Fellows: Class of 2026

Former Chief Physician Executive
Alameda Health System

Chitra Akileswaran, MD, MBA, was the chief physician executive of Alameda Health System, an 800-bed level 1 trauma center in Oakland, California. A board-certified obstetrician gynecologist, she previously served as president of Alameda Health Medical Group, a 330-physician multispecialty practice. There, she led a major turnaround—reducing physician turnover from 10% to 4% while recruiting over 100 physicians and 15 specialty leaders. She implemented sustainable recruitment, compensation, and engagement systems that closed service gaps and strengthened workforce performance.

Dr. Akileswaran is also the co-founder of Cleo, a venture-backed digital health platform supporting working caregivers and families, with employer partners including Salesforce and PepsiCo. Since its founding in 2016, Cleo has raised more than $80M from leading investors.

She previously worked at McKinsey & Company. She earned her undergraduate degree from Brown University, her MD from Harvard Medical School, and her MBA from Harvard Business School.

President- Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital
Chief Operating Officer- Henry Ford Providence Novi & Southfield
Henry Ford Health

Karima Bentounsi is president of Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital and chief operating officer for Henry Ford Providence Southfield and Novi Hospitals. She leads a 191-bed acute care campus while overseeing daily operations across Providence Southfield (492 beds) and Providence Novi (259 beds), ensuring alignment with Henry Ford Health’s strategic vision. Karima focuses on advancing clinical excellence, operational performance, and sustainable growth across the Metro Detroit region.

An accomplished senior healthcare executive, she brings extensive experience in healthcare operations, finance, and management across not-for-profit, investor-owned, and public systems. Before the Henry Ford–Ascension Michigan joint venture in 2024, she served as regional COO for Ascension Michigan and previously held CEO and COO roles at Detroit Medical Center, overseeing multiple hospitals.

Bentounsi holds an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management and is recognized nationally for her leadership. She serves on several community boards, including the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network and Novi Chamber of Commerce.

Vice President of Interprofessional Education and the Health Education Center
University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)

Dr. Katie Branch is the Vice President for Interprofessional Education and the Health Education Center at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and holds the Peter K. Thompson, MD Distinguished Professorship Endowment. She provides leadership for UTMB’s Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice, the Interprofessional Simulation Center, the Office of Life Support Education and Training, Office of Interprofessional Continuing Education, and Classroom Services.

A recognized leader in simulation-based learning and interprofessional education, Dr. Branch has extensive experience in building institutional capacity to support collaborative, technology-enhanced learning across health professions. Her commitment to patient safety and advancing innovation in healthcare education has driven the development and implementation of immersive simulation experiences that bridge academic learning and clinical practice.

In 2024, Dr. Branch received the Excellence in Innovation in the Field of Virtual Simulation Award from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and was inducted as a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice.

EVP, Chief Operating Officer
Geisinger Health System

Megan Brosious, MHA, serves as the executive vice president and chief operating officer at Geisinger Health System. She is an accomplished healthcare professional with extensive experience in operational and revenue management at Geisinger Health System since 2005. She has significantly contributed to the development of strategies aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery and community initiatives. Known for her integrity and collaborative approach, Brosious has built strong relationships with various stakeholders, including clinical teams and community leaders.

Her notable achievements include leading a joint venture with Acadia Healthcare to enhance behavioral health services, designing an $834 million campus expansion project, and helping lead the creation of the Neuroscience Institute. She earned a BA in Interpersonal Communication Studies from Bloomsburg University of PA and an MHA from Pennsylvania State University.

Chief Operating Officer TGen, and President TGen Health Ventures
City of Hope

Tess Burleson has worked at City of Hope since 2016, when TGen was acquired by City of Hope, and she has worked at TGen since 2007. She serves as the chief operating officer, overseeing all non-scientific functions, and as president of TGen Health Ventures, which develops technologies and incubates companies from technologies arising from the research. She began her career in public accounting at KPMG and has worked in healthcare and life sciences since 1990. She serves on several boards, for both public and private companies, and she serves as a subject matter expert for consulting and investment firms.

Vice President of Quality & Safety
Yale New Haven Health

Corey Champeau is recognized as a seasoned leader in the healthcare industry, known for her commitment to patient safety and quality improvement. Her clinical background began as a physician assistant, where she cultivated a deep passion for meaningful impact on a broader scale. Driven by her desire to influence positive change, she pursued advanced education, earning an MBA from Quinnipiac University. She further strengthened her expertise by obtaining certifications in both quality and safety and completed a quality fellowship through the Greater New York Healthcare Association. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated exceptional skill in integrating teams, fostering collaboration, and supporting organizations to achieve improved outcomes. Since 2018, she has played a pivotal role in leading safety and quality within large academic health systems. In 2023, she joined Yale New Haven Health, where she continues to apply her expertise to improve patient outcomes and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Associate Dean, Academic Administration
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital / Johns Hopkins Medicine

Lisa DeBerry joined Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital as associate dean for academic administration in 2021. She is focused on the continued development of the research and education programs for the hospital’s institutes and departments in support of learning, inquiry and clinical excellence. She oversees academic affiliations, the strategic growth and recruitment of Johns Hopkins Medicine faculty at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Graduate Medical Education and the Center for Medical Simulation and Innovative Education. She is the chief of research administration for the All Children’s Research Institute (ACRI) and leads several research cores and service centers to support the research mission on the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital campus.

SVP / Associate Chief People Officer – HR Operations
AdventHealth

Alyson Gordon is a transformational human capital executive with over two decades of leadership in healthcare HR strategy, operations, and change management. As SVP and associate chief people officer for HR operations at AdventHealth, she is responsible for optimizing enterprise-wide HR performance, driving innovation and service excellence across the organization. She serves as the sponsor for the December 2025 Workday HCM implementation, the largest go-live in the company’s history, and is a leader in digital transformation and future-ready workforce solutions. After earning her degree from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, Gordon began her career with AdventHealth as an HR resident. Following several progressive leadership roles, she spent seven years with Duke Health before rejoining AdventHealth in 2024.

Chief Pharmacy Officer
UVA Health

Danielle Griggs is the chief pharmacy officer at UVA Health. She is responsible for health system pharmacy services across five hospitals, which includes a 720-bed flagship academic medical center, children’s hospital, and three community hospitals across central and northern Virginia.

Griggs provides leadership to the UVA Health pharmacy enterprise, which includes 24 licensed pharmacies and over 600 team members. She is responsible for pharmacy services including operational, clinical, business operations, system support teams, regulatory, and educational services. Pharmacy services are delivered across the continuum of care in acute care, ambulatory, infusion, retail, specialty, and home infusion pharmacy settings. She works across the system to advance and deliver exemplary pharmacy services for all patients of UVA Health. She has served in pharmacy leadership at UVA Health since 2016. Prior to her current role, she was the senior director of pharmacy leading business operations for the UVA Health pharmacy enterprise.

Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center

Nicole Hoke, DNP, RN, CCRN, CCNS, serves as chief nursing officer and vice president at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center within the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Since joining Penn Medicine in 2008, she has led teams across diverse clinical settings with a focus on innovation, quality, and professional excellence. Prior to her current role, Hoke served as associate chief nursing officer at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where she spearheaded major strategic initiatives and service expansions. She began her Penn Medicine career as a clinical nurse in the neuro-trauma surgical ICU and later became one of the nation’s first perioperative clinical nurse specialists. A recognized expert and national presenter, she has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and received honors including the Victoria Rich Transformation Award. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing from Widener University in 2009 and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Leadership and Innovation from the University of Missouri in 2023. She holds national certifications as a critical care registered nurse and adult clinical nurse specialist and is passionate about advancing the nursing profession, mentoring emerging leaders, and driving excellence in patient care.

Chief Executive Officer
University of Maryland Faculty Physicians

In May 2023, Rachel L. Hoover, MS, PA-C, MBA, began her tenure at University of Maryland Faculty Physicians (UMFP) as executive vice president and chief administrative officer and was promoted to chief executive officer in 2025. A healthcare leader with more than 20 years of experience, Ms. Hoover has keen expertise in providing strategic oversight and planning for enterprise-wide initiatives in academic and private health care systems. Prior to joining UMFP, she led enterprise-wide physician integration and alignment initiatives in partnership with physician leaders at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Ms. Hoover served as chief operating officer for Johns Hopkins Regional Physicians and was previously director of global services for Johns Hopkins Medicine. Her diverse portfolio of experience and expertise in leading strategic planning, program management, and transformation initiatives has been vital to the future of University of Maryland Faculty Physicians and her ability to successfully carry out its reinvigorated mission as an integrated multispecialty clinical enterprise of excellence, in alignment with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical System, and community partners.

Chief Medical Officer
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD

Luming Li, MD, MHS, FACHE, FAPA is chief medical officer at The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, overseeing medical staff services, clinical quality, and pharmacy operations. She completed a seven-year BA/MD program at Rutgers/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and earned her MHS during residency at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Li serves on national committees for the American Psychiatric Association, including the innovation committee (2020–present) and quality care (2023–present). She co-chairs the Medical Directors Institute at The National Council and holds faculty appointments at Baylor College of Medicine, UTHealth Houston, and Yale. Appointed by Texas HHSC, she contributes to the value-based payment and quality improvement advisory committee. Dr. Li has authored over 35 publications and actively practices in outpatient and emergency psychiatric settings.

Director, Continuous Performance Improvement
John Muir Health

Susan Martinez, MS, is a health care leader with a proven track record of driving operational, clinical, and financial excellence across complex health systems. She currently serves as director of continuous performance improvement at John Muir Health, a department she established in 2024 to advance a culture of zero harm, safety, equity, and improved outcomes for the health care system. With extensive experience coaching and applying continuous improvement practices across inpatient, emergency, ambulatory, and ancillary settings, Susan is also widely recognized for her expertise in Lean Facility Design and has presented nationally on the topic. Prior to her current role, she was instrumental in launching the continuous improvement journey at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Martinez’s career also includes leadership roles in guest relations and public affairs, underscoring her strength in culture change and communication. She holds an MS in Healthcare Administration and Interprofessional Leadership from UCSF and a BA from the University of Michigan.

Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel, Clinical Affairs
Johns Hopkins Health System

Karey McDonough is vice president and chief legal counsel for clinical affairs for Johns Hopkins Health System (JHHS). In this role, she leads a team of lawyers, risk management and regulatory professionals and administrative staff members who advise and support Johns Hopkins Medicine clients regarding risk management, patient care, medical staff, bioethics, regulatory and accreditation compliance and general health law matters. She joined Johns Hopkins in 2013, first serving as senior counsel for medical staff affairs and then as practice group leader for the JHHS risk management and regulatory affairs teams.

Before joining JHHS, McDonough was associate general counsel for Inova Health System in Northern Virginia. She began her legal career in the law firm McDermott, Will & Emery, LLP, focusing on health care compliance and transactional matters.

She is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Georgetown University Law Center/Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health JD/MPH program.

Vice President, HR, Employee & Labor Relations
Johns Hopkins Health System

Dione Powell was named vice president of human resources, employee/labor relations, for the Johns Hopkins Health System in May 2021.

She joined the health system in 2018 as director of employee and labor relations. In that role, she oversaw the employee and labor relations team and the leave management team, and managed human resources relations for Johns Hopkins Medicine International and the Johns Hopkins Health System. During her time with the organization, she has provided strategic oversight and operational direction for all aspects of employee and labor relations across the health system. Her role ensures consistent, fair, and compliant application of policies, while fostering a positive and inclusive work environment that aligns with organizational values and mission.

Powell serves as a trusted advisor to HR business partners, operational leaders, and executives by developing and implementing best practices in employee relations, investigations, performance management, and grievance resolution. She also partners closely with legal, compliance, and DE&I initiatives, to mitigate risk and maintain a culture of respect, accountability, and just practice.

Key priorities include building standardized frameworks and tools for case management, improving data analytics to identify workplace trends, and proactively addressing issues that impact engagement, retention, and employee wellbeing. In addition, she oversees labor relations strategy—ensuring compliance with collective bargaining agreements, managing union partnerships, and supporting consistent interpretation of contractual provisions.

She currently serves on the board for the Merit Health Leadership Academy and Human Resources Advisory Board for The Healthcare Council.

Chief Financial Officer for Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics and System Vice President of Finance for Dartmouth Health
Dartmouth-Hitchcock

Tamara Rockwell is the Chief Financial Officer for Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics and System Vice President of Finance for Dartmouth Health.  She joined the organization in 2005, spending the first part of her career in administration before transitioning to Finance in 2013. Tamara’s years of experience within the Dartmouth Health System (which encompasses a physician group practice, PPS and CAH Hospitals, and an academic medical center) has allowed one of her greatest strengths to flourish throughout her career by bringing operations and finance together as a team dedicated to financial sustainability. Rockwell received her BS in Business Administration at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont and completed her Master of Health Care Delivery Science through Dartmouth College in 2014.

Associate Chief Medical Officer
Covered California

Barbara Rubino is the Associate Chief Medical Officer at Covered California, the State-based marketplace that connects nearly 2 million Californians to high quality, affordable health coverage. She is also a practicing primary care physician. In 2015, she started her career in primary care at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services as a clinic medical director and oversaw quality programs and the integration of behavioral and social health services into primary care. In 2020, she took a role with Oscar Health, a health insurance and healthcare technology company, as Senior Medical Director for Clinical Strategy. There, she designed the care model for virtual primary care, as well as the quality and population health programs that serve patients and members across the nation. Since 2023, she has been working for Covered California, where she oversees the Health Informatics Team and works to advance health equity for those on Covered California plans. She brings a broad perspective from across the healthcare industry, has experience working with payers and health technology, all built upon a foundation of excellence in direct care delivery. She received her MD from Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, graduating with Highest Distinction. She holds board certifications in Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine.

Department Chair, Family Medicine
MaineHealth

Dr. Samitt is chair of the department of family medicine at MaineHealth. She received her BA in Biology and Psychology from Johns Hopkins University and her medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School. She completed residency in family medicine at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, in 1999, then worked in private practice in Scarborough, Maine, before joining the MMC FM residency in 2003 as core faculty and director of maternal and child health. Dr. Samitt was the program director of the MMC family medicine residency from 2007-2021, the director of student affairs for the TUSM-Maine track program from 2021-2022, and in 2022 took on her current role of department chair of family medicine. She has trained over a hundred resident physicians and countless students and is passionate about supporting learners and academic family physicians to be the best clinicians, educators and leaders they can be.

System Director Operations, Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness & Health Justice
CommonSpirit Health

Dr. Brisa Urquieta de Hernandez serves as system director, operations for the Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness and Health Justice at CommonSpirit Health. Over the last 20 years, her research and operational leadership has focused on addressing health disparities, elevating transdisciplinary collaborations, and understanding the impact of restructuring on health and social service utilization for diverse populations. Prior to her role at CommonSpirit Health, Dr. Hernandez spent 13-years at a large integrated health system in the Southeast where she co-led the development and implementation of the first community health strategy. She currently holds academic appointments at Morehouse School of Medicine and Baylor College of Medicine. At CommonSpirit Health, Dr. Hernandez develops effective engagement strategies and oversees pilot programs to deploy innovative models of care leveraging the science of kindness, compassion, empathy and trust to accelerate health justice. She received her PhD in Geography and Regional Analysis from UNC- Charlotte.

Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Cancer Service Line
Chief Operating Officer for the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion
University of Chicago Health System

Kim Washington joined the UChicago Medicine Health System in 2024 as vice president and chief administrative officer of cancer services. As VP and CAO, she is responsible for the administrative and operational functions of the cancer service line.

Washington began her career at Duke University Health System as an administrative fellow and administrative manager from 2005-2010. Kim later worked at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital as director of the Lombardi Cancer Center from 2010-2015. Kim joined RWJBarnabas Health in 2015 as the assistant vice president for the cancer program. In 2017, she was promoted to vice president for the Rutgers Cancer Institute and expanded her scope to include regional coordination of cancer services across three hospital campuses from 2019-2023.

She received her Bachelor of Science in health policy and administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Master of Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan.