Fellowship Alumni

Current Class

Matthew Boak

Policy Advisor

Michigan Senate Majority Policy Office

Lisa Braddix

Chief Health Equity Officer

Southeastern Michigan Health Association (SEMHA)

Dr. Antionette (Toni) Coe

Assistant Professor

Department of Clinical Pharmacy | University of Michigan

Jessica Edel

Program Director

Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCEDSV)

Steven Gilbert

Chief of Staff

Michigan State Senator Roger Victory

Megan Murphy

Chief Executive Officer

Superior Health Foundation

Dr. Bryant Oliphant

Research Assistant Professor, Associate Professor

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery | University of Michigan, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery | Wayne State University

Suzanne Owen

Senior Health and Equity Policy Advisor

Governor Gretchen Whitmjer

Dr. Michelle Padley

Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

Michigan State University

Isabella Pagogna

Produce Prescription Director

Michigan Farmers Market Association

Nadia Syed

Community Benefit Collaborative Program Manager

Michigan Health and Hospital Association

Theresa Uhrich

Chief Operating Officer

Region IV Area Agency on Aging

Dr. Varun Vohra

Senior & Academic Director, Board-Certified Clinical Toxicologist Consultant, Associate Professor (Clinical)

Michigan Poison & Drug Information Center | Wayne State University, Department of Emergency Medicine | Wayne State University

Ta’Sheena Williams

Policy Director for the Michigan Council

Maternal and Child Health (MCMCH)

Fellow Q&As

Q&A with CHRT Health Policy Fellowship alumna Michelle Meade

Michelle Meade is a professor at the University of Michigan’s Department of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Family Medicine. A rehabilitation psychologist by training, she also serves as the director of the University of Michigan Center for Disability Health and Wellness. We recently sat down with her to discuss her time as a CHRT Health Policy Fellow and how it has shaped her career and perspective on policymaking.

A Q&A with CHRT Health Policy Fellowship alumnus Romesh Nalliah

In 2018, Romesh Nalliah participated in CHRT’s Health Policy Fellowship. Now the associate dean for patient services and clinical professor of dentistry at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Romesh spoke with us about what he’s working on now–a number of equity initiatives–and how the fellowship training impacted his career.

2025 Fellows

Kelly Ainsworth

Senior Program Director

Mid-Michigan Community Heath Access Program

Alexia stands in front of a metal sculpture smiling.

Alexi Chapin-Smith

Legislative Director

Michigan State Senator Jeff Irwin

Debbie Chen

Clinical Assistant Professor

University of Michigan Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes

Sean in a gray blazer and black shirt against a black backdrop.

Sean Esteban McCabe

Director

Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health

Megan in a pink shirt with a cityscape in the background.

Megan Faucett

Clinical Assistant Professor

Wayne State University Medical Laboratory Science Program

Houda is smiling, wearing a headcovering, a black vest, and a black and white striped button up shirt.

Houda Fawaz

Special Projects Manager

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Mindy wears a pale gray sweater and pink shirt. She is smiling against a blue backdrop.

Mindy Fernandes

Legislative Director

Michigan State Representative John Roth

Lenis is smiling. She is wearing a black shirt standing before a window.

Lenise Freeman

Government Relations and Public Policy Fellow

Michigan Health and Hospital Association

Taryn has long brown hair and wears a purple t-shirt. She is smiling with a historic building in the background.

Taryn Gal

Executive Director

Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health

Adam has short brown hair, curly and longer in the front. He is wearing a black blazer, white button up shirt, and red tie. He is smiling.

Adam Hagedorn

Legislative Director

Michigan State Representative Cam Cavitt

Stephanie's brown hair is parted in the middle and pulled back in a ponytail or bun. She wears a black shirt and is smiling against a grey backdrop.

Stephanie Hall

Director of Planning and Advocacy

AgeWays Nonprofit Senior Services

Andrea has light brown hair with highlights. She is wearing a blue shirt and black jacket. She is smiling with one hand on her hip. There is a tree in the background.

Andrea LaFontaine

Executive Director

Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance

Connor has closely cropped brown hair. He is wearing a black jacket, white button up shirt, and bright purple tie. He is smiling against a light purple backdrop.

Connor Loftus

Policy Advisor

Michigan Senate Majority Policy Office

Julie has reddish brown hair parted on the side. She is smiling against a grey backdrop.

Julie Maslowsky

Associate Professor

University of Michigan School of Public Health

Minal has dark hair and a white button up shirt. She is smiling with her hands crossed on the table in front of her. There is a building outside the window in the background.

Minal Patel

Professor

University of Michigan School of Public Health

Daniel has reddish brown hair and beard. He is wearing a dark blue plaid blazer, light blue button up shirt, and burgundy necktie. He is smiling against a grey background.

Daniel Schoonmaker

Executive Director

Michigan Sustainable Business Forum

Tiffany has reddish blond hair and glasses. She is wearing a bright yellow shirt and glasses. She is smiling. In the backround is a whiteboard with writing on it.

Tiffany Veinot

Joan C. Durrance Collegiate Professor

University of Michigan School of Information

2024 Fellows

Chelsea Alcock

Legislative Director

Michigan House of Representatives

Dr. Garrett Conyers

Assistant professor of neurology

University of Michigan

Samantha Cornell

Director of Community-Based Services

Access Health

Elizabeth Crenshaw

Director of District and Constituent Services

for State Senator Jeremy Moss

Jennifer Day

Executive Director

U.S. Breastfeeding Committee

Thye Fischman

Government Relations Manager

Michigan Medicine

Morgan Foreman

Director of Constituent Services

for Representative Felicia Brabec in Michigan’s 33rd State House District

Shannon Jackson

Program Manager, Residents in Action

University of Michigan

Stephen Jackson

Policy Advisor

Senate Majority Policy Office

Patrick Johnson, MD MPH

General Surgery Resident

University of Michigan Department of Surgery

Elizabeth Kuzma

Clinical Associate Professor

University of Michigan'

Kristina Leonardi

Division Director

Aging and Community Services Division of MDHHS

Kelsey P. Ostergren

Director of Health Policy

Michigan Health and Hospital Association

Beverly Ryskamp

Chief Operating Officer

Network180

2023 Fellows

Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian

Chief medical executive

Michigan

Dr. Eric J. Brandt

Cardiologist and lipidologist

Michigan Medicine

Lori Dey

Budget director, majority party

Michigan Senate

Dr. Richard Dopp

Medical director

University Center for the Child and Family, University Psychological Clinic

Dr. Carrie Gray

Healthcare strategist

Rural northern Michigan

Dr. Geoffrey Hoffman

Gerontologist and health services researcher

University of Michigan School of Nursing

Dr. Jennifer Johnson

C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health

Michigan State University

Ben Kauffman

Policy advisor

Michigan Senate

Taylor Lawrence

Legislative director

State Representative Alabas Farhat

Asha McElroy

Site Coordinator

Food Warriors After-School Program

Raven Odom

Health advocacy fellow

Grand Rapids African American Health Institute

Vincent Pinti

Program Coordinator

Olmstead Coalition

Amanda Sears

Director of planning and special projects

The Senior Alliance

Dr. Amy Thompson

Director of ambulatory clinical pharmacy practices

University of Michigan Medical Group

Dr. Brook Watts

Chief quality officer

Michigan Medicine

2022 Fellows

Steven Broglio

Professor of Kinesiology, Neurology, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

University of Michigan

Elise Bur

Director of the Northern Michigan Center for Rural Health

Northern Michigan University

Eva Cline

Policy Advisor

Michigan House of Representatives

Brianna Egan

Legislative Director

State Senator Winnie Brinks

Marisa Eisenberg

Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Complex Systems, and Mathematics

University of Michigan

Claudia Figueroa-Romero

Assistant Research Scientist

Medical School, University of Michigan

Kristie King

Association Executive

The Southeast Michigan Senior Regional Collaborative (SRC)

Joshua Lyman

Policy Advisor

Michigan House of Representatives

Madeleine McConnell

Clinician and Addiction Specialist

David Mendez

Associate Professor of Health Management and Policy

University of Michigan School of Public Health and Ross School of Business

Kimberly Motter

Director of Quality and Training, Reliance Community Care Partners

Kirstin Woody Scott

Emergency Medicine Resident

University of Michigan

Tolulope Sonuyi

Emergency Medicine Physician, Assistant Professor

Detroit Medical Center and Wayne State University

Madeline Watts

Legislative and Policy Advisor

Michigan House of Representatives

Marina Wyrzykowski

Legislative Analyst

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)

2020 Fellows

2020 Researchers

Denise Anthony

Professor of Health Management and Policy

University of Michigan School of Public Health

Adrienne Lapidos, PhD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Assistant Professor

University of Michigan Medical School

Michelle A. Meade, PhD

Associate Professor

University of Michigan Medical School

Emily Toth Martin, PhD

Associate Professor of Epidemiology

University of Michigan School of Public Health

Jen Villavicencio, MD

OB-GYN and Clinical Lecturer

University of Michigan Medical School

2020 Policymakers

Chardae Burton

Legislative Analyst

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Ramiro Galván

Director of Legislative Affairs

MDHHS

Cassidy Giltner

Legislative Assistant

Michigan State Senator Michael MacDonald

Jeremy Glick

Former Legislative Director

Michigan State Representative Laurie Pohutsky

Samantha Zandee, JD

Chief Policy Advisor

Michigan State Representative Brandt Iden

2020 Non-Profit

Lisa Peacock, MSN, RN, WHNP-BC

Health Officer

Health Department of Northwest Michigan

Kait Skwir, MS, RDN

Director of Policy & Special Projects

Food Bank Council of Michigan

Greg Toutant, MS Ed

CEO

Great Lakes Recovery Centers

2019 Fellows

2019 Researchers

Anne Kittendorf, MD

Assistant Professor of Family Medicine

University of Michigan

Elham Mahmoudi, PhD, MBA/MS

Assistant Professor

Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan

Dawn Opel, JD, PhD

Director of research & strategic initiatives, general counsel

Food Bank Council of Michigan

Amy Barton Pai, PharmD, MHI, FASN, FCCP, FNKF

Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy

University of Michigan College of Pharmacy

Mark Peterson, PhD, MS

Associate Professor of Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

University of Michigan

Timothy A. Peterson, MD, MBA

Executive Director

Physician Organization of Michigan Accountable Care Organizations (POM ACO)

2019 Policymakers

Kristen Hammock

Coordinator of Field Engagement

Michigan Health & Hospital Association

Grant Meade

Policy Director

State Representative Joe Bellino

PJ Petitpren, MPA

Special Project Director

State Representative Rebekah Warren

Jonathan Shiflett, JD

Policy Advisor

Senate Majority Policy Office

Aarica Smith

Legislative Director

State Senator Dayna Polehanki

Jared Welehodsky, JD

Senior Analyst

Michigan Department of Health & Human Services

2018 Fellows

Researchers

Shervin Assari, MD

Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health

University of Michigan

Lorraine Buis, PhD

Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Information

University of Michigan

Michelle Moniz, MD

Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

University of Michigan

Romesh Nalliah, DDS

Clinical Associate Professor

University of Michigan School of Dentistry

Renu Tipirneni, MD

Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine

University of Michigan Medical School

Akbar K. Waljee, MD, MSC

Professor, Department of Learning Health Sciences

University of Michigan

Policymakers

Matthew Black

Director of Government Relations

Michigan Academy of Family Physicians

Samuel Champagne

Manager of State and Federal Government Affairs

Henry Ford Health System

Kristen Jordan

Behavioral Health Budget Section Manager

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Molly Korn

Chief of Staff

Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow

Stephanie McGuire

Associate Counsel and Policy Advisor

Michigan State Senate

Renée Smiddy

Director of Policy

Michigan Health and Hospital Association

2017 Fellows

Researchers

Blake Lancaster, PhD

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

University of Michigan Medical School

Okeoma Mmeje, MD

Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

University of Michigan Medical School

Hari Nathan, MD

Assistant Professor of Surgery

Universtiy of Michigan Medical School

Rogério Pinto, PhD

Associate Dean for Research

University of Michigan School of Social Work

Amy Suwanabol, MD

Assistant Professor of Surgery

Universtiy of Michigan Medical School

Carolyn Swenson, MD

Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

University of Michigan Medical School

Policymakers

Stephanie Bogema

Chief of Staff

House Majority Floor Leader Triston Cole

Erin Emerson

Chief of Staff

MDHHS Medical Services Administration

Meghann Keit

Government Affairs Associate

Michigan Association of Counties

Phillip Kurdunowicz

Analyst

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Elizabeth Kutter

Manager of State and Federal Government Affairs

Henry Ford Health System

Shaquila Myers, MPA

Chief of Staff

Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist

Tracy Winston

Policy Advisor

Michigan House of Representatives

2016 Fellows

Researchers

Megan A. Adams, MD

Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology

University of Michigan Medical School

Brian Callaghan, MD

Associate Professor of Neurology

University of Michigan Medical School

Amir A. Ghaferi, MD, MS

Assistant Professor of Surgery Research

University of Michigan Medical School

Edith C. Kieffer, MPH, PhD

Professor of Social Work

University of Michigan School of Social Work

Paula Anne Newman-Casey, MD

Assistant Professor

Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School

Shitanshu Uppal, MD

Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

University of Michigan Medical School

Policymakers

Tom Curtis, MPA

Departmental Specialist

Office of Health Policy and Innovation, MDHHS

Annalisa Grunwald, JD

Policy Analyst

House Democratic Policy Office (D)

Dion’trae Hayes, MPA

Legislative Director

Senator Coleman A. Young II (D)

Tiana Korley, JD, MHA

Associate General Counsel

University of Michigan

Nicholas Plescia, MPP

Legislative Director

Michigan State Senator Patrick Colbeck (R)

Sarah Smock

Health Policy and Agriculture Advisor

Senate Majority Policy Office (R)

2015 Fellows

Researchers

Frank Ascione, PhD

Professor of Clinical and Social and Administrative Sciences

University of Michigan College of Pharmacy

Colin Cooke, MD, MSc, MS

Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine

University of Michigan Medical School

Jorge Delva, MSW, PhD

Professor of Social Work

University of Michigan School of Social Work

Karen Farris, PhD

Professor of Social and Administrative Sciences

Department of Clinical, Social, and Administrative Sciences, University of Michigan

Brahmajee Nallamothu, MD

Associate Professor of Internal Medicine

University of Michigan Medical School

Sameer Saini, MD

Director, Health Services Research and Development Center for Clinical Management Research

VA Ann Arbor

Policymakers

Vicki Baron

Legislative Director

State Representative Winnie Brinks

Shane Henson

Deputy Chief of Staff

State Senator David Knezek

Megan Petzko-Sweet

Policy Advisor

House Republican Policy Office

Jonathan So

Senior Director

Customer Initiatives, Detroit Regional Chamber

Jon Villasurda Jr.

State Assistant Administrator, Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Administration

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Jamie Zaniewski

Policy Advisor

Senate Majority Policy Office

2014 Fellows

Researchers

Hae Mi Choe, PharmD

Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy

University of Michigan

David W. Hutton, PhD, MS

Assistant Professor

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Kevin A. Kerber, MD, MS

Associate Professor with Tenure

Department of Neurology, UMHS

Deborah A. Levine, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor

University of Michigan (U-M) Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Medicine

Peter J. Polverini, DDS, DMSc

Professor of Pathology

UM Medical School

Beth Tarini, MD, MS

Assistant Professor

Division of General Pediatrics, University of Michigan

Policymakers

Brad Barron, MPA

Clinic Policy Analyst

Michigan Department of Community Health

Lindsay Case

Director of Government Relations

Detroit Regional Chamber

Michael Krombeen

Legislative Aide

Michigan State Representative Rob VerHeulen (Republican)

Bryanna McGarry, MSW

Legislative Aide

Michigan State Senator Jim Ananich (Democrat)

Emily Schwarzkopf

Policy Analyst

Michigan House Democratic Caucus

Michael Telliga

Chief of Staff

Michigan State Senator John Moolenaar (Republican)

2013 Fellows

Researchers

Theodore J. Iwashyna, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

University of Michigan (U-M) Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care

Donald S. Likosky, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Head Section of Health Services Research and Quality
University of Michigan (U-M) Department of Cardiac Surgery

Michelle L. Macy, M.D., M.S.

Clinical Lecturer

University of Michigan (U-M) Department of Emergency Medicine, U-M Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases

James C. Mitchiner, M.D., M.P.H.

Medical Director

Michigan Peer Review Organization (MPRO)

Michelle L. Segar, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.S.

Associate Director

University of Michigan (U-M) Sport, Health, and Activity Research and Policy Center (SHARP)

Kara Zivin, Ph.D., M.A., M.S.

Investigator

United States (U.S.) Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) National Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation Center (SMITREC)

Policymakers

Samuel B. Buchalter, JD, LL.M.

Deputy Policy Director

Michigan Senate Democratic Central Staff

Ryan Burtka

Legislative Director

Senator Jim Marleau (Republican, District 12 – North Oakland)

Karla Garcia, MSA

Legislative Liaison

Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH)

Ted Makowiec, M.B.A.

Senior Director of Benefits

University of Michigan (U-M)

Meghan Sifuentes Vanderstelt, MPA

Health Information Technology Manager

Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH)

2012 Fellowship

The inaugural fellowship program launched in January 2012, bringing together selected U-M health services researchers and state policy staff to learn from university and other health care experts—and each other—about policy-making, health services research, and the intersection between the two.

The 2012 Inaugural Class of CHRT Policy Fellows