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Karen Schmidt, MPH
Senior Director, MHealthy, Health and Well-being Services
Karen Schmidt is the Senior Director of MHealthy and Health and Well-being Services. In this role, she supports the health and well-being of the university's 60,000+ faculty, staff, dependents, retirees, and spouses. Karen has over 20 years of proven experience leading, implementing, and evaluating health and well-being programs. Before joining MHealthy in 2008, she worked for the university's health plan, developing and overseeing wellness programming for its members. She has held various roles in health and well-being within corporate, health system, and health plan organizations. Karen holds a MPH (health behavior/health education) from the University of Michigan and a BA in communication and psychology. She is also a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.
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Kathryn Whiteside, RD
Michigan Dining, Division of Student Life
A Registered Dietitian for more than 30 years, Kathy oversees food service operating systems and support services including nutrition, information technology, meal plan administration and standards. Kathy manages a team of Registered Dietitians, technology managers, the food & occupational safety manager, graduate nutrition students and interns, and administers the MHealthy Program for Michigan Dining.
Additionally, Kathy has extensive experience as a production manager, including menu planning, inventory and purchasing. In partnership with Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) and the USDA her team developed and published guidelines for managing food allergies in higher education. In previous roles as a rehabilitation and clinical dietitian, Kathy designed special menus, provided nutrition consultations, and developed training and outreach classes in nutrition and clinical diets.
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Kelcey Stratton, Ph.D.
Chief Behavioral Health Strategist and a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry
Kelcey Stratton is the Chief Behavioral Health Strategist and a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at University of Michigan. She leads the development of innovative and strategic initiatives to support the well-being of staff and faculty. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and has particular interests in the areas of stress and resilience, trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and the use of narrative and reflective practices. Prior to coming to University of Michigan, Dr. Stratton lived and worked in South Africa for several years, where she served as a mental health clinician and consultant to Peace Corps volunteers and medical providers in 65 countries. She has also worked as a clinician and researcher with a focus on post-traumatic stress among military veterans. Dr. Stratton received B.A. degrees in Psychology and in French Language and Literature from University of Oregon, and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The New School for Social Research.
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Lisa M. Shea
Associate Director-Programs and Marketing, Recreational Sports
A native of Germantown, Illinois, Shea has been a key member of Michigan's Recreational Sports Department since 1996, when she took assumed responsibility for Facility Rentals, Publicity and Promotions. Since then, she has held a variety of posts including that of Building Director for the North Campus Recreation Building (NCRB) for eight years. In her current role as Associate Director, Shea oversees the overall leadership, strategy and direction for programs, specifically Adventure Leadership, Club Sports, Fitness and Wellness, Intramural Sports and Development, Marketing, Sponsorship and Academic Partnerships. Shea serves as the co-lead of the Health and Wellness Collective Impact Core Team for Student Life. The aspirational goal of HWCI is, through collective and innovative programs, services and facilities, the University of Michigan will help students grow in their capacity to: Integrate health and wellness as part of success; Build resilience to manage the fluctuations of life; Make thoughtful choices that reduce harms; Find meaning and purpose. Prior to coming to the University of Michigan, Shea was Assistant Director of Recreation at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois from 1992 to 1995. She oversaw operations of the Christy Varsity Tennis Center, the club sports program, and the Wildcat Summer Sports Camp, with responsibility for generating net revenue in excess of $250,000 annually. Shea received a bachelor's degree in Recreation Fitness from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and a master's degree in Recreational Sports Administration from the University of Illinois in Champaign. In her spare time, she teaches indoor cycling and floor group exercise classes. She and her husband make their home in Saline, Michigan, with Ciara, their wonder dog.
Contact Lisa M. Shea
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Liz M. Barry
Special Counsel to the President, Office of the President
As Special Counsel, Liz serves as advisor and strategic partner to the President, handling a variety of ongoing initiatives as well as getting involved in high priority projects and issues as they arise. She staffs a number of Presidential initiatives, such as the President's Advisory Committee of Public Art as well as carries out certain institutional responsibilities of the President's Office. She also teaches an interdisciplinary graduate course based in the Ross School entitled "The Business of Biology." Prior to joining the President's Office in August 2013, Liz served for 12 years as the Managing Director of the Life Sciences Institute working closely with the Director and faculty on operational and strategic matters. She has professional training is as an attorney, having served as U-M's Interim Co-General Counsel and then Associate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel from 1997-2002, taking the lead in-house role on the university's defense of its affirmative action policies. Prior to coming to Michigan, Liz served as University Attorney at Harvard and was in private practice at Ropes and Gray in Boston.
Contact Liz M. Barry
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Maria Flores (she/her/ella)
Senior Business & Operations Specialist at the Eisenberg Family Depression Center
Maria Flores is the Senior Business & Operations Specialist at the Eisenberg Family Depression Center. In her role she develops and maintains business infrastructure, standards of operations, and tools to improve processes procedures in HR, payroll, and compliance. She is an action-oriented administrator, strategist, and servant leader, with the goal of developing workplaces and communities where people are engaged and empowered to innovate.
Maria began her career in academic administration 10 years ago, when she joined the Department of Learning Health Sciences at U-M’s Medical School. Prior to working at U-M she carried out original research projects, worked as a paralegal, analyzed policy, and engaged in civic advocacy.
She serves as part of Michigan Medicine’s Advancing Inclusive Leadership Committee, that advises the planning of the Leadership Summit for Women in Academic Medicine, the largest conference for women in academic medicine in the region. In addition, she regularly volunteers her time to support students, in programs such as Operation Opportunity through MM Internal Medicine, amongst others.
A first generation college graduate, she earned her Bachelor's degree with Distinction and Honors from the University of Michigan.
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Quinci Alexander
Intermediate Customer Service Representative, Logistics, Parking, and Transportation
Quinci Alexander started at U-M in kitchen prep at South Quad in 2008. Here is where he discovered his love for cooking. After leaving the university for a time, he returned as a parking attendant in 2012. In 2018, Quinci was promoted to Intermediate Customer Service Representative, managing the flow of traffic as well as other duties within his department. He also helps with special project launches related to parking changes.
He is a member of the Voices of the Staff and the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee. He also serves as an MHealthy Champion for his department. Quinci graduated from ITT Technical Institute in 2008 with an Associate’s Degree in Applied Sciences of Computer Aided Drafting. He is also certified in Mental Health First Aid.
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Quinta Vreede
Chief Administrative Officer, University of Michigan Health System
Quinta became the first Chief Administrative Officer of the University of Michigan Health System in May 2010. She oversees key Health System functions including regulatory compliance, government relations, facility planning, public relations and marketing. In addition to her CAO role, Quinta also serves as Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs. Quinta has more than 20 years of experience working in health care, many of them at UMHS. Prior to becoming the CAO, she was the lead administrator for the Department of Family Medicine in the U-M Medical School, while also serving as an ambulatory care administrator responsible for five of the Health System's outpatient centers. She was the first health care administrator to hold both roles simultaneously. Quinta has an M.H.S.A. from the U-M School of Public Health.
Contact Quinta Vreede
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Rich Holcomb
Associate Vice President, University Human Resources
Rich Holcomb is Associate Vice President for University Human Resources. He brings over 20 years of experience in HR and benefits, including work as Compensation and Benefits Manager at Foote Hospital in Jackson and, most recently, Director of Total Rewards and HR Services for UMHS Human Resources. One of Rich's professional areas of interest is in developing strategies to create value for both employee and employer in benefit plan design. In his 12 years with UMHS, Rich was a valuable leader and a member of several university benefit committees including the Committee on Retirement Savings Plan and Retirement Health Benefits, Committee on Sustainable Health Benefits, Committee on Retiree Health Benefits, and the Member Engagement Health Plan Committee. Rich has attended the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, The University of Michigan Ross Business School Health Care Leadership Institute and Advanced Human Resources Executive Program. He holds a Master's Degree in Labor Relations and Human Resources and a Bachelor's Degree in Employment Relations, both from Michigan State University, and is a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) as designated by World at Work.
Contact Rich Holcomb
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Rima Berry-Hung
Director for Human Resources at the University of Michigan-Dearborn
Rima Berry-Hung is the Director for Human Resources at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, providing strategic and broad HR service and support for the entire campus. Her career in human resources and higher education spans more than 21 years, in which time she has worked both on the Ann Arbor campus at the School of Education, the Stamps School of Art and Design and Human Resources Records and Information Services. Rima has her PHR (professional human resources) certification and has been a member of SHRM (Society for Human Resources Management) for over 15 years. Rima received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Anthropology from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a Master's degree from the College of Communication and Theatre Arts at Eastern Michigan University.
Contact Rima Berry-Hung
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Robert Ernst, MD
Chief Health Officer & Associate Vice President
Dr. Robert Ernst serves as Associate Vice-President of Student Life for Health and Wellness at the University of Michigan. In this role he not only functions as Executive Director of the University Health Service but also provides supervision of the Counseling and Psychological Services, Services for Students with Disabilities and Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. In addition to his administrative duties he is also a practicing General Internist as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Michigan Medicine. Dr. Ernst is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Michigan Medical School. He completed residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Hospital.
Contact Robert Ernst, MD
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Romesh P. Nalliah, BDS, MHCM
Associate Dean for Patient Services and Clinical Professor of Dentistry, School of Dentistry
Romesh P. Nalliah is the Associate Dean for Patient Services at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. He leads the clinical program at the School of Dentistry which boasts 16 unique clinics including a community health center, a special care dentistry clinic, several undergraduate and graduate teaching clinics, and private dental offices. Prior to coming to Michigan in 2015, Dr. Nalliah was a faculty member at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. While at Harvard, Dr. Nalliah developed expertise in health services research, global health and leadership. Dr. Nalliah also completed a Fellowship in Medical Education (Harvard Medical School) and a Masters in Healthcare Management (Harvard School of Public Health). Dr. Nalliah is also a health services researcher with a focus on public health. He has published well over 100 papers in peer reviewed journals on public health topics and is a nationally recognized expert in access to care and opioid prescribing. Dr. Nalliah's career began in Australia (where he graduated from Adelaide University School of Dentistry in 2000) delivering care in a rural hospital which was the gateway to the Outback. This experience included using a mobile dental van to deliver care to rural-dwelling Aboriginal Australians.