Committee on Clinical Leadership

Samuel Hammerman, MD, MMM, FCCP, CPE, Chair-elect, is chief medical officer, LTAC Hospital Division, and Chief Quality Officer, for Select Medical. He also currently serves as Assistant Professor of Medicine at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. He has an extensive background in pulmonology and critical care medicine and recently served as director of pulmonary and critical care medicine for Geisinger Health System. At Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital, he led innovation initiatives focusing on patient centered clinical care, operations, quality and safety, and education. He was also previously employed by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and its Magee Women’s Hospital.

Dr. Hammerman is a graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Boston University Medical Center. He earned his master’s degree in medical management (MMM) from Carnegie Mellon University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland. He recently completed requirements to become a Certified Physician Executive.

Brooke Buckley, MD, FACS, Past Chair, serves as chief medical officer of Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital. She is responsible for the leadership of the hospital’s physicians. Before serving in her current role, Dr. Buckley served as vice president and chief medical officer of Meritus Health, a regional health system in Washington County, Maryland.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Buckley brings with her years of administrative experience with a focus on clinical integration, process improvement and quality care with a special concentration in professional development. She earned her undergraduate degree in biology at The Johns Hopkins University and her medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health.

Steven Diaz, MD, FAAFP, FACEP, chief medical officer for MaineGeneral Health, has been active at MaineGeneral since 1993. He completed his family medicine at the Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency in 1996, and then joined the department of emergency medicine upon graduation. While at MaineGeneral, he became the assistant medical director of emergency medicine in 2002 and left that position in July 2007 on his way to vice president of Medical Administration, and now the system CMO.  

Dr. Diaz is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He has published two handbooks on Emergency Medicine that have been translated to become part of an international distribution. Dr. Diaz is also chairman of the Maine Hospital Association Board of Directors, and a past member of the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board as its physician member.

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.  

Hoyt Burdick, MD, MMM, CPE, FACP, FCCP, FAAPL, FACHE, CPHQ, CPPS, is the chief medical officer for Marshall Health Network, where he serves a fulltime CMO for two hospitals in Huntington, WV (Cabell Huntington Hospital and St. Mary’s Medical Center. He oversees performance improvement and patient safety, infection prevention, regulatory compliance, medical staff, peer review, credentialing, and supervision of physician medical directors. He also serves as the healthcare system Graduate Medical Education representative for both Marshall University School of Medicine and its residencies/fellowships and the Marshall Community Health Consortium’s programs.

Prior to his current role, Dr. Burdick practiced for ten years as an intensivist and pulmonologist in private practice, with a volunteer faculty position in the Marshall University School of Medicine. Dr. Burdick received his medical degree in 1980 from the University Of Mississippi School Of Medicine, where he also completed training and became board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonology and critical care.

Benjamin R. Carter, CPA, FHFMA is Trinity Health's chief operating officer responsible for leading all Health Ministries and other operational areas. Trinity Health regional CEOs, the executive vice presidents for continuing care and administrative services, Trinity Health's system chief information/innovation officer, and the vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, all report to Carter. Previously he served as the system's executive vice president and chief financial officer. Additional duties under this role included accountability for several regions operationally as well as leading merger and acquisition integrations. Prior to joining Trinity Health, Carter was executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Detroit Medical Center (DMC), where he was responsible for the operations of the regional system’s eight hospitals and related outpatient facilities. During his tenure there, Carter was instrumental in the DMC’s financial turnaround, which resulted in six consecutive years of profitability. He led key growth, cost reduction and profit initiatives in multiple service lines. Prior to leading DMC operations, Carter spent nearly 17 years in executive-level positions at Oakwood Healthcare in Dearborn, Michigan. He started his career at Plante Moran in Southfield, Michigan, where he worked for eight years.

Throughout his career, Carter has served on many internal and external boards including Care Tech Solutions, Inc., DMC Care Express, the Invest Michigan Advisory Board, Boys Hope Girls Hope of Detroit and also led as co-chair, Governor Rick Snyder's task force on Responsible Retirement Reform for Local Government. He has been appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer as a commissioner on the Michigan Aeronautics Commission, overseeing all aviation related activities for the State of Michigan. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Carter is an alumnus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he graduated magna cum laude with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration.

Loretta Christensen, MD, MBA, MSJ, FACS, an enrolled member of the Navajo Tribe, serves as the chief medical officer of the Indian Health Service. The IHS, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the principal federal health care provider for American Indians and Alaska Natives. As the chief medical officer, Dr. Christensen is IHS’ lead expert on medical and public health topics, giving technical consultation and guidance to the IHS Office of the Director and IHS staff throughout the country on American Indian and Alaska Native health care policies and issues. She provides national leadership for clinical and community-based health programs of the agency, and serves as the primary liaison and advocate for IHS health professionals.

Dr. Christensen began her career with the IHS as a general surgeon. She most recently served as the chief medical officer of the Navajo Area Indian Health Service from 2017-2021. Dr. Christensen received her undergraduate degree in biological anthropology from Harvard University and her medical degree from Hahnemann University Medical School, now the Drexel University College of Medicine. Dr. Christensen also holds a master of business administration from Georgian Court University and a master of jurisprudence with a specialty in healthcare law from Seton Hall Law School.

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. 

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.

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. 
 

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. 

Jay Maningo-Salinas, PhD, RN, NE-BC, CPHQ, FACHE, serves as the Vice Chair of Research at Mayo Clinic in Arizona where she provides leadership oversight of more than 400 scientific faculty, clinical and allied health staff. In this role, she partners with the Dean of Research to oversee the conduct of research, strategy planning, prioritization and execution, human resource planning and management, financial performance, and staff relations. Dr. Maningo-Salinas has nearly 30 years of nursing experience in clinical and leadership roles in various health care settings including -- hematology, oncology, solid organ and bone marrow transplant and surgery. She holds academic rank of Assistant Professor of Nursing in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Dr. Maningo-Salinas started her professional nursing journey with an Associate in Nursing Degree from the College of Lake County. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Alverno College, a Master of Science in Nursing from Benedictine University, a Master of Science in Health and Human Services Administration from Spertus College and a Doctor of Philosophy in Health and Human Services Administration from Capella University.

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.

Mary Peterson, MD, MSHCA, FACHE, FASA, FAAP, serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Driscoll Health System and emeritus staff at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is also a clinical associate professor at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

Dr. Peterson is actively involved with the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and has served in numerous roles at the ASA, most recently as ASA first vice president. Dr. Peterson also serves on the Executive Committees of the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists and Nueces County Medical Society. She has been an active member of the American Medical Association and the Texas Medical Association since 1984.

Dr. Peterson received her Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University. She completed her Doctor of Medicine and anesthesiology residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, where she was elected chief resident. Dr. Peterson also completed a Master of Science in Health Care Administration at Trinity University in San Antonio. She is board-certified in anesthesiology and critical care medicine.

James Porter, MD, FACHE, FACP, FAAP, serves as president of Deaconess Health System Inc., Evansville, Ind. In this role he has initiated Deaconess Care Integration and led its growth and development into one of the most successful Next Generation ACOs in the country. Under Dr. Porter's leadership, Deaconess also launched the OneCare Collaborative, a clinically integrated network recognized as a national leader for innovation and success in value and risk-based arrangements.

Prior to his current role as President, Dr. Porter served as executive vice president and chief physician executive at Deaconess Health System. Dr. Porter is board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics. He received his bachelor of arts from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and his Doctor of Medicine from Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Adia Ross, MD, MHA, serves as the chief medical officer at Atrium Wake Forest Baptist High Point Regional Hospital. Before joining the Atrium Wake Forest family, Dr. Ross served as Duke Regional Hospital’s chief medical officer, where she helped oversee quality and clinical program priorities as well as work closely with Duke Regional’s medical staff. 

Dr. Ross completed her internal medicine residency at Duke in 2013 and received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine in 2009.

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.