Superior Health Quality Alliance announces the launch and inaugural members of the Great Lakes Executive Leadership Council (ELC), a regional advisory body focused on advancing collaboration, accountability, and quality improvement outcomes across the Great Lakes Region.
The Great Lakes ELC plays a critical role in supporting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Innovation Network–Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) program by bringing together senior leaders from health care organizations, public health agencies, and community-based partners. The Great Lakes ELC serves as a forum for strategic guidance, shared learning, and regional alignment to improve health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries and communities across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
“The Great Lakes Executive Leadership Council embodies what it looks like when mission-driven leaders come together with a shared responsibility for improving care,” said Tania Daniels Chief Executive Officer of Superior Health. “Through collective accountability and strategic alignment, this council will help ensure our work remains responsive to community needs and drives measurable improvements in quality, safety and health outcomes across every state in the Great Lakes Region.”
Purpose of the Executive Leadership Council
The purpose of the Great Lakes Executive Leadership Council is to:
- Demonstrate accountability for engagement, collaboration, and quality improvement outcomes across the region
- Review and assess progress of regional, state, and local performance metrics
- Provide strategic guidance to advance Superior Health Quality Alliance’s work and support participating organizations in achieving improvement goals
By meeting regularly and reviewing performance data through an executive dashboard, the ELC helps ensure that regional priorities remain data-driven, aligned, and responsive to community needs.
Participating Members
The Great Lakes ELC is composed of a diverse group of senior leaders representing health care delivery systems, provider organizations, public health agencies, and community partners. Membership reflects a balance of perspectives across urban and rural areas, independent and system-based organizations, and multiple states within the region.
Participating members include representation from:
- Krista Adams, Life Care Centers of America
- Nadine Allen, Wisconsin Hospital Association
- Mary-Lyn Baldauf, Qsource
- Juli Brandt, WI Department of Health Services
- Kelsey Brown, Ohio Hospital Association
- Tammy Cassidy, Ohio Health Care Association
- Elizabeth Cinqueonce, Minnesota Community Measurement
- Charisse Coulombe, Compass Healthcare Collaborative
- Doug Dascenzo, Henry Ford Health System
- Lori Davenport, Indiana Health Care Association
- Kari Everson, LeadingAge Minnesota
- Cindy Fronning, National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration in Long-Term Care (NADONA)
- Shannon Gilb, Minnesota Dept of Health, Health Regulations Division
- Kim Hamm, McLaren Health Care
- Julia Harbuck-Valley, Scheurer Health
- Carrie Henning-Smith, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
- Sue Huntenburg, previous PFLAG President Mt. Horeb Chapter
- Lori Johnson, Hennepin Healthcare
- Jill Jonas, previous PFLAG President Mt. Horeb Chapter
- Kristie King, Southeast Michigan Senior Regional Collaborative (SRC)
- Lori Koeppel, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Medicine and Wisconsin Director of Nursing Council Education Forum Inc.
- Suzanne Kuzemka, Indiana Department of Health
- Renee Leinbach, Minnesota Community Care
- Dheeraj Mahajan, CIMPAR
- Susan McClernon, Innovative Healthcare Leadership, LLC
- Patricia Merryweather-Arges, Project Patient Care
- Danielle Mleczko, Preferred Care Michigan
- Katie Salman, MyMichigan Health
- Bihu Sandhir, Blanchard Valley Health System
- Michelle Scherwinski, Champion Care
- Angela Schnepf, LeadingAge Illinois and Iowa
- Ann Scott Blouin, PSQ Advisory
- Bruce Spurlock, Convergence Health
- Amanda St. Martin, Michigan Center for Rural Health
- Scott Stewart, Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association
- Jennifer Williams, Indiana Health Information Exchange
This broad representation ensures the Great Lakes ELC guidance reflects real-world experience, regional diversity, and a shared commitment to improving care quality and health equity.
Strategic Alignment
The work of the Great Lakes ELC aligns with Superior Health’s core values of integrity, innovation, quality, and equity, reinforcing a collective commitment to ethical leadership, continuous improvement, and respect for the diverse communities served throughout the Great Lakes Region.
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About Superior Health Quality Alliance
Superior Health Quality Alliance is the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-designated Quality Innovation Network–Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for the Great Lakes Region, working with health care providers, communities, and partners to improve the quality, safety, and value of care for Medicare beneficiaries. Learn more, access the Superior Health website.
Media Contact:
Sarah Altermatt, Marketing and Communications Lead
saltermatt@superiorhealthqa.org
608-441-8208