Fellows

Current Status

• Administrative Fellow

Educational Background

• University of Michigan-Ross School of Business, Bachelor of Business
• Wayne State University School of Medicine, Medical Doctor
• Northwestern University-Kellogg School of Management, Master of Business Administration
• Advocate Christ Medical Center, Emergency Medicine Residency

Healthcare Administrative Interests

• Healthcare Strategy
• Hospital Operations
• Employee Engagement and Wellbeing

Major Project Assignments

• Create a 5-year strategic plan to further NorthShore’s commitment to improving health equity in the community. 
• Develop a business and operations plan for the Mark R. Neaman Center for Personalized Medicine including developing a proforma and FTE modeling.
• Expand and further develop the ASPIRE program to accelerate opportunity and inclusion in the community. 

The Fellowship is an immersive experience that brings fellows into the fold from day one. Fellows are highly valued in the senior leadership including one-on-one mentoring. There are numerous opportunities for fellows to work throughout the health system while also having the chance to select projects tailored to individual interests. In all, the fellowship is a phenomenal opportunity to develop the skillsets required to excel as a healthcare leader.

Current Status

• Workforce Optimization Manager

Educational Background

• University of Iowa, Bachelor of Arts in Global Health Studies
• University of Iowa, Master of Health Administration

Healthcare Administrative Interests

• Hospital Operations
• Health Technology, Innovation, and Research
• Quality Improvement

Major Project Assignments

• Partner with Human Resources to collaborate with community partners for the ASPIRE student scholarship, develop career mapping resources, and marketing materials to be used for young adults looking to enter into the healthcare field
• Conduct an ROI analysis for innovative technology to ensure product scalability and support innovation and research team with pilot launch of new technology
• Identify opportunities to standardize surgical services operations across entities to improve block utilization and resource utilization
• Support development and implementation of access and throughput plans across medical group and hospital outpatient services; requiring coordination with key operational leaders, HIT, HR, rev cycle, patient access center, and marketing.

The NorthShore Administrative Fellowship is second to none with an established history of development and continued mentorship. Fellows are provided significant opportunities across the healthcare system, contribute and lead entity and regional projects, and are encouraged to learn and pursue their interests in project work and experiences. The organization and its leaders are dedicated to supporting the fellow and providing valuable time and resources to ensure future success while maintaining a fun, encouraging, and fast-paced learning environment.

Email Address: LCunningham@northshore.org

Current Status

• Practice Manager

Educational Background

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology
• University of Illinois at Chicago, Master in Health Administration

 Healthcare Administrative Interests

• Hospital Operations
• Strategic Planning
• Health Equity

Major Project Assignments

• Supported the development of the Office of Community Health Equity and Engagement's request for proposal to solicit an advisor to develop a framework to help NorthShore become an anchor organization
• Project Management for the implementation of NorthShore's Mandatory Covid 19 Vaccine Requirement for all Team Members
• Project management for the Department of Laboratory and Pathology with strategy development to integrate Legacy NCH and Legacy NS laboratory outreach business while continuing to identify areas of overlap and opportunity for efficiency and growth

NorthShore's Administrative Fellowship Program is a rewarding experience that allows fellows to immediately immerse themselves into NorthShore's culture. NorthShore's established fellowship program provides fellows the opportunity to learn and hone their skillsets through diverse project opportunities based on their career interests across the system. Northshore's dedication to investing in fellows combined with one-on-one mentorship from senior leaders equips fellows with a solid foundation to become successful future healthcare leaders.

Email Address: mbelanger2@northshore.org

Current Status

• Director, Clinical Operations

Educational Background

• Bachelor of Science, Public Health, Saint Louis University
• Master of Health Administration, University of Iowa
• Master of Business Administration, University of Iowa

Healthcare Administrative Interests

• Hospital Operations
• Medical Group Management
• Business Development
• Finance

Major Project Assignments

• Development of growth strategy for NorthShore Immediate Care.
• Worked with clinical and financial teams to develop Bundled Payment infrastructure and strategy.
• Managed the redesign of Outpatient MRI services across the enterprise.

NorthShore’s Fellowship Program creates opportunities for exposure across the organization. Being paired with a senior executive in both the Medical Group and hospital allows the fellow to learn about the entire organization while leading important projects. With a wide range of projects to choose from, fellows can contribute and lead important initiatives that align with their personal interests. It is a fun, fast-paced environment where you can contribute to real change from day one. The relationships that I built during the fellowship continue to serve me well in my career – I’m thankful to partner with great people across NorthShore!

Current Status

• Director, MG Business Operations

Educational Background

• Bachelor of Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Master of Science, Health Systems Management, Rush University, Chicago, IL

Healthcare Administrative Interests

• Hospital Operators
• Medical Group Operations
• Strategic Initiatives

Major Project Assignments

• Support the Health leadership team in implementation including leadership involvement with the marketing operational plans.
• Support the implementation of the personalized medicine clinical and research initiatives.
• Develop a business plan for the Neurophysiology service line.

The NorthShore Fellowship is both a challenging and rewarding experience, that provides aspiring healthcare leaders invaluable exposure to healthcare operations at a fully integrated healthcare delivery system. The senior leadership team is devoted to providing a breadth of learning opportunities that will prepare the Fellow to excel in his/her career. Between NorthShore’s four hospitals, the Medical Group, and the Research Institute, there are endless opportunities to seek out your interests and provide value to the organization.

Email Address: bcutler@northshore.org

Current Status

• System Lead, Transformational Management Office

Educational Background

• Bachelor of Science – Concordia College – Moorhead, MN
• Master of Healthcare Administration – University of Minnesota

Healthcare Administrative Interests

• Hospital Operations
• Process and Quality Improvement
• Medical Group Management
• Strategic Planning

Major Project Assignments

• Decrease utilization of high-cost imaging in the inpatient setting by benchmarking best practices and recommending options for NorthShore to pilot.
• Provide administrative support for Lab Renovation/Construction project.
• Define and enhance Patient-Centered Care for GI and Lung Cancer patients by assessing current workflows for scheduling, teaching, communication and follow up.
• Analyze shifts in Skokie Hospital referral trends by physician, group, and service. Identify opportunities for growth and work with Administration and Medical Staff leadership to develop specific tactics related to opportunities.

The NorthShore Fellowship is a very established program in which the leaders in the organization truly invest in developing the fellow through committed mentorship and offering unique project opportunities of significance to the organization. The fully integrated model allows for these project opportunities to span the continuum of care to support caregivers who uphold the highest regard for quality patient care.

Email Address: jbrueck@northshore.org

Current Status

• VP, Innovation and Research

Educational Background

• Bachelor of Arts – Central College, Pella, IA
• Master of Arts – University of Iowa
• Master of Health Administration – University of Iowa

Healthcare Administrative Interests

• Hospital Operations
• Strategic Planning and Business Development
• Quality Improvement

Major Project Assignments

• Manage construction-related operational tasks during the renovation and expansion of Glenbrook Hospital’s Radiology, Cardiology, and Emergency Departments.
• Participate as a member of the Epic Upgrade team and work with the Evanston Hospital Quality team and their uses of Epic to manage clinical conditions more cost-effectively based on a data-driven process.
• Participate as a member of the site development team for the new Gurnee Ambulatory Care Center.
• Benchmark our customer loyalty performance with internal and external comparisons and develop best practice models.
• Review initial analysis of frequent users of NorthShore Emergency Departments and develop a pilot for case manager model.

Between NorthShore's four hospitals, a growing physician network and a Research Institute, NorthShore provides the ideal environment for a fellow to learn the various components of an integrated healthcare delivery system. The senior leadership team - which is comprised of many former fellows - understands the value of the fellowship experience and is committed to providing mentorship that is key to career development and future success.

Email Address: mwaskerwitz@northshore.org

Current Status

• AVP, Clinical Operations

Educational Background

• Bachelor of Arts – Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
• Masters of Business Administration – Xavier University
• Masters of Health Services Administration – Xavier University

Healthcare Administration Interests

• Hospital Management
• Operations
• Strategic Planning

Project Assignments

• Manage the “GoLive” Command Center during the implementation of EPIC Health Information Systems at Skokie Hospital
• Oversee management and operations for the Food and Nutrition Services at Glenbrook Hospital, with direct reporting to the President of the hospital
• Develop and implement a communication plan for the operating room renovation at Evanston Hospital
• Co-lead a team tasked with developing a patient acuity classification system, by leveraging electronic health information

NorthShore is a healthcare leader and is located in a major metropolitan area. The fellowship provides an ideal opportunity for an individual to be exposed to all facets of an integrated healthcare delivery system. Throughout the interview process, it was evident that the NorthShore executive team values the fellowship experience.