Leadership

Executive Leadership

Superior Health Quality Alliance’s leadership team oversees strategic, financial and compliance oversight. Corporate leadership at Superior Health includes:

Tania Daniels, PT, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Superior Health Quality Alliance, also serves as vice president of Quality and Patient Safety at the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA). Ms. Daniels has led MHA’s nation-leading quality and patient safety infrastructure for 19 years, including large-scale quality improvement efforts and collaborations across health systems and Hospital Improvement Innovation Networks (HIINs). As a physical therapist, she is passionate about bringing an interdisciplinary approach to quality improvement. Along with leading statewide improvement work in routine harm areas, Ms. Daniels also oversees the strategic priorities of mental and behavioral health and combating the opioid epidemic.

Paul Neitzel, CPA, PHR, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Superior Health Quality Alliance, also serves as Chief Operating Officer at MetaStar. Mr. Neitzel is responsible for the financial, government contracting and risk management aspects of the organization. At MetaStar, he oversees financial aspects, marketing, business development and support services throughout the organization. He joined MetaStar in 2011 and has been in a leadership role as vice president of finance. Prior to MetaStar, he was the CFO at Weather Central, Inc; CFO at Conney Safety Products; and audit manager at Grant Thornton LLP. Neitzel received his Bachelor of Business Administration and Accounting from the University of Wisconsin — Whitewater. He is active in the community, serving as an officer on other not-for-profit boards.

Susan Ziel, BSN, MPH, JD, Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), Superior Health Quality Alliance, also serves as a health care consultant with Ziel Works LLC. Ms. Ziel has represented and advised health care organizations and professionals in the implementation of corporate compliance programs for many years. She received her BSN from Madonna University, her MPH from the University of Michigan and her JD from the University of South Carolina. Ziel completed the Healthcare Design and Innovation Certificate from the University of Minnesota and serves as a Fellow with the Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design.

Board of Directors

Superior Health Quality Alliance is governed by a board of directors composed of one representative from each of the eight member organizations along with two additional board members who represent health care consumers.

Nadine Allen, CPHQ, MS, Wisconsin Hospital Association, Chief Quality Officer, has more than 25 years of quality improvement (QI) and project management experience. In addition to working in health care, Nadine brings QI experience from manufacturing and education which includes leading strategic planning, data analysis, and performance measurement and providing instruction with a focus on adult learning principles. Nadine holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from UW-Platteville, a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership  from Columbia Southern and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification. Nadine is an Advisory Member for the Surgical Collaborative of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Association of Perinatal Care, State Hospital Acquired Infections Committee, and the Leadership Council for Moraine Park Technical College. (2026)

Leland A. Babitch, M.D., MBA, iMPROve Health, President and CEO, has a diverse health care background that includes clinical expertise, health information technology, health care quality improvement, strategic planning, analytics, and organizational development and governance. Dr. Babitch was a health information technology consultant for The Advisory Board Company and has served as the chief medical information officer for the Detroit Medical Center, an assistant professor of Wayne State University’s Department of Pediatrics, where he continues to practice, and on the boards of the Michigan Primary Care Consortium and the Greater Detroit Area Health Council. Dr. Babitch earned his BA in Genetics and Developmental Biology from Northwestern University and has a medical degree from the Wayne State University School of Medicine and an MBA from Michigan State University. He is board certified in pediatrics, medical informatics, and as a health care executive; plus, he holds certifications as a medical practice executive and in health information management systems. (2023)

Helga Brake, PharmD, CPHQ, CPPS, Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA), Vice President, Quality, Safety, and Health Policy, leads health care improvement efforts within IHA’s Institute for Innovations in Care and Quality, including the national CMS Hospital Engagement and Hospital Improvement Innovation Networks initiatives. She is president of the Midwest Alliance for Patient Safety, IHA’s federally certified Patient Safety Organization, and was named one of 50 experts leading the field of patient safety by Becker’s Hospital Review in 2013 and 2014. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Chicago College of Pharmacy at Midwestern University in Illinois and holds a BS degree in Business Management from Northern Illinois University. (2023)

Rahul Koranne, MD, MBA, FACP, Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA), Chief Medical Officer, previously practiced in the smallest critical access hospital system in Minnesota and served as vice president for HealthEast Care System, a large integrated delivery network in Saint Paul, MN. He is board-certified in internal medicine and geriatrics and was elected a Fellow of the American College of Physicians in 2006. His areas of interest are health care transformation by aligning health care delivery systems with community based services (both medical and social) and innovative systems to promote health while striving to achieve all of the quadruple aims. (2025)

Dee LeDuc, Midwest Kidney Network, End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network 11, Executive Director, has more than 20 years of experience working with nonprofit health care organizations within the National ESRD Program. She has previously served as Data Manager at Midwest Kidney Network and as Coordinator of the National Forum of ESRD Networks, working collaboratively with related organizations to improve the quality of care for kidney patients and raising awareness of kidney disease through early detection. (2027)

Jennifer Lundblad, PhD, Stratis Health, President and CEO, is an expert in organization development, health care quality improvement, and rural health policy. She serves on the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Health Panel and is an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Dr. Lundblad has an MBA in public and nonprofit management, and a PhD in education. (2024)

Marjorie Mitchell, consumer representative and Michigan Universal Health Care Access Network, Executive Director, has more than 30 years experience developing programs, educating and advocating for people with developmental disabilities. She is a strong advocate for disability rights and has worked to increase access to health insurance for Michigan families. She previously sat on the boards for Michigan Health & Hospital Association and MPRO, and is active on several Michigan-based boards. (2024)

Mary Theurer, consumer representative, has a clinical perspective as a retired Doctor of Chiropractic, a deep understanding of the health insurance market, and a passion for social issues that impact health. She was director of Risk Management Services for the National Joint Powers Alliance and serves on the boards of the Minnesota Hospital Association and Lakewood Health System, Staples, MN. (2024)

Jesi Wang, MBA, MetaStar, Inc., President and CEO, is responsible for leading large-scale quality improvement initiatives, growing the business in both government contract and commercial product lines, the company’s strategic planning process, and working with federal and state funding agencies. She has served on the Board of Examiners for the Wisconsin Forward Award, modeled on the Baldrige National Quality Award. Under her leadership, MetaStar has successfully assisted hundreds of health care organizations to make improvements in areas such as prevention, healthcare-acquired infections, transitions of care, and health information technology. Ms. Wang holds an MBA in Health Systems Leadership from Edgewood College and a Bachelor’s degree in community health education from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, and earned CPEHR, CPHIT and CPHQ certifications. (2025)

Sam R. Watson, MSA, MT (ASCP), CPPS, is the senior vice president of Field Engagement for the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA). In this role, Watson leads member services and develops strategic relationships with stakeholders to further the mission of the MHA. Additionally, Watson provides executive leadership for the Education division and the MHA Keystone Center. Over the years, Watson has led numerous efforts to build collaborative relationships across multiple entities in Michigan and beyond. Watson has recognized as one of the 50 Experts Leading the Field of Patient Safety by Becker’s Hospital Review, a leading healthcare publication. (2026)

Governance Structure

Superior Health Quality Alliance has 10 members on its board of directors. Board members are elected for six-year terms of service, with a cap of six years of consecutive service. The end of the current term for each board member is noted in parentheses after each board member. Appointments are made January 1 of each year, with 20 percent to 50 percent of the board being appointed in any given year. Superior Health Quality Alliance board members are not compensated for their service.