Former Fellows
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Michael Hulefeld, Chief Operating Officer, Ochsner Health System Mr. Hulefeld has operational oversight for all clinical services throughout the system. Mr. Hulefeld joined Ochsner in 1998 as an Administrative Fellow. In 1999 he was named Manager of Musculoskeletal Services for Ochsner Clinic and in 2001 he became Director of New Orleans Satellite Clinics. From there, Mr. Hulefeld was named Vice President of Satellite and Ancillary Services, a position he held for four years. He spent two years as the Chief Operating Officer of Ochsner Medical Center - the flagship hospital in the Ochsner Health System and three years as the Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Hulefeld graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio and received his Master’s Degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan. He serves as a board member of the Stuart Hall School for Boys. |
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Beth Walker, Chief Operating Officer, Ochsner Medical Center Beth Walker serves as Chief Operating Officer for Ochsner Medical Center, and maintains administrative responsibility for the ambulatory clinics and physician group practice for Ochsner Health System’s flagship hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. Originally from Ohio, Beth joined Ochsner Health System in 2002 as an Operations Fellow, after completing her MHA from The Ohio State University. She has since held various leadership roles in physician practice management throughout the system, prior to taking on the COO role in 2013. In her downtime, Beth enjoys travel, running, yoga and enjoying everything the city of New Orleans has to offer. “I am proud to act as a Preceptor for Ochsner’s Operations Fellowship. Having completed the program years ago, I know the value it can bring in terms of both experience and exposure. From the very beginning of my career, I had an opportunity to learn from so many great leaders, all of whom have played a role in developing me into the leader I am today.” |
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Mary Deynoodt, COO at Ochsner Medical Center-West Bank Originally from New Orleans, Mary Deynoodt currently serves as COO at Ochsner Medical Center-West Bank. Mary joined Ochsner Health System in July 2000 as an operations fellow and has held various leadership roles. Currently, she is responsible for operations of the hospital in Gretna, Louisiana. She is responsible for driving the operational, financial and strategic performance of the facility. Prior to this role, Mary served in leadership roles responsible for physician practice management, inpatient services as well as ancillary services. Mary has a broad base of experience in healthcare operations. Mary holds a BS from Newcomb College of Tulane University and a MHA from the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine of Tulane University. In her downtime, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading and jogging. |
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Julie Henry, COO at Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner Julie Henry graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science degree in Healthcare Management from the school of Commerce and Business Administration. Upon graduation she returned to New Orleans where she received her Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of New Orleans. Julie began her Ochsner career as a Training and Development Specialist in the Revenue Cycle Department for Ochsner Health System. She then became a Finance Administrative Fellow in January of 2009. After completing the program, she was promoted to Manager of Medical Specialties for the Neurology and Gastroenterology clinics at Jeff Highway. In January of 2012 she accepted the position of Radiology Director where she was responsible for Operations and Group Practice Management for all Radiology modalities, consisting of Ochsner Medical Center Jefferson Hwy and 9 Southshore Satellite locations. When she was promoted to Assistant Vice President of the Radiology Service Line in 2013, her responsibilities broaden to include the coordination and implementation of a Service Line Strategic Plan, System Imaging Capital Budget Management, Ochsner Affiliate-Growth & Transition Initiatives, Radiation Safety Department and Radiology IS Department. Julie was selected as Management Leader of the Year – Clinical, Ochsner Health System in 2014. Currently she serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner and River Parish. |
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Sarah Roberts, Vice President of Clinic Operations Sarah Roberts serves as the Vice President of Clinic Operations at Ochsner Medical Center on Jefferson Highway. In her current role, Sarah works closely with her physician dyad, overseeing the following departments: Pulmonary, Pulmonary Lab, Nephrology, Endocrinology, Infectious Disease, Dermatology, Podiatry, Palliative Care, Colon & Rectal Surgery, Gastroenterology, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Neurology, Neuro Critical Care, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, and Endoscopy. Her main areas of focus include access to care, growth, physician relations, and the development of new models of care and enhanced clinic efficiency. She began her career as an Occupational Therapist before returning to school to earn her Master of Health Administration degree from The Ohio State University. She then relocated to Louisiana to join Ochsner as an Administrative Fellow in 2007. Her past roles at Ochsner have included Lean Management Engineering Leader, followed by Director and Assistant Vice President of Medical Specialties. “Ochsner’s Administrative Fellowship Program provided me with projects that challenged me as a young professional, exposed me to various leadership styles, and allowed me to learn from top leaders in healthcare. The program provided me rotational opportunities in many different areas of Ochsner, which have served to be of great value in my many roles within the organization. I continue to remain active in the fellowship program by participating on the recruitment and steering committees, mentoring fellows and engaging them in projects within my clinic areas.” |
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Emily Zellinger Wiltenmuth, AVP Emily Wiltenmuth graduated from The University of North Georgia with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management in 2000. Upon graduation, Emily moved to Atlanta and worked in the health care sales industry. In 2005, Emily moved to New Orleans and began working with Ochsner Health System. In 2007, Emily completed her Master’s in Health Care Management from The University of New Orleans. Upon graduation, Emily became one of two Administrative Fellows at Ochsner Health System. Emily is now an Assistant Vice President at Ochsner Medical Center, responsible for the Neuroscience Service Line. In the years leading up to her current role, Emily was responsible for operations in different capacities, spanning several different campuses. Specialties included Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, Primary Care, the Endoscopy Lab and many others. |
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Amy Chauffe, Director of Surgical Specialties Amy Chauffe is a New Orleans native, graduating LSU with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications with a concentration in Advertising. After college, she worked at Memorial Baptist Medical Center while pursuing her Master of Science in Healthcare Management at the University of New Orleans. In 2006, she joined Ochsner Clinic as an operations fellow and worked with the executive leadership team during the expansion of the Ochsner Clinic into Ochsner Health System through the acquisition of 3 local hospitals. Amy served in an interim leadership role in Pediatrics during the fellowship. She has lead the departments of Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Urology, Colon and Rectal Surgery, Pain Management, Rheumatology and ENT. Through her work, she has overseen the development of the Pain Management Center, Spine Center and the Sports Medicine Institute. Amy is currently the Director of Surgical Specialties at Ochsner Medical Center. |
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Chris Bowers, Director for Primary Care and Allergy Chris currently serves as the Director for Primary Care and Allergy at OMC overseeing Primary Care clinics on the Southshore and Allergy Clinics on the Southshore, Northshore, and Westbank. Prior to his role as Director, Chris served as the Manager for Primary Care and Hospital Medicine at OMC. Chris completed his Administrative Fellowship in Operations in 2010, spending the entirety at OMC – Kenner. He holds a Masters in Healthcare Administration from The Ohio State University and a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from Kent State University. In between graduate and undergraduate schools, he served as a Leadership Consultant for Delta Tau Delta Fraternity. Chris is a native of Tallmadge, Ohio, and enjoys golf and spending time with his family during his free time. “I really enjoyed the Ochsner Fellowship because it gave me great insight into how a leading organization operates. It really allowed me to apply my knowledge to a good mix of everyday and strategic issues, while offering professional development at the same time. The fellowship is well-established and gives each fellow great exposure to the organization and its leaders. I highly recommend it!” |
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Greg Dadlez, Director of Operations for Ochsner Accountable Care Network Greg is the Director of Operations for Ochsner Accountable Care Network (OACN), a 39,000 beneficiary ACO currently in track 1 that is moving to 1+ in 2018. Prior to joining OACN, Greg served as the director of operations for Ochsner’s clinically integrated network of over 1,300 community and employed physicians. Greg has also served as the clinical operations manager of Ochsner Neuroscience Institute during which time he co-authored a 3.87M CMS Innovations grant to redesign stroke care delivery at Ochsner. He received his BA from Penn State University, his MHA from Virginia Commonwealth University and he completed an administrative fellowship at Ochsner Health System. |
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Laura Carleton-Doody, Director, Financial Operations Originally from Lake Charles, LA, Laura graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in Business Management receiving the University Medal for a 4.0 grade point average. Laura completed her MBA at Louisiana State University with a concentration in Finance. While at LSU, Laura competed for the track and field and cross country teams and holds the school records for the 5k and 10k. Laura is currently serving as a Director of Finance, where she is responsible for strategic planning, direction, and overall accountability for hospital and clinic finances. She also is an active lean greenbelt and coach. “Starting off the finance fellowship with in-depth rotations in decision support and revenue cycle gave me a strong foundation of the systems at Ochsner and the healthcare finance, from there I was able to assist on special projects and rotate with facility CFO’s which further exposed me to operational problem solving and analysis. The variety of areas that I was exposed to and network created during the fellowship has greatly assisted me after moving into my next roles. Also during my time as a fellow I earned the Ochsner Lean Green Belt Certification and led several process improvement projects outside of financial operations, which has been very rewarding.” |
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Tiffany Henriques-Goitia, Director, Finance System Partnership Tiffany was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Loyola University of New Orleans. Her business management concentration as an undergraduate student piqued her interest in many aspects of business. She chose to stay at Loyola to earn her Master of Business Administration, graduating in the fall of 2010. While earning that degree, she completed the coursework necessary to sit for the CPA exam. As a certified public accountant for KPMG LLP, an international accounting and advisory firm, she developed a wide range of skills and gained knowledge about various business entities. In the spring of 2013, Tiffany chose to leave public accounting and prepare to use her knowledge of business operations and finance in the healthcare field. “Throughout my time in the PMO and work under Jeff Saucier after graduation, I often reflected upon how helpful my Fellowship rotations were in preparing me for my role as a leader at Ochsner. From HR training and participation in Leadership events to shadowing members of Revenue Cycle, many aspects of the fellowship taught me necessary skills to be effective in my work here. Now that I work with so many of our leaders across the organization in my partnership work, I am even more grateful to have made the connections I did with others during the Fellowship. That experience and exposure to such talented people here at Ochsner was invaluable!” |
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Stephen Harris, Director, Clinic Operations Steve grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended college at Creighton University. He then completed his MHA from the University of Minnesota. During his time as a fellow he worked with the corporate executive team and the CEO's of individual operating divisions on various project related work. After completing his fellowship he transitioned to a managerial role in cardiology over Ochsner’s Heart Failure/Transplant/VAD operations, Consultative Cardiology, and the Coumadin Clinic. After several years in that role, Steve was promoted to the director position over all of cardiology operations at Ochsner Medical Center. “Fellowships are desirable due to the mentorship and perspective that you otherwise may never get. The Ochsner fellowship is well established and excels in providing that experience to those that have the opportunity to participate. I knew I wanted to pursue a fellowship with a large integrated delivery system or academic medical center. Ochsner was a perfect fit for both.” |
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Katy Bodin, Director, Clinic Operations Katy Bodin currently serves as the Director of Clinic Operations for Cardiology, Psychiatry, Neurology, OB/GYN, Hematology, and Anesthesia at Ochsner West Bank. Prior to her roll on the West Bank, Katy served as an Operations Administrative Fellow in the Baton Rouge Region for Ochsner Health System. She joined Ochsner in 2009 as an executive assistant for the Baton Rouge leadership team and was previously employed by LSU in athletics. Katy has participated in various LEAN projects, the Pursuit of Value initiative, and the development of the Baton Rouge Cancer Center during her time at Ochsner. She is a native of New Orleans and a graduate of Loyola University where she earned a Bachelor’s in Journalism and Spanish. She also holds a Masters in Business Administration from Louisiana State University. |
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Katy Chavet Coleman, Director of Strategic Operations, Office of Strategy Management Katy Coleman received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Texas A&M University and a Master of Health Administration from Texas A&M Health Science Center. Katy’s first introduction to Ochsner Health System came when she completed her Graduate Practicum at Ochsner Medical Center- Northshore in the summer of 2011. Upon graduation in July of 2012, Katy joined Ochsner in a full time role as an Operations Administrative Fellow in the New Orleans region. During the course of the Fellowship, Katy worked for the corporate executive team on various projects within the Office of Strategy management and served as interim manager for several specialty clinics. Upon completion of the fellowship, she assumed the role of Clinic Operations Manager for the Departments of Ophthalmology, Optometry and ENT. In 2015, Katy joined the Project Management Office as a Strategic Program Manager where she led system-wide strategic initiatives involving project management, change management, and process improvement core capabilities. Her programs included supply chain optimization, care pathways implementation, inpatient telemedicine and direct-to-consumer Telehealth. Most recently, Katy returned to the Office of Strategy Management as the Director of Strategic Operations. In this role, she is responsible for supporting the system COO and CMO in their operating rhythm, communications, strategic planning, and key executive-sponsored initiatives. “The Fellowship allowed me to learn and gain exposure to parts of the organization, and healthcare as a whole, that I would never have had the opportunity to experience otherwise. Education is at the roots of our organization, and at every step along the way I encountered leaders who were eager to teach me, push me to try new things, and help me grow both personally and professionally." |
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Eric DiZinno, Director, Strategic Business Eric DiZinno is a Director of Strategic Business operations at Ochsner. In his current role, he works on system level initiatives alongside executives and operational leaders to identify and address strategic financial issues, providing detailed analysis, data reporting, and financial modeling. He was formerly a manager in Ochsner Health System’s Project Management Office, primarily working on projects focusing on labor management efficiencies and corporate waste reduction issues. Eric also completed Ochsner’s Finance Administrative Fellowship, a 2 year leadership development and training program. While in the Fellowship, he worked on various assignments across the Ochsner System developing skills in consulting, analytics, project management and financial modeling. Prior to coming to Ochsner, Eric worked for 5 years for Lockheed Martin Space Systems on NASA’s External Tank Project as a Finance and Cost Analyst. He has a BA in Economics from Louisiana State University and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from the University of New Orleans. |
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Christopher Matthews, Director, Hospital Medicine Chris Matthews is a Director of Hospital Medicine at Ochsner Medical Center - Westbank. His previous role of Manager of Supply Chain at Ochsner Medicial Center - West Bank gave him the opportunity to work alongside executives and operational leaders to develop, implement, and monitor strategies for supply cost reduction and utilization management in all activities related to the operations of Supply Management, Inventory Control, and Receiving for OMC-West Bank. While in Ochsner’s Finance Fellowship, he had the opportunity to work on various projects across the Ochsner System which helped him develop skills in critical problem solving, financial modeling, and project implementation. Before joining Ochsner, Chris worked for 2 years at the Louisiana State Treasury's Bond Commission, where he conducted valuations on municipal entities seeking to enter the bond market and their ability to meet their bond covenants. He has a B.S. in Economics from Louisiana State University and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Millsaps College. |
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Stephen Pepitone, Director, Finance Stephen Pepitone graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s in Business Administration and a minor in Mathematics. For several years after, he worked for Florida Parishes Bank in Hammond, LA completing financial analysis and loan review. During this time, he earned a MBA with a concentration in Healthcare Administration. He joined Ochsner Health System as a Finance Administrative Fellow in January 2011 and is currently the Financial Operations Director at Ochsner Medical Center. In his current role, he collaborates with nursing, operations, and medical leaders to optimize financial performance in their areas. |
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Andrew Hancher, Manager, Clinic Operations Originally from Cincinnati, OH, I received my MSHA & MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and entered the Administrative Fellowship in 2014-2015 with a specific focus on organizational strategy and operations. “The Administrative Fellowship Program at Ochsner Health System was an overall exceptional experience that exposed me to all the complexities of a comprehensive health care system. My interaction with and exposure to the unique leadership and mentorship styles of each senior executive allowed me to grow both personally and professionally. My involvement in numerous, high-impact, organization-wide projects challenged me to think strategically while managing processes and people on an operational level. Ultimately, this experience provided me with an opportunity to help jump-start my career.” |
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Razaa Ali, Clinic Services Manager Originally from New Orleans, LA, Razaa graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in Business Management that included a concentration in Entrepreneurship along with a minor in Political Science. Razaa was a Magna Cum Laude graduate and was designated a Rucks Fellow, an honor that recognizes students with a GPA that is top ten among graduating students in the Management program. After earning his Bachelor’s degree, Razaa completed his MBA at the University of New Orleans, where he graduated with a 4.0 GPA. Razaa completed the Ochsner Administrative Fellowship Program in June 2016. Razaa is currently serving as Clinic Services Manager, where he has operational responsibilities for six outpatient practices. “Beginning at Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge in July 2015, I was provided access to executive meetings where I sought out value-add projects, i.e. digital wayfinding and quality control, to support growth in the region. I completed my fellowship at Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner in June 2016 where I sought out projects that included clinic suite design and expansions, formulation and assessments of provider proformas, and completion of two Lean projects that resulted in earning the Ochsner Lean Green Belt Certification.” |
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Frances Dauterive-Forrette, Manager, Clinic Operations Originally from New Iberia, Louisiana, Frances moved to New Orleans to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from LSU Health. After receiving her nursing degree and licensure in May 2011, she began working in the Emergency Department at Ochsner Baptist. Frances continued to work in the Emergency Department while pursuing an MBA from the University of New Orleans. Soon after graduating from her MBA program in May 2015, she began Ochsner’s Administrative Fellowship at the Northshore campus. In completing her fellowship, she accepted a position on the Northshore as a Clinic Manager of Urology, Nephrology, and Pain Management in Covington and of Neurology and Neurosurgery for the region. Frances has gained valuable experience in her current role throughout the past year and with this experience, she continuously strives to enhance the patient experience at Ochsner. |
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Lauren Gilley, Manager, Clinic Operations Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Lauren graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Economics and a minor in Corporate Strategy. Post-graduation, Lauren moved back to Mobile, where she worked as a Marketing Specialist at ThyssenKrupp Steel for two years. Lauren currently completed her MSHA at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Over the past year, Lauren has completed two internships at BlueCross and BlueShield of Alabama and at Children’s Medical Center Dallas in the Finance Department. Lauren is eager to begin her fellowship where she can build upon the knowledge obtained through her coursework. She is excited by the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships throughout the organization, while working as part of a team that strives to improve the quality of care and the patient experience throughout the continuum. In her free time, Lauren enjoys hiking, traveling, playing tennis, and spending time with friends and family. Lauren will be located at Ochsner Jefferson Highway. |
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Lauren Poist, Manager, Clinic Operations Born and raised in Alabama, Lauren graduated from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa where she double majored in Marketing and Management and specialized in Health Care Management. Lauren then went on to attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to pursue one of the coordinated degree options: the Master of Science in Health Administration and Master of Business Administration Program (MSHA/MBA). Lauren completed her MBA in the spring of 2015 and graduated with her MSHA following the completion of Ochsner’s Administrative Fellowship in 2016. After the fellowship, Lauren served as Interim Manager for Primary Care in Ochsner’s West Bank region and has since accepted a Clinic Operations Manager role with oversight of Primary Care and General Pediatrics. “The exposure to executive leadership and networking opportunities that the fellowship offers is priceless. Not only do we get to learn alongside leaders at every level of the organization on various projects but we also get to observe each of their leadership styles as we begin to develop our own.” |
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Lilly Nix, Manager, 340b Lilly graduated with a B.S. in engineering from the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. Her concentration was in bioengineering and for her senior capstone project she worked with a team to redesign a medical device used in endoscopic surgeries. Lilly recently graduated with an M.S. in engineering management from Florida International University. While pursuing her master’s degree, she interned at Camillus Health Concern in Miami. She developed spending projections, diagrammed operations and finance processes, and analyzed financial data to determine the most efficient ways to support the clinic’s mission of providing healthcare to the homeless population. This experience influenced her decision to enter the healthcare industry. Lilly previously worked as an automotive safety researcher at George Washington University, performing modeling and simulation with the goal of mitigating injuries in automotive crashes. In her spare time, she stays involved with her local community by teaching ESL classes and working with her church youth group. |
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Brittainy McKinney – Former Revenue Cycle Fellow Brittainy graduated from Florida State University in May 2011 with her degree in Accounting and Finance. Brittainy moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 2013 to attend Georgia State University’s Graduate Program and graduated in December 2014 with her Master of Business Administration. She earned her Master of Health Administration degree in May 2015 after completing an administrative internship at the Blood and Marrow Transplant Group of Georgia. “Ochsner Health System’s Fellowship Program helped me to gain valuable insight into the practical demands of Healthcare Leadership and develop a comprehensive understanding of the Revenue Cycle. During my second year as a fellow, I expressed an interest in Coding and CDI. Therefore, I was given the opportunity to return to HIM and Coding department and dive deeper into a project that involved the integration of Coding and CDI and reorganizing the department around service lines. After completing my Fellowship, I earned a position as Manager of Documentation Excellence.” |
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Jeanette Weiland, Former Finance Fellow Jeanette graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Trade and Finance, and received both her Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of New Orleans. She is excited about charting a new career path in the healthcare industry because it will enable her contributions to help people of all backgrounds, regardless of socioeconomic status, and to enrich the lives of her immediate community. "The mission to provide quality, accessible healthcare to our communities has very unique and challenging aspects to it. The Finance Fellowship at Ochsner Health System helped me develop an analytical skillset that enables me to solve problems that do not always appear to have solutions at first glance." |
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Emily Hanson, Supply Chain Fellow Emily Hanson is a Louisiana transplant who moved to New Orleans to pursue a Masters of Business Administration at Loyola University. After studying project management and Lean methodologies at Loyola, Emily obtained her Six Sigma Green Belt. Emily’s professors encouraged her to seek professional experiences in the healthcare field due to her desire to use her business skills to help people. Emily enthusiastically took an opportunity to work with the Director of Organizational Learning at Florida Hospital Medical Memorial Center. The experience solidified her determination to pursue a career in the healthcare industry. Presently, Emily is representing Loyola on the 2015 IDEAcorps team for New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, which was her final requirement to graduate in May 2015. As a former nationally ranked district manager for Vector Marketing Corporation, Emily aspires to continue to cultivate her leadership skills. She is currently organizing a leadership development program for her MBA peers in collaboration with the Young Leadership Council with the goal of increasing student involvement in the community. In her free time, Emily enjoys reading, exercising outdoors and appreciating New Orleans with her husband and four-year-old daughter. |
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DongOuk (John) Lee, Former PharmD Fellow Originally from Seoul, Korea, John lived in Vancouver, Canada for 6 years before moving to Philadelphia, PA. He earned both his Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Studies and Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. After graduation, John moved to New Orleans to pursue further training as a PGY-1 pharmacy resident at Ochsner. The pharmacy residency program at Ochsner is designed to develop clinical practice skills by providing exposure to a clinical environment that offers diverse training in a variety of pharmacy practice areas. Throughout the year, John developed clinical expertise and acquired insights to hospital pharmacy operations. John is very excited to continue his career at Ochsner as a Health-System Administration Pharmacy resident. He plans to utilize his clinical knowledge and direct patient care experience to be an active member of the administrative team. Outside of residency, John enjoys playing soccer, traveling to new countries, and exploring New Orleans. |
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Charlotte Hedley-Piper, Former Administrative Fellow Originally from Montreal, Canada, Charlotte completed her Masters of Science in Management from the London School of Economics where she studied organizational innovation and excellence. At the beginning of her career, she gained valuable experience as a management consultant working in project management and strategy across industries. When she relocated to New Orleans, Charlotte was inspired by entrepreneurship and worked as Operations Director of a startup, before working with a non-profit committed to fostering entrepreneurial talent in the region. Having passion for both business and mission-driven work, she is intent on building a career in healthcare where she can contribute to a dynamic industry while having a positive impact on her adopted community. |
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Wesley Kruse, Associate Program Manager Wes was born in Cincinnati, OH and spent the majority of his pre-professional life in that area of the Midwest. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Louisville in 2011 and immediately started work as a clinical lab processor. Soon after, he chose to continue his education and pursue a career in healthcare administration at Xavier University. Wes graduated with his master’s degree in Health Services Administration from Xavier University after finishing his administrative operations fellowship with Ochsner in 2015. After the fellowship, Wes accepted a project management role focused on Lean-Six Sigma process improvement. “Finding a good job can be an intimidating and challenging process for young professionals with advance degrees but limited work experience. Ochsner’s Administrative Fellowship program provided me the opportunity to get that experience and find a great job in the process. I am forever grateful for that opportunity.” |
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Robert List, Sr. Workforce Analyst Robert was born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida. He attended the University of Tennessee at Martin where he received his undergraduate degree in Biology. During his last year of college, Rob’s love of science coupled with his knack for leadership led him to pursue a career in Healthcare Administration. In 2012, Robert enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he completed his Master of Health Administration. While attending graduate school Rob served as a Graduate Assistant to the Associate Director at the Student Health Center. His work experience focused on OSHA compliance, AAAHC standards, updating organization policies, and filing insurance claims. Rob also served as an intern to Premier Healthcare Alliance; where he assessed and resolved data anomalies in their hospital contracts. In his spare time Rob enjoys playing guitar, being physically active, and exploring new restaurants with his wife, Emily. Robert will be working at Ochsner Medical Center - Jefferson Highway. |
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Matt Duckworth A Mississippi native, Matt graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Communications in 2001 and a Master’s in Public Relations in 2005. He then pursued a law degree from Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson, MS, and graduated Cum Laude in 2009. In December 2016, Matt obtained his Doctorate of Health Administration from the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s School of Health Related Professions. “The Administrative Fellowship Program at Ochsner has allowed me to diversify my understanding of healthcare, and provided me the opportunity to fine tune my management and resource utilization skills.” |
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Steven LaRosa – Finance Fellow A native of Kenner, Louisiana, Steven graduated from LSU in December 2010 with a B.S. in Mathematics, and has completed his M.B.A. with concentrations in Finance and Analytics in May of this year. After completing his undergraduate degree, he worked for Enterprise Rent-A-Car where he helped to build meaningful, beneficial relationships with key customer accounts. His work there led to record-high customer satisfaction scores and facilitated branch operations. More recently, Steven has analyzed customer data for Austin Energy to determine effectiveness of solar panel financial incentive programs. The results of his work will be used in the design of their next solar power program. |
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Emily “Ann” Breen, Nurse Practitioner Emily “Ann” Breen grew up in Northern Virginia and graduated from Sweet Briar College where she studied Psychology. Her time spent interning at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, on-campus health clinic, volunteering at a local hospital, and medical mission trip to Nairobi, Kenya ignited her desire to begin a career in nursing. Post undergraduate, Ann received a Master of Science in Nursing degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. She is board certified with the American Nurses Credentialing Center in Adult-Geriatric Medicine. Ann is also a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honors Society. Ann’s previous clinical experience includes internal medicine, cardiology, home health, student health, international medical missions, and hospital administration. She is currently working as a nurse practitioner in Orthopedic Surgery at the Jefferson Highway Campus as well as in Advanced Practice Provider Administration. “I would describe myself as a ‘fixer.’ I am a problem solver. Working as a clinician, I identified operational areas that I wanted to work on but did not have the capacity. My clinical training focused on just that- clinical training. As I acclimated to the world of healthcare, I realized that there were many aspects behind the scenes that not only did I not understand, but also that I wanted to fix. Ochsner's Nursing Administrative Fellowship allowed me to transition from a strictly clinical role into a role where I’ve been able to learn about the other side of our healthcare system and to explore if this is a future professional interest of mine. I do not know of any other existing program in the country that mirrors this one. At the beginning of the fellowship, one of the major definitions of success for me was to be able to identify my passions and my role progression in healthcare by the time I completed the year. I can confidently say that Ochsner's Nursing Administrative Fellowship has allowed me to do just that.” |
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Neil Hunter, Pharm D Born and raised in Watertown, New York, Dr. Neil Hunter is a graduate of Union University in Jackson, Tennessee where he earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. After graduation, Dr. Hunter then went on to pursue further training by completing the Pharmacy Residency at Ochsner Medical Center. The Ochsner Pharmacy Residency is an intense twelve month program designed to develop clinical pharmacy skills by providing exposure to diverse training in a variety of pharmacy practice areas. In the upcoming year, Dr. Hunter is excited to continue his career at Ochsner as the first Health-System Administration Pharmacy resident. As he embarks on this journey, Dr. Hunter hopes to use his clinical and leadership skill set to actively participate in clinical pharmacy and pharmacy operations oversight, as well as medication safety and policy development. In his free time, Dr. Hunter enjoys playing baseball, boating, cooking and spending time with family and friends. |