastructure components that support the quality work of Lifepoint’s medical teams and clinical staff. Additionally, he leads the quality and clinical operations team and oversees the company’s National Quality Program. Dr. Frost most recently served as SVP, chief medical officer of Lifepoint communities, and prior to this, he served the company as national medical director, hospital-based services. Prior to joining Lifepoint, Dr. Frost served as the Chief Medical Officer of Hospital Medicine Services for a multi-state management group and as the Medical Director of Hospital-Based Providers for Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Physician Services.

A Master in Hospital Medicine, Dr. Frost served on the Board of Directors for the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) and is past president of the organization. He has held a number of clinical roles, including as an emergency department physician, hospitalist and medical director for large community hospitalist programs throughout his career. He also served as a physician in the United States Air Force, completing his military service at the rank of Major.

Dr. Frost attended Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He graduated from the Medical College of Georgia, and then completed his internship and residency in the Combined Internal Medicine & Pediatrics residency program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Upon completion of his residency, Dr. Frost was a Chief Resident for the Division of Internal Medicine. Today, he is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine with a Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine. His community involvement includes serving on the board of directors of 4:13 Strong and Special Olympics Tennessee, both located in Nashville, Tennessee.

Jason M. Golbin, DO, MBA, MS serves as executive vice president and chief medical officer for Catholic Health. In this role, Dr. Golbin will oversee quality, safety, regulatory, risk management and the experience of care across Catholic Health. He will continue to pursue clinical excellence and optimize the patient experience. Before joining Catholic Health, Dr. Golbin was in private practice on the South Shore as a pulmonary and critical care physician. In 2013, he joined the health system as vice president and chief medical officer at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital. Four years later he was promoted to senior vice president/system chief quality officer. In 2020, he was named system chief patient experience officer.

Dr. Golbin obtained his medical degree from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. He continued his training in internal medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital followed by a Fellowship in Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He also earned an MBA from Adelphi University.

Carin Hagberg, MD, FASA, is the senior vice president and chief academic officer at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. In her role, Dr. Hagberg is responsible for overseeing and integrating three crucial areas: the academic life of faculty, the initiation and regulation of high-quality clinical research, and the growth and development of women and minority inclusion for faculty. Dr. Hagberg is a practicing physician with a clinical interest in airway management and enhanced recovery pathways. She has also served as a medical advisor on the development of numerous advanced airway devices.

Dr. Hagberg is a graduate of the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, where she earned her medical degree, and holds a biology degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Before her current position, Dr. Hagberg served as the medical director of Perioperative Services at Memorial Herman Hospital in Houston, TX.

Samantha L. Klebe, DO, MBA, SFHM is the Chief Physician of Marshfield Clinic Sanford Health. Before this role, she served as the Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Affairs for River Region. 
Dr. Klebe received her medical degree from the Edward Via Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at WellSpan York Hospital in York, PA. She subsequently received her certificates in Physician’s Leadership, Women’s Leadership, and her Master’s in Business Administration.

She has been with the health system for four years and continues to work as a hospitalist at Marshfield Weston campus.

Micah Krempasky. MD, originally hails from Whitwell, a one stoplight town in rural Tennessee. She graduated from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA and then returned to Tennessee to attend medical school at Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University. She completed her Psychiatry Residency and served as Chief Resident at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH.

In her current role as Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health & Well-Being at WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina, Dr. Krempasky leads the charge to build a continuum of mental health care to support a healthier community. Before coming to WakeMed, Dr. Krempasky served as the Senior Patient Safety Officer for Mission Health System based in Asheville, NC. In this role, she engaged key physicians as well as other clinical leaders to foster an environment of clinical excellence and a culture of safety across the 800+ bed system.

Dr. Krempasky is dedicated to innovative solutions with a particular passion for reducing workplace violence. Drawing from her extensive experience in patient safety and psychiatry, she has honed expertise in enhancing reporting strategies and developing data-driven incident reduction programs. Her focus on employee support programs ensures a holistic approach to creating safer healthcare environments. 
 

Marjorie Lazarre, PharmD, MBA received her doctoral degree in Pharmacy from Howard University in Washington, DC. She completed her pharmacy practice residency at Yale New Haven Hospital, went on to attain her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management and her fellowship with Carol Emmott Foundation. Dr. Lazarre has served in numerous leadership roles within Yale New Haven Health, currently serving as the VP and Chief Pharmacy Officer.  She is responsible for advancing strategic objectives consistent with the organizational mission and vison of patient care excellence. Additionally, she oversees all associated regulatory compliance measures and fiscal performance for all pharmacy business lines.

She is active nationally in pharmacy and healthcare organizations, including Connecticut Hospital Association, American Society of Healthsystem Pharmacists, Connecticut Society of Healthsystem Pharmacists and 340B Health. She serves as a board member for 340B Health, chair of the CHA 340B Subcommittee, member of the EPIC Pharmacy Advisory Board,  LRV Health Pharmacy Innovation Advisory Group, Vizient Business and Advocacy Councils, Marcrohelix Advisory Board, BD Strategic Advisory Board, Mckesson Executive Alliance, State of CT Diabetes High-Deductible Health Plans and Workforce Planning Work Groups as well as the State of CT Prescription Drug Task Force.

Dr. Lazarre pursued a career in pharmacy to help educate patients and families on how to better understand, advocate and adhere to their medication therapies. She serves as board member and clinical trial education liaison for Connecticut and Western Massachusetts Chapter Breakthrough T1D as well as on the board member for the International Finance & Investment Board for Breakthrough TID formerly JDRF.   Ava, her eldest child, was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes at 7 years of age. She continues to support her family and hopes to use her power both professionally and personally to support others in their healthcare journey.

Tammy Lundstrom, MD, JD, serves as senior vice president and chief medical officer at Trinity Health. Dr. Lundstrom is responsible for leading and aligning more than 33,000 employed and affiliated physicians through her work with ministry CMOs across Trinity Health. Lundstrom has an extensive background in the fields of infection control, hospital epidemiology, quality and patient safety. Dr. Lundstrom has served as an associate professor of infectious diseases at Wayne State University School of Medicine and an adjunct professor at Wayne State University School of Law. She has served on multiple state and national committees relating to infection control and quality, as well as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-CDC’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC).

Dr. Lundstrom received her medical degree from the University of Minnesota and completed her residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in infectious disease at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit Medical Center. She is currently board certified in infectious diseases. Lundstrom also holds a law degree from Wayne State University.

Michael Main, MD, MBA, serves as Chief Executive Officer of Saint Luke’s Physician Group and as Chief Clinical Officer for BJC Health System (West Region). He is a practicing cardiologist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, with clinical interests including valvular heart disease and echocardiography. A professor of medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, he is the author or co-author of more than 100 peer reviewed publications in medical journals.

He received his medical degree from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine (Alpha Omega Alpha) and completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in cardiovascular diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, followed by an advanced cardiac imaging fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to his medical training, he completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a Master of Science (MS) in Healthcare Leadership and Management, and graduate certification in Health Informatics Leadership, all at the Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas.

He formerly served as medical director of the echocardiography laboratory at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, as chair of the department of cardiovascular diseases at Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, as chair of the Saint Luke’s Physician Group Cardiovascular Division, and as Co-Executive Medical Director of Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute. 

Toby Marsh, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE is a nationally recognized nurse leader with over two decades of experience advancing patient care, clinical excellence, and nursing leadership. Toby currently serves as the Regional CNE and VP for Clinical Integration, for the 21 hospitals in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California region, where he leads with a passion for innovation, leading strategic initiatives that advance nursing excellence, improve patient outcomes, and fostering a culture of innovation and high reliability. One of the key initiatives he oversees is for each of the medical centers to obtain Magnet designation. Toby is widely recognized for his commitment to nursing professional governance, workforce well-being, relationship-based cultures, and the integration of evidence-based practice (EBP) at all levels of care.  

Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, Toby served as the Chief Nursing and Patient Care Services Office at UC Davis Health in Sacramento, CA, holding progressive leadership roles during his 18-year tenure with the organization. During his time at UC Davis Health, he helped lead the organization to three consecutive Magnet designations and nurse residency program accreditation.  He spent 7 years in the United States Air Force. While in the Air Force, he served as a Personnel Programs Officer and Squadron Section Commander. Toby also previously served as President of the California Association of Healthcare Leaders, and President of the Sacramento Sierra Nurse Leaders

Toby holds a doctorate degree in nursing practice from the University of California San Francisco, is a board-certified Nurse Executive (NEA-BC), Fellow American Leadership Forum, and Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).   

Barbara Martin, PhD, APRN, MPH serves as the system senior vice president for Advanced Practice at CommonSpirit Health. In this role, Dr. Martin is responsible for leading a team of 2,400 employed  Advanced Practice Providers spanning nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists and certified nurse midwives across the enterprise. In alignment with the organization’s mission, vision and values, she provides executive leadership and strategic direction for the Advanced Practice teams’ clinical and business operations throughout the 21 states CommonSpirit serves.

Barbara previously served as the CommonSpirit Health System Director for Advanced Practice Ambulatory Care supporting ambulatory advanced practice providers with additional focus during the COVID-19 response of supporting Physician Enterprise virtual care delivery integration as well as serving as the clinical leader for the post-acute virtual care.

Barbara is a nurse practitioner with clinical and leadership experience in Cardiology. She received her master’s degree in Public Health in 2013 and PhD in 2020 with a focus on the role of advanced practice providers in systems change work to enhance and improve systems of care delivery. Prior to joining CommonSpirit Health in 2019,  Dr. Martin was appointed Director of the Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM) Office, leading state health reform efforts to integrate behavioral and physical health care supported by value-based payment.

Desirée (Desi) McCue, DNP, MBA, RN, FACHE, CENP, is an experienced nurse executive who currently serves as the Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center in Tualatin, Oregon. In this role, Desi oversees nursing practices and is actively involved in the hospital's daily operations. She also represents the seven-hospital system as the executive sponsor for Emergency Services and EMS collaboration.

Desi is well-known for her leadership in initiatives and research focused on improving workplace safety and wellness, which supports the quadruple aim of healthcare. She has been a keynote speaker on these critical topics and has received the March of Dimes Award twice for her contributions to healthcare leadership. Additionally, she was honored with the Frist Humanitarian Award for her work in forensic nursing, presented by HCA. Desi has also served as a clinical instructor and has contributed to Graduate Medical Education (GME) for medical residents in an academic medical setting.

Dr. McCue earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Boise State University, her Master's in Business Administration from Western Governors University, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Boise State University. She is board certified as a Nurse Executive by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and has participated in the Nurse Executive Fellowship. Furthermore, Desi is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
 

Kevin McEwan, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, is the Chief Nursing Officer at Madisonhealth in Rexburg. His previous roles were Vice President of patient care services and Chief Nursing Officer at Down East Community Hospital in Machias, Maine, Assistant Professor at Brigham Young University and Nursing Administrator with Intermountain Healthcare. Dr. McEwan is board certified as Nurse Executive and serves as a Magnet Appraiser for the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s International Magnet Recognition Program. He is a past Board member for the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and Current President of Nurse Leaders of Idaho and Board member of the Eastern Idaho Community Crisis Centers. Dr. McEwan’s research emphasis and professional publications are focused on leadership development of colleagues as well as front-line nurse leaders and quality patient outcomes.

Dr. McEwan earned his Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Leadership from Boise State University, Master of Science in Nursing from University of Phoenix and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Boise State University.

Samir Shahen, MD, is an accomplished family medicine physician, born and raised in an underserved community in Chicago. Coming from humble beginnings, has made significant contributions to the healthcare field. Over the past 7 years, he has served the underserved community at Humboldt Park Health, initially starting as a hospitalist physician and faculty member. Driven by his passion for improving healthcare systems, he quickly rose to the position of Chief Hospitalist, where he implemented innovative strategies to enhance quality and safety within the hospital.

Recognizing the importance of education and mentorship, Dr. Shahen took on the role of Program Director for the Family Medicine Program, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping the future generation of physicians. His dedication to medical education led him to assume the responsibilities of Designated Institutional Officer and Director of Medical Education, overseeing the training and development of medical professionals.