Lynn Nicholas, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer

Lynn Nicholas, FACHE joined the Massachusetts Hospital Association as President and CEO in August 2007 bringing more than 30 years of hospital and association experience, from New Jersey to Louisiana to Washington, D.C. As MHA's CEO, Lynn is responsible for leading advocacy, education and other services for MHA's 90 hospital- and-health-system members.

Before her appointment to MHA, Ms. Nicholas led the American Diabetes Association, the leading non-profit health organization dedicated to curing and treating diabetes. At the ADA she oversaw all functions of an organization with more than $200 million in annual revenues and 900 paid staff throughout the U.S. Previously, Lynn served as President and CEO of the 150-plus member Louisiana Hospital Association, following a stint as Executive Vice President and COO of the New Jersey Hospital Association. This built on nearly 20 years working in a large teaching community hospital in New Jersey.

With her experience and vision, collaborative nature, and understanding of hospitals from the inside out, Lynn provides leadership on policy, strategy and advocacy, and is recognized as an articulate spokesperson on behalf of hospitals and their mission to care for patients and the communities they serve. Named by Women's Business Boston as one of "Five Women to Watch" in 2008, Lynn serves on the Massachusetts Attorney General's Task Force on Community Benefits, the Governor's Special Commission on Healthcare Payment Reform and numerous other Boards, Advisory Committees and philanthropic leadership committees.

Ms. Nicholas earned a master's degree in management, with a concentration in health care administration, from Central Michigan University in 1983. A native of Tennessee, she holds a B.S. in medical technology from Tennessee Wesleyan College. Board certified in healthcare management by the American College of Healthcare Executives ("ACHE"); Lynn was named Young Healthcare Executive of the year in New Jersey where she later served as Regent and subsequently was elected to a three year term as Governor on ACHE's national board. In Massachusetts she recently received an ACHE Recognition Award. Lynn resides in Lexington, Massachusetts with her husband Nick.

Please view the Witt/Kieffer profile of Lynn Nicholas, FACHE, titled New leader unifies voice of Massachusetts hospitals.

Timothy F. Gens, Executive Vice President and General Counsel

Tim Gens is Executive Vice President and the General Counsel at the Massachusetts Hospital Association. The point person on a number of the association's most important and sweeping activities — from creation of the Patients First initiative to positioning the hospital community at the center of the state's historic reform effort — he leads a team of committed advocates and policy analysts. In his 14 years at MHA, he has served in several leadership positions involving public policy and reform of the health care system, private and public regulation of hospitals, and initiatives to promote improvement in patient safety and quality care.

Prior to joining MHA, Gens held, among other posts, high-level positions in the transportation sector and served as a political and marketing strategist/consultant for several state and national organizations. He holds a BA from Boston College and a JD from Boston College Law School.

Christine A. Baratta, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Christine A. Baratta serves as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the association and oversees all communications and marketing efforts related to strategic and policy positions taken by the association. Prior to her arrival at MHA, Baratta served as Senior Vice President of Communications and Marketing at Caritas Christi Health Care (CCHC), the state’s second largest healthcare system comprised of six community hospitals, five human service organizations and a physician group. Baratta also worked as Director and Interim Vice President of Public Affairs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), one of the nation’s top hospitals affiliated with Harvard Medical School and a member of Partners HealthCare. In addition, she held positions in both media relations and marketing at National Grid, formerly New England Electric System, and worked as a publications specialist for the Central Artery / Tunnel Project.

During her career, Baratta has been honored with numerous professional awards of excellence. She is a graduate of Boston University where she earned a B.S. in Journalism.

James T. Kirkpatrick, Senior Vice President, Healthcare Finance and Managed Care

For 25 years Joe Kirkpatrick has been employed by the Massachusetts Hospital Association, currently, as Senior Vice President, Health Care Finance and Managed Care Advocacy. He served as Contract Officer for the Association on the Medicare Massachusetts “All Payor” Research and Demonstration Waiver from 1982 through 1985. Kirkpatrick's work at the Association has included: staffing negotiations of statewide Blue Cross/Hospital Master Contracts in 1985 and 1988; work on state hospital financing legislation (including both regulation and deregulation, uncompensated care pool reform, and Massachusetts' recent Health Care Reform Law); advocating for member hospitals with federal and state agencies and private sector payers on such matters as coverage, payment, claims processing, and utilization management; and analysis and explanation of Medicare, Medicaid, and private sector policy changes. He is responsible for MHA's work to help improve Medicare reimbursement for Massachusetts hospitals especially in regard to the area wage index.

Karen Nelson, Senior Vice President, Clinical Affairs

Karen Nelson is currently the Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs at the Massachusetts Hospital Association.  She is a health care professional with twenty years of hospital leadership experience in health care quality and compliance gained in academic medical center and community hospital environments.  Karen earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Saint Joseph College in West Hartford, Connecticut, and a Master in Public Administration from Suffolk University School of Management. 

Prior to the Mass. Hospital Association, Karen was the Executive Director, Clinical Compliance and Risk Management at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH).  Other previous positions include Director of Regulatory Compliance at Cooley Dickinson Hospital (Northampton, MA) and Director of Quality Assurance & Risk Management at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI).  Staff nursing positions include DFCI and the Medical University of South Carolina.

Patricia J. Crowley, Vice President, Governance and Member Relations

Patricia J. Crowley, Vice President, Governance & Member Relations, oversees the integration and leadership of multiple functions including Governance, Member Relations, and Strategic Planning, in support of advancing MHA's mission, goals and objectives.

Ms. Crowley's prior service to MHA includes roles as Chief of Staff and member of MHA's senior management team, where she primarily was responsible for aligning strategic processes with tactical planning to advance MHA's mission as well as directing MHA's Governance function. In her 20 plus years at MHA, Ms. Crowley also has held numerous posts within the Member Services and Executive Office as well as with the Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals.  Prior to joining MHA, Ms. Crowley was employed by BayBank Harvard Trust as a key member of their Operations Team.

Her interests include governance, strategic planning, mediation and coaching.  Ms. Crowley can be reached at pcrowley@mhalink.org.

Anuj K. Goel, Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs

Anuj K. Goel, JD, MPH, is the vice president of legal and regulatory affairs for the Massachusetts Hospital Association.  In this role, he is responsible for providing legal research on relevant federal, state and local laws and regulations pertaining to the hospital industry; including issues relating to HIPAA, Medicare, MassHealth, case management, clinical policies, and processing of medical claims.  He also develops MHA member communications to educate hospitals on the requirements needed to comply with regulatory and legal issues.  Anuj also works closely with the MHA Government Advocacy Team to coordinate and write legislation required by the association, as well as presenting testimony on legislation and regulations.  Additionally, he manages health access, community benefits, and community initiative issues impacting the hospital community.

Anuj’s extensive health care background includes prior positions as a surgical assistant, a physician’s assistant, and in medical billing and coding.  Anuj received his bachelor’s degree from the Miami University of Ohio; his master’s degree in public health from Boston University; and his juris doctorate from the Suffolk University School of Law.  He resides in Peabody.

Walter J. Ramos, Esq., Vice President, Operations

As Vice President of Operations, Walter J. Ramos, Esq.  is responsible for MHA's education, finance, human resources, information technology, building and office services, as well as all programs that generate revenue for the association outside of its dues structure.
 
He most recently worked as Chief Administrator, Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan, a $1 billion Medicaid Managed Care Organization. Before that he was Director of Administration, Boston Public Health Commission (1998 – 2007), where he oversaw a number of functions for the 1,200-employee Commission with a $138 million budget.
 
Mr. Ramos holds a JD from Suffolk University Law School, and received his BA from Roger Williams University. Mr. Ramos began his career while in college, working as Special Assistant to the late United States Senator Edward Kennedy, from 1980-1983. 

Michael E. Sroczynski, Esq., Vice President, Government Advocacy 

Michael has been part of MHA’s government advocacy team for 10 years, starting initially as manager of state government advocacy. Prior to joining MHA, he served as legislative counsel in the Massachusetts State Senate.
 
He is a graduate of the Syracuse University College of Law and the Whitman School of Business at Syracuse University. He has been a member of the Massachusetts bar since 1996. Michael is an active member of both the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Boston Bar Association. He is a member of the MBA's Healthcare Section and the BBA’s Healthcare and Labor Sections. He co-chairs the BBA's Healthcare Legislation sub-committee and sits on the Healthcare Section steering committee.
 
He is a member of the board of directors of the Massachusetts Health Council, a former board member of the Massachusetts Center for Nursing, and also serves on the board of directors of the Vision Coalition Massachusetts. In early 2009, Governor Deval Patrick appointed Michael to the state's Healthcare Workforce Advisory Council.
 
In his role at MHA, Michael is the leader of state and federal government advocacy efforts and is an active participant in numerous business, workforce and healthcare coalitions and partnerships.
 

Dennis D. Keefe, Chair, Chief Executive Officer, Cambridge Health Alliance

Dennis Keefe is a respected administrator with more than 30 years of experience in health care. Over his career, he has worked in Greater Boston's best academic teaching facilities and community hospitals. He has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Cambridge Health Alliance and the Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts since 2002. During his tenure at the Alliance, the operations have grown from $350 Million to a $1 billion-plus Integrated Healthcare Delivery System.

The Alliance is a nationally recognized, award-winning health care system that serves the residents of Cambridge, Somerville and Boston's Metro-North region. It is comprised of three hospital campuses, more than 20 primary care practices, the Cambridge Public Health Department, the Alliance Foundation for Community Health, Physician Organization, and Network Health - a statewide managed Medicaid health plan. It embraces a unique model that incorporates public health, clinical care, academics, and research. It is a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Tufts University School of Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard School of Medicine.

Keefe possesses a Bachelor and Master degree from Northeastern University and recently was honored as its 2005 Alumnus of the Year.

Normand E. Deschene, Chair-elect, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lowell General

Normand E. Deschene serves as president and chief executive officer of Lowell General Hospital. Mr. Deschene is responsible for the overall vision and leadership of the hospital's management including strategic planning, community relations, and physician relations.

Under his leadership, the hospital has garnered numerous quality, satisfaction, and financial benchmark recognitions including the 2006 Thomson Top 100 Hospitals: Performance Improvement Leader Award; the Volunteer Hospital Association's 2007 Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence; 2008 Cleverley + Associates Top 100 Community Value Provider award; the American Heart Association's 2008 "Get with the Guidelines" Gold award honoring performance achievement for cardiac care; and a Moody's A-Rating.

Mr. Deschene holds a master’s degree in Hospital Administration from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor's degree from Providence College. A fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Mr. Deschene served as a past regent for the College for the state of Massachusetts and was named the "Healthcare Executive of the Year" in 2006.

Mr. Deschene is an active member of the American Hospital Association, Hospital Financial Management Association, Healthcare Management Association of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Hospital Association. He serves as secretary and a board member of the Massachusetts Hospital Association and is the past chairman of the MHA Standing Committee on Finance. He also serves as a member of the Executive Committee of Voluntary Hospitals of America Northeast. Mr. Deschene was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Goddard Council, advising upon the development of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum for the Commonwealth, and is a member of the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety Expert Panel in Obstetrics.

Locally, he serves as the chairman of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Lowell and is a board member of the American Textile Museum, Merrimack Valley Economic Development Council, and The Lowell Plan. He is also a past chairman of the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce.

Peter L. Slavin, Treasurer, President, Massachusetts General Hospital

Peter L. Slavin, MD became the President of Massachusetts General Hospital on January 1, 2003. From 1999-2002, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, which includes over 1,700 physicians and employs nearly 1,000 of them.

From 1997 to 1999, Slavin served as President of Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Before that, he did his training in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital from 1984 to 1987 and was Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer from 1994 to 1997.

Slavin graduated from Harvard College in 1979, Harvard Medical School in 1984, and Harvard Business School in 1990.

Slavin teaches internal medicine and health care management at Harvard Medical School where he is a Professor of Health Care Policy. He has also spoken widely on such topics as quality and utilization management, the economics of teaching hospitals, and the state of physician practices.

Joseph J. Mullany, Secretary, President & Chief Executive Officer of Vanguard Health Systems New England Market

Joseph Mullany is President of the New England and Chicago Markets of Vanguard Health Systems, with operational responsibility for five hospitals with net revenues of approximately $1 billion dollars, since 2005.

Joe has worked in a variety of healthcare settings and has focused on the investor-owned segment for nearly two decades.  Before Vanguard, he was a Vice President at Essent Healthcare in Nashville, TN, where he had operational responsibility for the company’s New England hospitals from 2002 to 2005.         

Joe also served as Corporate Vice President and President of the Mississippi division of Health Management Associates (HMA), responsible for nine hospitals with more than $1 billion in net revenues from 1999 to 2002.  While with HMA, then Mississippi Governor David Ronnie Musgrove appointed him to serve on the Mississippi State Board of Health.

Prior to managing at the system level, Joe spent time as the CEO of several organizations, CEO of Central Mississippi Medical Center, 1998 to 1999, CEO of Biloxi Regional Medical Center from 1996 to 1998, and CEO Southbay Hospital in Tampa, Florida, 1994 to 1996.

Joe serves on the boards of the Massachusetts Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals. He is a former board member of the Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives.

Joe is a graduate of Wake Forest University and has a Master of Business Administration and Master of Health Science degree from the University of Florida.

Joe and his wife Cori live in Wellesley with their three daughters. 

Ellen M. Zane, Immediate Past Chair, President & Chief Executive Officer of Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children

Ellen M. Zane is the first woman to run the hospital in its 210-year history. Tufts Medical Center employs more than 5,000 doctors, nurses, researchers, and other healthcare workers, includes Floating Hospital for Children, and has 450 beds. She is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Care Research at Tufts University School of Medicine.

From 1994 to 2004, Zane held the position of Network President for Partners HealthCare System, Inc. Prior to that, she was the Chief Executive Officer at Quincy Hospital - a 290-bed acute care community, public hospital managed by HCA and then Quorum Health Resources. Prior to her position as CEO, she was Quincy Hospital's Chief Operating Officer. Before her tenure at Quincy Hospital, Ellen was the Vice President for Professional Services at the Morton Hospital & Medical Center in Taunton, Massachusetts.

Zane received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in 1973 and her Master of Arts degree in 1975 from the Catholic University of America in Washington.  She holds the following honorary degrees:  Doctorate of Commercial Science from Bentley College, Doctorate of Business Administration from Stonehill College, and Doctorate of Humane Letters from Curry College.

Dale M. Lodge, Immediate Past Chair Most Recently Retired, President & Chief Executive Officer, Winchester Hospital

Dale M. Lodge has been President and CEO of Winchester Hospital since 1998. Prior to joining Winchester Hospital, he was Senior Vice President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts and was responsible for managing all hospital and physician relations throughout the state. Lodge served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Leonard Morse Hospital and was Chief Executive Officer of its physician organization. He also held administrative positions at the Brigham and Women's and Beth Israel hospitals.

In addition to his roles at MHA, Lodge is President of the Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals, Board Member of Yankee Alliance, a member of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable's Committee on Healthcare and a member of the American Hospital Association's Task Force on Delivery System Fragmentation. He was also named Massachusetts Grassroots Champion by the American Hospital Association for advocacy on behalf of Massachusetts patients, hospitals and health systems to elected officials.