Issuu

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

MICHIGANCHRONICLE.COM

SALUTE TO

BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Special Issue:

TABLE OF CONTENTS 02

Thank You Partners

From the Publisher

Feature Article: Excellence With Promise

25 Standout Healthcare Leaders

Michigan Chronicle

VITALSIGNS SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Featured Organizations Advantage Health Authority Health and Authority Health Centers Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) Brand Nu Enterprises Carter Snell Skin Centers Central City Integrated Health City of Detroit CNS Healthcare Corewell Health Detroit Community Health Connection Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network DMC Sinai Grace Hospital Gunn and Associates Henry Ford Health Karmanos Cancer Institute Michigan Nurses Association Oakland Community Health Network Serenity House Residential Care Services, LLC Southeast Michigan Health Association (SEMHA) Wayne County Department of Health, Human and Veteran Affairs Wayne Pediatrics, Inc. Wayne State University School of Medicine Wellness Plan Medical Centers

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO

BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

IN METRO DETROIT

Nina Abubakari, President and Chief Executive Officer, Advantage Health

Tiffany Albert, Senior Vice President of Community Relations, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

23 Dr. Conrad Maitland, MD Urologist, Sinai Grace - Urology

Dr. Eric Ayers, MD, FACP, FAAP, Professor, Wayne Pediatrics

Deidre Boyd, Chief Human Resource Office, DMC Sinai Grace Hospital

24 Aaron McCormick, President, Michigan Nurses Association University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Loretta Bush, President & CEO, Authority Health and Authority Health Centers

Dr. Brittany Carter Snell, MD, Dermatologist/Internal Medicine, Carter Snell Skin Center

Dr. Kenneth Coleman, LPC, PhD, President and CEO, Southeast Michigan Health Association (SEMHA)

Dr. Kimberly Farrow, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Central City Integrated Health

Deidra Feild, DNP, CNM, NEA-BC Certified Nurse Midwife Corewell Health

Dr. Karen Gunn Dozier, DDS Dentist, Gunn and Associates Shanna Johnson Regional President, Henry Ford Health

18 19

Kennyle Johnson, MPH, Director, Wayne County Department of Health, Human and Veteran Affairs

Anthony King, FACHE, CEO and Executive Director, 20 The Wellness Plan Medical Centers

Dana Lasenby, CEO and Executive Director, Oakland Community Health Network

25 Carlynn Nichols, Chief Clinical Officer CNS Healthcare 27

Dr. Claudia Richardson, MD, MPH, FACOG, Chief Medical Officer, City of Detroit

28 Kelli Sadler, MHA, BSN, RN, Chief Nursing Executive, Corewell Health 29 Kennedy Shannon, Chief Executive Officer, Serenity House Residential Care Services, LLC 31

Dr. Nutrena Tate, PhD, MBA, RN, CPNP-PC, NEA-BC CEO, Brand Nu Consulting

33 Dr. Hayley Thompson, PhD, Professor of Oncology, Wayne State University; Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, 35 Derek Ware, President & CEO, Detroit Community Health Connection 36 James White, President & CEO, Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network 37 Dr. Kevin Whitlow, MD Physician, Henry Ford Health

Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS HEARTBEAT PARTNER

LIFELINE PARTNER

ADVERTISERS

02 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

FROM THE PUBLISHER

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Michigan Chronicle Vital Signs: Salute to 25 Standout Healthcare Leaders in Southeast Michigan. The strength of a community is reflected in the health of its people—and in the commitment of those who work to ensure that quality care is within everyone’s reach. With Vital Signs, we proudly recognize 25 leaders whose contributions advance excellence, accessibility and equity in healthcare across our region. These individuals bring different experiences, responsibilities and perspectives to their work. Their contributions span patient care, research, organizational leadership, workforce advocacy and community service. What connects them is a steadfast commitment to improving lives and addressing the barriers that too often prevent individuals and families from receiving the care they need. For African American and other underserved communities, that commitment carries particular significance. Access involves more than the availability of an appointment. It also requires trust, understanding, respect and care that responds to the realities of people’s lives. The leaders celebrated in these pages are helping move that promise forward. While these 25 individuals represent only a portion of the outstanding leadership throughout Southeast Michigan, their work deserves our attention, appreciation and applause. I invite you to read their profiles and learn more about the contributions behind this recognition. You will discover how their decisions, dedication and service are strengthening healthcare and creating opportunities for healthier lives. Then, take a moment to reach out. Offer congratulations, share a word of thanks and let these leaders know that their work is seen and valued. Recognition becomes more meaningful when it is shared by the community it honors. To our inaugural honorees: Thank you for your leadership, your commitment to excellence and your determination to make healthcare more accessible. We are proud to celebrate you.

Hiram E. Jackson Publisher, Michigan Chronicle CEO, Real Times Media

Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

EXCELLENCE WITH A PURPOSE: THE LEADERS ADVANCING HEALTHCARE ACROSS SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN

By: Cathy Nedd, President Real Times Media News Group

That commitment can be seen across the region. Public-health departments are connecting clinical care with maternal support, veterans services and social resources. Federally qualified health centers are bringing primary and preventive care into underserved neighborhoods. Behavioral-health organizations are expanding crisis response, integrated care and services for children, families and people with disabilities. Hospital and human-resource leaders are working to recruit, retain and support the professionals on whom patient safety depends.

Southeast Michigan is home to some of the nation’s most respected hospitals, medical professionals, community health centers and public-health institutions. It is also a region where a person’s ZIP code, race, income and access to transportation can still shape how long they live, whether they receive preventive care and how quickly they find help in a crisis. That contrast defines the state of healthcare across the region. The 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment for Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties identified chronic disease, access to care, mental health, physical wellness and food security as the region’s leading priorities. In Detroit, life expectancy remains below Wayne County and statewide levels, while Black families continue to carry a disproportionate burden of maternal and infant mortality. These realities demand more than capable administration. They require leaders who understand that excellence in healthcare must be measured not only by what happens inside an operating room, clinic or executive office, but also by whether care reaches people who have historically been overlooked. The men and women recognized by the Michigan Chronicle as 25 Standout Healthcare Leaders in Southeast Michigan represent this broader standard of leadership. Their fields and responsibilities may differ, but the most consequential healthcare leaders share a common purpose: building systems that are safer, more responsive, more equitable and more connected to the communities they serve.

04 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

This work matters because Southeast Michigan’s healthcare workforce is under pressure. Hospitals and behavioral-health providers face persistent vacancies, delayed response times and staff strain. Leadership excellence therefore includes creating workplaces where clinicians and support teams feel heard, prepared and valued. Evidence links supportive, relational leadership with stronger staff engagement, safety culture, care quality and patient satisfaction. Community commitment also means leaving institutional walls. Mobile screenings, school-based mental-health services, doula programs, food assistance, community education and medical-debt relief are helping residents receive support earlier and closer to home. These programs demonstrate what becomes possible when healthcare systems work with government, philanthropy, schools, faith organizations and trusted neighborhood partners. The 25 Standout Healthcare Leaders offer an important message about the region’s future: leadership is most powerful when expertise is joined to service. Their impact is found not only in organizational growth or professional achievement, but in each barrier removed, each partnership formed, each employee developed and each person treated with dignity. Southeast Michigan does not lack knowledge, institutions or innovation. Its defining task is to ensure that these strengths produce better health for everyone. Leaders who pursue excellence with accountability and community purpose are helping move the system toward that goal—one policy, partnership, program and patient at a time.

Michigan Chronicle

2026 VITALSIGNS SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Nina Abubakari Expands Care in Her Hometown Growing up in Detroit with a mother who worked as a doula, Abubakari imagined a future in healthcare. Nina Abubakari eventually found her place through public health, business and law— disciplines she now brings together to help residents of her hometown receive care. As president and CEO of Advantage Health since 2017, Abubakari leads a federally qualified health center serving people whose medical needs often intersect with financial hardship or housing instability. For those patients, comprehensive care means having somewhere to turn for medical treatment, dentistry, behavioral health and social services, with fees adjusted to financial circumstances. Her work focuses on strengthening the organization behind that promise. During her tenure, Advantage expanded into a $4 million, 20,000square-foot Midtown clinic that brings medical, dental and behavioral healthcare together. Her résumé also documents overseeing the acquisition of four medical facilities and securing $300,000 from the Delta Dental Foundation for equipment supporting permanent dental services at the Thea Bowman location. That growth draws on experience directing quality improvement at Sinai-Grace Hospital, along with graduate training in public health, finance and law. When the pandemic disrupted care, she implemented telehealth and improved clinic ventilation—adapting how patients could receive services as safety needs changed. The same emphasis on comprehensive care continues today. Advantage recently announced vision services, adding eye examinations, screening for conditions including diabetic eye disease, and specialist referrals. For Abubakari, serving Detroit carries personal meaning. She has described pride in working with the community she comes from. Her leadership gives that connection practical form: more places to receive treatment and more services brought together for residents who face obstacles to consistent care.

06 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

Nina Abubakari President and CEO Advantage Health

At Advantage Health, Nina Abubakari puts public health, business and legal expertise to work expanding care for the community where she grew up.

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Tiffany Albert Leads With Experience and Empathy

For Tiffany A. Albert, some lessons in leadership have come from reading and making crafts with children at Detroit’s COTS shelter. Volunteering there alongside her own children reinforced the connection between understanding people’s circumstances and leading thoughtfully. That perspective accompanies more than three decades of health insurance experience. Today, Albert is senior vice president of Community Relations and chief inclusion officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. She also serves as president of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, with accountability spanning social mission, community responsibility, inclusion and workplace engagement. A University of Michigan–Ann Arbor graduate with a background in engineering and mathematics, Albert built her career across information technology, operations, distribution management and new business development. Those experiences gave her a broad understanding of how an insurance organization functions, preparing her for leadership of two Blue Cross subsidiaries and its commercial markets division. In 2016, she became Blue Care Network’s first African American woman president and CEO. The appointment marked a milestone in representation; her current inclusion responsibilities give her an ongoing role in shaping how people experience the workplace.

Tiffany A. Albert

Senior Vice President of Community Relations Blue Coss Blue Shield of Michigan

Insurance executive Tiffany Albert brings three decades of business leadership and a personal commitment to service to her work advancing community health and inclusion.

Her influence also extends beyond her employer. A licensed accident and health insurance agent, Albert has served as president of the state and Metro Detroit chapters of the National Association of Business Insurance Professionals. The National Management Association recognized her with its Executive of the Year award. Across that career, Albert has connected business leadership with community engagement. Her current responsibilities bring those strengths together, linking organizational resources with needs such as affordable care and disability access. The thread running through her work is the same one she described through volunteering: understanding people informs leadership. For Albert, experience provides the tools; listening and service help determine where to use them. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

For “Dr. 313,” Caring for Detroit’s Children Is Personal The nickname “Dr. 313” carries more than Detroit’s area code. For Dr. Eric Ayers, born and raised in the city, it reflects a connection to the families he serves—and an understanding of the challenges that can stand between a child and consistent healthcare. As president and CEO of Wayne Pediatrics, Ayers brings that hometown perspective to decisions about services, staffing and sustainability. Wayne Pediatrics serves children and adolescents throughout Detroit and Wayne County, including many covered by Medicaid. Its patients include children in foster care, those managing complex medical conditions, and families navigating food insecurity, unstable housing or unreliable transportation. Ayers has championed care that connects medical treatment with behavioral health and social support. Physicians, nurses, social workers and care managers work together to address needs that rarely fit neatly into a single appointment. Outreach through mobile health services and partnerships with schools and community organizations extends that approach beyond clinical settings.

Dr. Eric Ayers, MD, FACP, FAAP Professor Wayne Pediatrics, Inc.

Dr. Eric Ayers combines hometown knowledge with organizational leadership to strengthen pediatric care for families facing barriers to access.

Keeping those services available also requires work behind the scenes. During the past year, Ayers led organizational restructuring, examining workflows, finances and service delivery to align resources more effectively while maintaining patient care. He also cultivated relationships with philanthropic and community funding partners, securing external support to help sustain and expand services for underserved families. His emphasis on accountability reaches into the patient experience. The organization monitors well-child visits, immunizations, asthma management and developmental screenings alongside appointment availability and family feedback. These measures help identify gaps in care and guide improvements; screening for social needs helps teams understand the obstacles families face. For “Dr. 313,” leadership means connecting Detroit’s children with coordinated care—and building the partnerships, workforce and financial foundation needed to keep that care available.

Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

Michigan Chronicle

Deidre Boyd Strengthens Healthcare’s Workforce

VITALSIGNS SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Deidre L. Boyd, MBA has earned recognition for developing employment pipelines and helping shape workplace culture at DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital. Her leadership addresses an essential hospital responsibility: attracting talent, developing employees and supporting the workforce on which patient care depends. Boyd has served as the hospital’s chief human resources officer since January 2023. A native Detroiter, she brings approximately three decades of management experience to a healthcare institution serving her home community. Crain’s Detroit Business highlighted Boyd’s employment-pipeline work when recognizing her as a 2024 Notable Black Business Leader. That focus connects healthcare recruitment with opportunities for people to enter the field, while helping the hospital address its need for clinical, technical and administrative talent. Her responsibilities extend throughout an employee’s career. Boyd oversees workforce strategy, talent acquisition and retention, employee engagement, leadership development, performance management and labor relations. Detroit Medical Center has credited her with playing a crucial role in shaping Sinai-Grace’s culture and acknowledged her contributions to the hospital and community. Those responsibilities support teams working across emergency and trauma care, cardiovascular medicine, surgery, obstetrics and other specialties. Her role connects the hospital’s operational demands with the development and support of its employees. Before joining Sinai-Grace, Boyd served as market director of human resources for Vibra Healthcare of Southeast Michigan and as human resources business manager for hospital operations at R1 RCM. Earlier leadership positions in aviation, telecommunications and retail broadened her experience managing regional workforces and complex service environments. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business management and MBA from the University of Phoenix and completed human-resources leadership and development training through Cornell University’s ILR School. The Michigan Chronicle also named her a 2024 Women of Excellence honoree.

10 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

Deidre L. Boyd, MBA

Chief Human Resource Officer, DMC Sinai Grace Hospital

Sinai-Grace human resources executive, Deidre Boyd, develops employment pipelines and supports the people delivering care in northwest Detroit.

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Building Better Health Systems by Putting People First Throughout her distinguished career, Loretta V. Bush has challenged the status quo, strengthened health systems, and advanced innovative approaches to healthcare that put people and communities first. As President and CEO of Authority Health and Authority Health Centers, Bush brings a distinguished record of public service, collaboration, and innovation to expanding access to quality, affordable care. Her leadership centers on reducing health disparities, strengthening communities, and developing the next generation of healthcare professionals. Previously, Bush served as Detroit’s Group Executive and Public Health Officer and Wayne County’s Public Health Officer. As founding President and CEO of the Institute for Population Health, she pioneered the integration of behavioral and clinical healthcare during Detroit’s historic bankruptcy, helping preserve essential services amid economic uncertainty. She also led the Michigan Primary Care Association, served as Michigan’s State HIV/AIDS and Minority Health Director, and developed HIV/AIDS prevention programs in Ethiopia. Today, Bush leads the nation’s second largest Graduate Medical Education Teaching Health Center, where 78 residents train in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry. This work strengthens the primary care workforce and prepares physicians to serve underserved communities.

Loretta V. Bush

President and CEO Authority Health and Authority Health Centers Beyond institutional achievements, Bush mentors emerging healthcare executives and physicians. Her enduring legacy is defined by building stronger health systems, developing future leaders, and advancing a vision of healthcare in which quality, affordable care is accessible to every community.

Under her leadership, Authority Health has expanded chronic disease prevention by incorporating kidney disease screening into primary care for high-risk patients. Through the Healthy and Resilient Communities initiative, she has also improved access to nutritious, affordable food through smart refrigerators, a mobile food truck, and community health education. Her commitment to equitable care extends to four community-based health centers serving more than 6,000 patients, regardless of their ability to pay. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served on the Coronavirus Taskforce on Healthcare Disparities, addressing inequities intensified by the crisis. In 2025, Authority Health and Authority Health Centers received Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike designation, followed by full Federally Qualified Health Center designation in 2026, marking major milestones in expanding accessible, community-centered care. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Dr. Brittany Carter-Snell Sees More Than Skin Deep A visible skin condition can tell a story that extends beneath the surface. Dr. Brittany Carter-Snell brings that perspective to patient care, drawing on training in both dermatology and internal medicine to consider whether a skin concern may reflect a broader health issue. The founder and owner of Carter Snell Skin Center, her distinction lies in the connection between how she practices medicine and where she chose to build her practice. A Detroit native, she returned home after completing her medical education at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and combined residency training through Ohio University. She had wanted to own a practice since medical school. Watching downtown and Midtown attract residents and workers, she recognized a corresponding need for healthcare services, including dermatology. In April 2017, Carter Snell Skin Center opened as the first retail tenant in The Scott at Brush Park. Within its first year, the practice provided medical, surgical and cosmetic services to more than 1,500 patients. It has since expanded to Royal Oak while maintaining its Detroit location. Her clinical range serves patients of all ages with conditions affecting the skin, hair and nails. Care includes acne, eczema, pigment concerns, pediatric dermatology and skin-cancer screening, alongside surgical and cosmetic procedures. Her approach emphasizes individualized treatment informed by the patient’s overall health.

Dr. Brittany Carter-Snell, MD Dermatologist/Internal Medicine Carter-Snell Skin Care Centers

Detroit native, Dr. Carter-Snell combines dermatology and internal medicine training with a practice built to serve her hometown.

That philosophy is supported by a record of academic achievement and teaching. During residency, Carter-Snell received the Arnold P. Gold Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award in internal medicine, earned first place in a National Medical Association dermatology research symposium and served as dermatology chief resident. She also shares skin-health guidance through local media and educational platforms, extending her work beyond appointments. For Carter-Snell, building a specialty practice in Detroit has meant pairing medical expertise with a lasting investment in the community that raised her—and helping patients understand what their skin may reveal about their health.

Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

Dr. Kenneth Coleman Works to Strengthen the Systems Behind Care

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Dr. Kenneth Coleman leads the Southeastern Michigan Health Association with experience on both sides of community care: helping people obtain support and strengthening the organizations responsible for delivering it. President and CEO since September 2024, Coleman oversees SEMHA’s operations, partnerships, health promotion, risk reduction and contract management. The association helps public-health agencies and community organizations sustain their work through financial services, workforce support, data and coordination between clinical and social services. That responsibility builds on more than three decades in mental health and community engagement. A Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor, Coleman combines clinical knowledge with training in public administration and business psychology. His leadership connects an understanding of individual needs with the operational demands of serving communities. At Ascension Michigan, Coleman led a school-based health network spanning more than 25 schools across five counties, bringing services closer to children and adolescents. His contributions also extended to research evaluating care in school settings. He co-authored a study of chlamydia screening in four Detroit public high schools that documented a decline in prevalence from 10.24% to 6.27% between 2010 and 2015. The findings illustrate the potential value of school-based screening without establishing that the program alone caused the decline. As a past president of the School-Community Health Alliance of Michigan, Coleman supported school-connected healthcare beyond his own network. His public education has addressed teen mental wellness—including bullying, abuse, social media and stigma —and access to mental-health support during COVID-19. At SEMHA, Coleman now directs attention to the infrastructure that allows community programs to function. Staffing, financial administration and effective partnerships may operate behind the scenes, but they help determine whether services remain available. His career links that organizational work with a consistent priority: making support more accessible to the people who need it.

14 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

Dr. Kenneth Coleman, LPC, PhD President & CEO Southeast Michigan Health Association (SEMHA)

SEMHA president and CEO brings counseling expertise and school-health leadership to the organizations supporting community health.

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Dr. Farrow Advances a New Vision for Integrated Healthcare in Detroit For Dr. Kimberly Farrow, President and CEO of Central City Health, transforming healthcare begins with a fundamental belief: health cannot be separated from the social, economic and environmental conditions that shape people's lives. Under her leadership, Central City Health is advancing an integrated, whole-person model of care that brings primary care, behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, dental services, housing support and other essential resources together within a coordinated system. Serving residents across 21 Detroit ZIP codes, the organization has grown into a nearly $20 million healthcare operation with close to 200 employees. Its mission extends beyond expanding access to services. It seeks to eliminate the fragmentation that too often leaves individuals navigating complex healthcare and social service systems on their own. Farrow's vision is rooted in the understanding that improving health outcomes requires addressing both clinical needs and the underlying drivers of poor health. By integrating medical treatment, behavioral healthcare and social supports, Central City Health is building a more accessible, responsive and sustainable approach to serving Detroit's most vulnerable populations.

Dr. Kimberly Farrow, MD President and CEO Central City Health

At Central City Health, comprehensive, integrated care and a new health center strengthen support for Detroit residents facing medical and social challenges

A defining feature of her leadership is the development of a broad network of community partnerships that extends care beyond traditional healthcare settings. Relationships with organizations such as Detroit Medical Center, Hannan Center, Wayne State University and the Michigan Primary Care Association, among others, reflect a strategy to connect clinical services with housing, social supports, and other community resources. This vision is also reflected in the organization's continued expansion, including a new health clinic along Detroit's 3rd Street corridor and broader efforts to develop comprehensive care environments where individuals can access multiple services through a seamless continuum of care. A physician and healthcare executive, Farrow combines clinical expertise with strategic leadership and a commitment to health equity. She earned her medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine and a Master in Health Care Management (MHCM) from Harvard University, following undergraduate studies at the University of Notre Dame.

Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

Deidra Feild Brings Birth Experience to Better Care

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Deidra Feild has delivered more than 500 babies across metropolitan Detroit, bringing decades of clinical experience and healthcare leadership to her work improving maternal and infant health. Recently joining Corewell Health as a certified nurse midwife, Feild returns to direct patient care with a perspective shaped by years of leading women's-health services and initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for mothers and babies. A certified nurse-midwife, nurse executive and educator, Feild has dedicated much of her career to addressing disparities in maternal healthcare, particularly those affecting Black women in Detroit. Her work reflects a commitment to ensuring that women receive highquality, compassionate care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum recovery. Before joining Corewell Health, Feild served as director of Patient Care Services–Women's Health at Detroit Medical Center, where she oversaw clinical operations, quality improvement and strategic growth. Her leadership focused on reducing maternal and infant mortality, improving patient experiences and lowering primary cesarean-birth rates. The University of Michigan has recognized her efforts to secure state and United Way grants supporting maternal-health initiatives designed to save women's lives. Those efforts demonstrated her ability to connect frontline clinical experience with the organizational resources needed to improve healthcare delivery. Feild's career spans emergency nursing, labor and delivery, birthingcenter care, advanced-practice midwifery and healthcare administration. Each role has strengthened her understanding of the challenges women face when accessing maternal healthcare. She also serves as a lecturer at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, where she earned her master's degree and Doctor of Nursing Practice. Through teaching and mentorship, she helps prepare future nurses to deliver skilled, patient-centered care. At Corewell Health, Feild brings together her clinical expertise, executive leadership experience and commitment to maternalhealth equity, continuing a career dedicated to improving the lives of women, infants and families throughout Southeast Michigan.

16 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

Deidra Feild, DNP, CNM, NEA-BC Certified Nurse Midwife Corewell Health

DMC nurse-midwife and executive connects frontline knowledge with maternal-health initiatives focused on safety, equity and clinician development.

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Dr. Karen Gunn Dozier: Decades of Service to Detroit Smiles Dr. Karen Gunn Dozier has spent decades providing dental care to families while leading a practice rooted in Detroit. Her experience spans preventive and restorative treatment, patient care and the management of a healthcare business—responsibilities she brings together as owner and president of Gunn and Associates, P.C. A University of Michigan dental graduate, Gunn Dozier, DDS, practices general dentistry, with patients coming from nearby neighborhoods and across Michigan. At Gunn and Associates, her work encompasses fillings, crowns, bridges, dentures and implant restoration. That range addresses different stages of dental need, from repairing damaged teeth to replacing missing ones. It also requires attention to the individual patient, a priority reflected in the practice’s emphasis on personalized treatment and comfortable visits. Her leadership connects those clinical responsibilities with the work of a dental team. The practice describes close collaboration among professionals, bringing their knowledge and skills together to diagnose, treat and prevent dental conditions. For Gunn Dozier, leading the organization includes supporting that coordinated approach to care.

Dr. Karen Gunn Dozier, DDS Dentist Gunn and Associates

Dentist and practice owner, Dr. Gunn Dozier pairs decades of service with an emphasis on teamwork, personal attention and patient comfort.

Her experience is paired with a stated commitment to keeping pace with research and treatment advances. Digital X-rays are among the technologies used by the practice, which emphasizes combining clinical knowledge and current tools with attention to the patient’s experience. The Michigan Chronicle previously recognized Gunn Dozier as a 2020 Women of Excellence honoree, identifying her as owner and president of Gunn and Associates. That acknowledgment adds to a career distinguished by longevity in both clinical practice and healthcare entrepreneurship. Her continuing contribution is grounded in the daily responsibilities of dentistry: evaluating needs, providing treatment and maintaining a practice where personal attention remains central. Across decades of service, Gunn Dozier has brought those responsibilities together for Detroit families seeking consistent dental care. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

Shanna Johnson Leads Beyond Hospital Walls

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Before assuming regional leadership at Henry Ford Health, Shanna Johnson, FACHE, helped bring hospital care into patients’ homes. At Trinity Health, she successfully launched Hospital at Home programs in California and Ohio—an accomplishment in a career spanning hospital campuses, outpatient services and care after hospitalization. Today, Johnson, serves as Henry Ford Health’s regional president of the West and president of Henry Ford Providence Southfield and Novi Hospitals. She provides strategic leadership for six Southeast Michigan hospitals. Her responsibilities connect the direction of a region with the daily work of its hospitals. Johnson assesses challenges and growth opportunities, guides operational planning and stewards community engagement. Working with other hospital and system executives, she focuses on a safe, high-quality environment for patients while engaging the employees and physicians delivering their care. That breadth of responsibility draws on 20 years of leadership across community hospitals, academic organizations and integrated health systems. Before joining Henry Ford in 2022, Johnson served as chief operating officer for Ascension St. John Detroit, River District Hospital and regional ambulatory surgery centers. Prior to her current role, she led Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital while also serving as interim president of Henry Ford Macomb Hospital. Her Hospital at Home work adds a distinctive dimension to that experience: she has helped launch a model that extends care beyond a hospital building. Her background also encompasses outpatient operations and services supporting patients after hospitalization, giving her experience across several stages of care. Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s in health services administration from the University of Michigan. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. As her leadership reach expands, the task remains grounded in the places and people each hospital serves. Her regional role brings those local needs into decisions about operations, growth and the care experience.

18 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

Shanna Johnson, FACHE Regional President Henry Ford Health

Henry Ford Health executive, Shanna Johnson, leads the West Region including six hospitals.

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Kennyle Johnson Connects Public Health With Public Service Kennyle Johnson’s move from executive leadership at the Detroit Recovery Project to Wayne County government expanded the scale of her work while maintaining its focus on community needs. Her career now connects experience in behavioral health, compliance and operations with responsibility for a department serving residents across the county. Johnson, directs the Wayne County Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services. She joined the department as chief of staff in September 2023, became interim director in April 2025 and received County Commission approval as director that November. Her portfolio spans six operational areas, including public health, clinical care, healthcare access, transition services, veterans services and the Medical Examiner’s Office. That breadth places her at the intersection of medical services and the social conditions that influence health. Maternal and infant wellbeing is one area where those responsibilities converge. Johnson helped represent Wayne County in the expansion of Rx Kids to six communities, supported by a $7.5 million county commitment. The initiative provides financial assistance during pregnancy and an infant’s first months, helping address the household pressures surrounding a child’s arrival.

Kennyle Johnson, MPH

Director Wayne County Department of Health, Human and Veteran Affairs

Wayne County’s department director brings experience in recovery services and operations to initiatives addressing maternal health, food access and environmental conditions.

Her advocacy for the Well Wayne Fresh Truck Mobile Market reflects a similarly practical approach. Johnson has emphasized that food access depends on affordability and transportation as well as proximity. Under her leadership, the department has also supported resident-centered air-quality monitoring intended to guide interventions in communities carrying greater environmental burdens. Her administration has faced substantial demand for assistance. A 2025 effort distributed 2,000 grocery gift cards to veterans; when demand exhausted the supply, Johnson publicly acknowledged the need for a more efficient distribution process. Across these initiatives, Johnson brings operational experience to the task of making public services responsive. Her leadership centers on connecting county resources with residents’ needs—and recognizing where the systems delivering that support must improve.

Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

Anthony V. King Turns Transition Into Access

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

When Anthony V. King, FACHE, MHSA, joined The Wellness Plan in February 2007, the organization was changing its relationship with patients. Founded as a Medicaid insurance provider, it was moving into delivering primary and preventive care directly. King helped guide that restructuring, bringing experience in hospitals, health plans and community health centers to a pivotal transition. Today, King is CEO and executive director of The Wellness Plan Medical Centers, a Detroit-based nonprofit serving Wayne and Oakland counties. His leadership connects the business requirements of sustaining a healthcare organization with its responsibility to people who need care. Under King’s leadership, revenue doubled over a 10-year period, and that its clinical footprint expanded. That growth accompanied its development into a federally qualified health center serving insured, underinsured and uninsured residents regardless of ability to pay. For patients, the model brings together primary care, pediatrics, women’s health, dentistry, behavioral health, substance-use services and pharmacy support. Discounts based on household income and family size address financial barriers, while the range of services supports care across different needs and stages of life. King brought relevant experience to that work. Before joining The Wellness Plan, he led Kalamazoo’s Family Health Center and Kalamazoo County Health Plan, served as president of Saint Mary’s Health Management Company within Trinity Health, and directed departments and services at Detroit Riverview Hospital. His professional influence also extends to the people leading healthcare. As a former national president of the National Association of Health Services Executives, King has supported an organization dedicated to advancing Black healthcare executives. He also co-founded the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute and Michigan Community Health Network. A University of Michigan graduate and Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, King’s career links organizational stewardship with community purpose. The transition he helped lead continues to find its meaning in the care The Wellness Plan makes available to metropolitan Detroit families.

20 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

Anthony King, FACHE, MHSA CEO & Executive Director The Wellness Plan Medical Centers

Wellness Plan executive Anthony King combines organizational restructuring with a commitment to affordable, comprehensive care in metropolitan Detroit.

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Dana Lasenby Builds Paths Beyond Hospitalization Dana R. Lasenby, MBA, MA, LLP, began her career on a locked psychiatric unit at Detroit Mercy Hospital. The experience shaped a question that continues to inform her leadership: how can people receive the support they need to improve their lives and avoid repeated hospitalization? Today, Lasenby is CEO and executive director of Oakland Community Health Network, Oakland County’s public behavioral health safety net. Selected to lead OCHN in 2020, she oversees a system serving children and adults with mental-health, substance use and intellectual and developmental disabilities. A limited licensed psychologist with more than 28 years of experience, Lasenby brings both clinical understanding and operational knowledge to that responsibility. She spent approximately two decades as a therapist and behavioral-health manager with St. John Providence Health System before holding senior clinical and executive positions at Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network. At OCHN, her priorities connect timely intervention with ongoing support. The organization received a two-year, $5 million federal grant in 2021 to expand crisis services for children and adolescents. Its broader crisis strategy includes assessment, stabilization and coordination intended to reduce reliance on emergency departments.

Dana Lasenby, MBA, MA, LLP

Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director Oakland Community Health Network

Oakland Community Health Network executive, Dana Lasenby, brings clinical experience to crisis care, integrated services and community-based support.

That work extends into how services fit together. Under Lasenby’s leadership, OCHN has prioritized coordination of physical and behavioral healthcare, including clinicians in county health facilities and integrated services in Pontiac. Partnerships with law enforcement and justice agencies also seek to connect people with treatment and support during diversion and reentry. Her influence reaches statewide policy through the Michigan Autism Council and mental-health philanthropy through the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Across those roles, Lasenby carries the perspective of someone who has worked directly with patients into decisions about an entire service system. Her continuing task is to strengthen the care available before, during and after a crisis—helping people build stability in their communities. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Dr. Conrad Maitland Makes Awareness Personal

Long before his own prostate-cancer diagnosis in 2002, Dr. Conrad Maitland was urging men to learn about the disease. Becoming a patient gave the Detroit urologist a personal connection to an advocacy mission already central to his work. A physician at Sherwood Medical Center affiliated with DMC SinaiGrace Hospital, Maitland’s contributions connect clinical care with community education, physician training and research. Through churches and community organizations, Maitland has sponsored and participated in prostate-cancer awareness programs, particularly reaching African American men. In a 2020 interview with Wayne County Community College District’s Dimensions, he explained that his commitment preceded his diagnosis and reflected a longstanding desire to serve. “I always wanted to remain in the community,” he said. That choice has carried significance beyond his practice. Maitland is a longtime site director of urology residency at SinaiGrace. having previously served as urology department chief at multiple Detroit hospitals. He is also among DMC’s urology residency faculty, connecting his clinical experience with the preparation of future specialists.

Dr. Conrad Maitland, MD Sinai Grace - Urology

Detroit urologist combines prostatecancer advocacy, physician education and research with the perspective of a survivor.

His published work addresses how care can better respond to patients. Maitland co-authored a 2021 study examining a prostatecancer treatment decision aid designed to help newly diagnosed patients discuss options around their priorities. He also co-authored statewide research on opioid prescribing after procedures to treat urinary stones. In June 2023, Henry Ford honored Maitland alongside three other physicians at “Onwards and Upwards: The Legacy of Black Urologists in America,” recognizing careers that helped shape the specialty and provide examples for succeeding generations. His service has also reached his native Grenada, where he described medical missions supplying equipment, providing clinics and performing surgery.

Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

Aaron McCormick Brings Nurses’ Voices Into Decisions That Shape Care

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Staffing policies and workplace protections shape the conditions in which nurses care for patients. Aaron McCormick works to ensure nurses have a voice in those decisions—from an academic health system to statewide advocacy and national representation. McCormick serves as president of the Michigan Nurses Association, vice president of National Nurses United and vice president of the University of Michigan Professional Nurse Council. McCormick recently became the first Black male president in the Michigan Nurses Association’s history. The milestone expands representation in nursing leadership while placing a leader with frontline clinical experience at the head of an organization representing thousands of nurses across Michigan. His priorities connect workforce concerns with the care patients receive: stronger staffing policies, nurse retention, professional recognition and patient safety standards. Through legislative advocacy and engagement with nursing communities, he brings those concerns into discussions about healthcare policy and workplace conditions. That advocacy includes Metro Detroit and communities throughout Michigan. His national role extends his reach to nurses and patients across the country, while his University of Michigan council position keeps him connected to decisions within a major academic health system. McCormick also advocates for equitable access to care and improved conditions in under-resourced facilities, with attention to disparities affecting African American and other underserved communities. His public forums and conference participation provide additional opportunities to bring nurses’ perspectives into leadership conversations. Representation remains part of the work itself. McCormick supports diverse pathways into nursing leadership and the inclusion of underrepresented voices in decision-making. For young nurses, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, his presidency offers a concrete example of where professional influence can lead. His continuing work centers on what nurses can do with that influence: help shape the policies and working conditions on which patient care depends.

24 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

Aaron McCormick

President | Michigan Nurses Association University of Michigan Ann Arbor

The Michigan Nurses Association’s first Black male president connects frontline experience with advocacy for staffing, workplace protections and patient safety.

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Carlynn Nichols Organizes Care Around Children and Families Carlynn D. Nichols directs clinical strategy and services for children, families and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at CNS Healthcare, bringing more than 30 years of experience to a central challenge: coordinating care for young people whose needs span multiple agencies and systems. As chief clinical officer of Children, Family and Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services, Nichols, LMSW, oversees programs across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Her leadership draws on a career working directly with families, developing children’s services and strengthening the professional workforce that delivers them. At the center of her approach is a commitment to giving children and caregivers a meaningful role in care. Individualized, coordinated support—often called wraparound care—organizes services around their circumstances and preferences, helping families navigate complex needs while keeping young people connected to home, school and community. That perspective took shape early in her career as a home-based therapist at Southwest Counseling Solutions. She later led its Children, Youth and Families services before becoming director of Children’s Initiatives at Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority. There, she helped develop a comprehensive system of care for youth involved with behavioral health, child welfare and juvenile justice. A decade as chief clinical officer at The Children’s Center of Wayne County followed before she joined CNS in 2024.

Carlynn D. Nichols, LMSW Chief Clinical Officer CNS Healthcare

CNS Healthcare executive, Carlynn Nichols, combines clinical practice, policy leadership and workforce education to strengthen children’s behavioral health services.

Her contributions also include strengthening support for infants and caregivers. Nichols has been credited with helping to expand Wayne County’s infant mental-health workforce and sustain training partnerships. She continues developing practitioners as a part-time faculty member at Wayne State University’s School of Social Work. Her service as vice president of NAMI Michigan’s Board of Directors extends that work into advocacy and public education. Nichols connects direct-care experience with organizational leadership. Her current work carries a consistent priority across those responsibilities: ensuring that services respond to the child and family they are intended to support. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Dr. Claudia Richardson Connects Medicine With Public Health As medical director of the Detroit Health Department, Dr. Claudia Richardson brings more than three decades of physician and clinical leadership experience to decisions affecting residents across the city. Her background in obstetrics and gynecology, community healthcare and public health connects the needs she has encountered in individual patients with the policies and services designed to protect entire communities. Richardson, MD, MPH, FACOG, helps establish medical guidance for city health services and works with department leadership to plan and administer public-health operations. Her preparation includes a biology degree from Duke University, a medical degree from East Carolina University, a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill and residency training at Wayne State University. That education has accompanied a career serving women and underserved populations. Before returning to Detroit, where she began her residency in 1989, Richardson held leadership positions at Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center in North Carolina and Planned Parenthood in Baltimore.

Dr. Claudia Richardson, MD, MPH, FACOG Chief Medical Officer City of Detroit

Detroit’s medical director brings decades of clinical leadership and public-health training to maternal care, prevention and community partnerships.

Her contributions to maternal health demonstrate how that experience informs her current work. Richardson helped author Promoting Actions to Improve Maternal Systems of Care, a state and Detroit collaboration that translates reviews of maternal deaths into recommendations addressing clinical care, mental health, equity and support services. The work seeks to turn lessons from those deaths into opportunities for prevention. She has also advocated for healthy pregnancies through Detroit’s Rides to Care initiative, which provides transportation to medical appointments for eligible expectant mothers and caregivers of infants. That advocacy recognizes access as an essential part of effective care. Her service on Michigan’s Area Health Education Center Advisory Board and Karmanos’ community outreach advisory board extends her influence into healthcare workforce preparation and cancer outreach. Richardson connects clinical expertise with public responsibility. Her work brings attention to both the medical services residents need and the community conditions that determine whether they can receive them. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

Kelli Sadler Shapes Nursing’s Future at Corewell

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Kelli Sadler, Corewell Health’s first system chief nursing executive, has helped strengthen Southeast Michigan’s nursing workforce through academic partnerships, expanded flexible nursing roles and initiatives focused on clinical quality and patient safety. Appointed to the newly created systemwide position in March 2026, she now brings those priorities to an organization with more than 16,000 nurses. Sadler’s leadership draws on more than 30 years in nursing and healthcare, beginning at the bedside and progressing through clinical, management and executive responsibilities. Since joining Corewell in January 2023, Sadler has helped connect nursing education with employment opportunities. She participated in the December 2023 launch of the Nurse Immersive Clinical and Employment program with Henry Ford College, which offered scholarships of up to $9,380, clinical training, paid work opportunities and guaranteed employment for graduates meeting licensing and hiring requirements. She also supported Oakland University’s Corewell Nurse Scholars partnership, offering up to $20,000 per recipient and two years of guaranteed job placement. Together, these partnerships address the financial and practical steps between entering a nursing program and beginning a career. Her workforce efforts extend to experienced nurses. Sadler expanded Corewell’s Virtual Nurse program and Weekend Alternative Nurse positions, creating additional ways to organize nursing work and schedules. Clinical standards remain part of that focus. During her Southeast Michigan leadership tenure, Corewell Health Wayne Hospital earned its first Magnet designation in September 2025, an institutional and team achievement recognizing nursing practice and patient care. In her systemwide role, Sadler works with physician executives and regional nursing leaders to align care priorities, clinical standards and workforce sustainability. Her academic advisory service further connects that responsibility with the preparation of future professionals.

28 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

Kelli Sadler, MHA, BSN, RN Chief Nursing Executive Corewell Health

Corewell Health’s first system chief nursing executive Kelli Sadler connects student opportunity, flexible nursing roles and clinical standards to the future of patient care.

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Kennedy Shannon Builds a Place for Stability

For adults leaving hospitals, homelessness or unstable placements, finding an appropriate home can be a critical part of receiving consistent care. Kennedy Shannon, Esq., has built Serenity House Residential Care Services LLC around that need, developing specialized residential programs for people requiring around-theclock support. As CEO, Shannon combines legal expertise with healthcare operations to serve adults with serious mental illness and intellectual or developmental disabilities. In three years, Shannon built an adult foster care organization generating more than $5 million annually, with multiple homes across Metro Detroit. Its services connect stable housing with behavioral health support and person-centered care for residents, many of whom are Medicaid beneficiaries and have faced barriers to appropriate placement. A significant expansion added five specialized residential facilities across Michigan, increasing capacity for individuals with complex needs while creating jobs and strengthening coordination across communities. Shannon also negotiated multiple Community Mental Health contracts to support service delivery.

Kennedy Shannon

Chief Executive Officer Serenity House Residential Care Services, LLC

Attorney and healthcare CEO Kennedy Shannon expands residential care for adults whose complex needs require sustained, individualized support.

Her legal background informs the structure behind that growth. She has implemented operations centered on regulatory compliance, bringing attention to the responsibilities that accompany caring for vulnerable adults. For Serenity House, organizational performance includes placement stability, hospitalizations, incidents, compliance and residents’ quality of life. The organization tracks these measures alongside opportunities for greater participation in community life. Shannon’s leadership also addresses the workforce sustaining residential care. Serenity House is a minority- and woman-owned organization that intentionally hires from and invests in the communities it serves. Through workforce advocacy, mentorship and community engagement, she supports professional development and economic opportunity while seeking policies that sustain quality services. For residents whose needs have made stability difficult to secure, those foundations matter every day. Shannon’s contribution is building residential programs equipped to provide both a place to live and the continuing support to make that placement work. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

From Bedside to Boardroom: Dr. Tate Is Building a Brand Nu Legacy of Leadership

Detroit has long been a city of resilience, reinvention, and trailblazers. For Nutrena H. Tate, PhD, MBA, APRN, CPNP-PC, NEA-BC, FADLN, those qualities are more than characteristics of her hometown. They are the foundation of a remarkable 30 plus year career dedicated to transforming healthcare, developing leaders, advancing equity, and empowering communities. A nurse scientist, certified primary care pediatric nurse practitioner, educator, executive, and entrepreneur, Dr. Tate represents the power and possibilities of Black female leadership. Her journey from the bedside at Children's Hospital of Michigan to the boardroom of national professional organizations reflects an unwavering commitment to excellence, service, and creating opportunities for others. Today, Dr. Tate serves as President of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP), where she champions pediatric healthcare workforce development, mentorship, professional advocacy, and child health equity. Her presidential platform, Activate. Align. Amplify., challenges leaders and organizations to move beyond conversation toward collective action and meaningful impact. Her leadership journey includes serving as System Director of Nursing Research at Henry Ford Health and Associate Dean of the College of Health Professions and McAuley School of Nursing at the University of Detroit Mercy, where she remains a tenured Associate Professor. She holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, and Michigan State University, including a PhD in Nursing Research and an Executive MBA.

Dr. Nutrena Tate, PhD, MBA, APRN, CPNP-PC, NEA-BC, FADLN CEO | Brand Nu Consulting

Detroit-rooted nurse scientist, national healthcare leader, and entrepreneur, Dr. Nutrena Tate, is redefining what it means to lead, serve, and create opportunities for the next generation.

In 2022, Dr. Tate expanded her vision by founding Brand Nu Consulting, Inc., a Black woman-owned consulting enterprise built on the belief that leadership development and organizational transformation should be intentional, inclusive, and sustainable. Brand Nu Consulting provides expertise in executive and leadership development, organizational strategy, governance, workforce development, professional coaching, and equity-centered education. Its approach moves beyond traditional training to help organizations turn awareness into action, strategy into execution, and leadership potential into measurable impact. Thirty years after beginning her nursing journey, Dr. Tate continues to challenge expectations and redefine possibilities. She is not simply celebrating a career of accomplishments. She is building a legacy. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Dr. Hayley Thompson Makes Community Voices Count Through two programs led by Dr. Hayley S. Thompson, 79 women have trained as community health advisors to bring breast cancer education to fellow Detroit residents. Their work reflects her approach to prevention: give communities a voice in shaping health programs and the tools to put them into action. Thompson, a clinical psychologist and professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine, serves as associate center director of Community Outreach and Engagement at Karmanos Cancer Institute. Her leadership makes community knowledge part of how a cancer center works. In 2016, she established Michigan Cancer HealthLink, a partnership now encompassing eight Cancer Action Councils. Survivors, caregivers and advocates help inform research and programming, bringing perspectives from Black men, young survivors, rural residents and other communities. In Detroit, that commitment takes practical form through the Witness Project of Detroit and its successor, Real Talk: Breast Cancer. The Witness Project reached 2,043 people, predominantly Black women. Real Talk and related programming have reached approximately 1,500 people since 2019. Participants are assessed for screening eligibility and offered help navigating care.

Dr. Hayley Thompson, PhD

Associate Center Director of Community Outreach and Education Karmanos Cancer Institute Professor of Oncology Wayne State University School of Medicine

Karmanos leader builds partnerships that connect cancer research, screening and support with the people they are intended to serve.

Thompson also directs resources toward organizations positioned to reach residents. In 2025, her team launched the Connection to Care Community Grant Program, awarding four organizations $20,000 to $30,000 each. During a six-month pilot, three partners identified 303 people eligible for breast cancer screening and 162 eligible for lung cancer screening, offering navigation assistance. A fourth partnership, involving the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan and an Odawa health clinic, increased colorectal screening completion among the clinic’s American Indian patients from 3.5% to 20% across two calendar quarters. Her work also addresses digital barriers. Through the Digital Engagement and Cancer Outcomes Center, she leads efforts to connect Black cancer patients, survivors and caregivers with devices, affordable internet and technology training. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Derek Ware Leads With Experience, Serves With Purpose Years before Derek Ware became President and CEO of Detroit Community Health Connection, Wayne County recognized him for 16 years of service as Detroit Community Health Connection’s executive administrator and chief of staff. That 2016 honor captures a defining feature of his leadership: experience built from within the institution he now leads. Ware’s progression at DCHC from administration and operations to executive leadership brings organizational knowledge to a consequential responsibility to sustain affordable community healthcare. Detroit Community Health Connection, known as DCHC, has served patients since 1988. As a Federally Qualified Health Center, it provides primary care in underserved communities and offers fees adjusted to patients’ financial circumstances. Its patient pledge commits to care regardless of one's ability to pay. The services reflect the wide range of residents' needs. To meet those needs, DCHC offers primary care, dentistry, and behavioral health, pediatrics, women’s health, and HIV care. Counseling, substance use support, and psychiatric services also connect mental healthcare with the organization’s broader clinical offerings. Access also involves the practical details of receiving treatment. DCHC offers discounted prescriptions, language interpretation, and transportation vouchers in special circumstances. This is support that addresses obstacles beyond scheduling an appointment.

Dr. Derek Ware

President and CEO Detroit Community Health Connection

At Detroit Community Health Connection, a career in healthcare operations informs a leader committed to serving residents regardless of ability to pay.

Ware’s career has positioned him close to the organization’s operations. He served as vice president of operations in 2024 and then interim president and CEO in 2025. Today, Ware is the organization’s permanent president and CEO. His involvement extends into citywide health planning and delivery. He serves on the steering committee of the Detroit Health Department for its Community Health Improvement Process, representing DCHC alongside other community and healthcare institutions. Cleary University also recognized him with an honorary doctorate in 2025. For Ware, executive leadership carries forward a longstanding organizational and personal commitment to keep the people, services, and daily operations aligned so that Detroit residents can access care tailored to their health needs and circumstances. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

James White Connects Public Safety With Crisis Care

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

As president and CEO of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, James E. White brings two perspectives to a critical public-health responsibility: the emergency-response experience of a former Detroit police chief and the treatment knowledge of a licensed mental health counselor. Together, they inform his work strengthening connections between public safety agencies and the behavioral-health services Wayne County residents need. Since assuming leadership in November 2024, White has directed a network serving more than 123,000 people annually through services for mental illness, substance-use disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. He oversees its strategic, operational and financial direction, with priorities that include provider access and coordination between physical and behavioral healthcare. His background gives him insight into the decisions first responders face when someone is experiencing a crisis, as well as the importance of connecting that person with treatment. Under his leadership, collaboration between behavioral-health providers and public safety agencies remains central to DWIHN’s approach. White is also advancing plans for an Integrated Crisis Care Campus in Detroit. The planned campus would bring behavioral healthcare together with physical health, dental and vision services, including walk-in crisis care and a dedicated youth stabilization unit. The goal is a more coordinated response for residents whose needs extend across several types of care. His appointment to the CIT International board in early 2026 provides another avenue for that work. The organization promotes crisis-intervention training and partnerships among behavioralhealth professionals, first responders and communities, extending White’s participation in those discussions beyond Wayne County. White’s contribution centers on connecting systems that encounter many of the same residents under different circumstances. For the county and its communities, his combined experience offers a practical asset: leadership that understands both the urgency of a crisis call and the continuing care needed after the immediate emergency has passed.

36 Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026

James White

President and CEO Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network

DWIHN’s president and CEO brings policing experience and counseling expertise to the delivery of behavioral healthcare across Wayne County.

VITALSIGNS Michigan Chronicle

SALUTE TO BLACK HEALTHCARE LEADERS IN METRO DETROIT

Dr. Kevin Whitlow Builds Trust That Opens Doors to Care Dr. Kevin Whitlow’s work connects the examination room with the community, encouraging Black men to seek care for concerns ranging from mental health to high blood pressure, prostate health and diabetes. Through education, screenings and relationship building, he helps make attention to health a continuing conversation. Dr. Whitlow practices within Henry Ford and serves patients drawn largely from Detroit. His work combines clinical care with outreach to residents who have historically faced barriers to quality healthcare, placing trust and prevention at the center of his approach. His patients range from 18 to 101 years old. That span brings the changing needs of adulthood into a practice supported by fellow physicians, medical assistants and nurses. Beyond appointments, Dr. Whitlow extends his medical knowledge through community education and advocacy focused on access and health equity. His outreach has accompanied increased community engagement, additional partnerships and greater participation in care among Black men. These developments reflect a practical priority: helping people feel informed and comfortable enough to raise concerns and seek medical attention.

Dr. Kevin Whitlow, MD Physician Henry Ford Health

Through medical practice, community education and mentorship, Detroit physician, Dr. Kevin Whitlow encourages greater engagement in preventive care, particularly among Black men.

For Dr. Whitlow, effective care includes what patients understand about their health and the confidence they have in their providers. He emphasizes early intervention and culturally responsive care, recognizing patients’ backgrounds as part of the relationship through which treatment and prevention take place. That attention to relationships also shapes his mentorship. Dr. Whitlow guides aspiring healthcare professionals, sharing clinical knowledge while offering a visible example of Black leadership in medicine. His investment in future clinicians extends his work beyond the patients he personally treats. The continuity between those efforts gives his work its purpose. A screening can introduce a health concern; education can help someone understand it; a trusted relationship can support the decision to seek care. Dr. Whitlow works across those connections to encourage sustained attention to health. Michigan Chronicle | Vital Signs 2026