NAHSE Denver President
System Director of Community Benefit at SCL Health

Gaye serves as the System Director of Community Benefit at SCL Health. She leads operations to positively impact the overall health of SCL Health communities, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations. Prior to this, her experience includes leadership roles in program management, strategy, community engagement and compliance with companies such as Centura Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical and OSA Partners. Over her 14 year career, her work has been recognized by the Clinton Foundation, American Public Health Association, and the Dell Foundation.

Gaye received an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management – Northwestern University and BA degree from Texas Tech University.  Her certifications include the Robert Woods Johnson Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, Motivational Interviewing, and Mental Health First Aid.

NAHSE Denver Secretary
Director of Compliance and Internal Audit at Denver Health

Bridget serves as the Director of Compliance and Internal Audit at Denver Health. She has over 15 years of experience providing internal audit and SOX compliance services to healthcare companies. She has been recognized for her excellent technical skills and exceptional written and oral communications skills.

Michele holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from Prairie View A&M University and a Masters in Health Administration from the University of Texas School of Public Health. She is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and Certified in Controls Self Assessments (CCSA).

NAHSE Denver Member-at-Large
Manager and Physician Leadership Development at UCHealth

Foster serves as the Manager and Physician Leadership Development at UCHealth. He is an organizational psychologist and executive coach who leverages brain science to enhance organizational effectiveness and influence change in his work with organizations, teams, and administrative/physician executives. In addition to his diverse background, he has consisted across a wide array of industries, from Fortune 500 companies to non-profit organizations. He is an active member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the National Association of Health Services Executives.

Foster received a PhD in Psychology from Capella University, a Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology as well as a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Pyschology & Sociology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

NAHSE Denver Parliamentarian
Medical Group Growth at SCL Health

Michele serves as the Medical Group Growth at SCL Health. She is an oriented healthcare professional with years of experience in medical group growth, population health/ value-based operations, project/program management, and consulting. Skilled in change management and working across functional stakeholders to execute high-level strategic initiatives. career interests and passions lie within the development and implementing system-wide, innovative clinical strategies to improve population health and integrated care delivery (with the focus on understanding communities).

Michele received an Amster of Public Health (M.P.H.) in Healthcare Management from Yale School of Public Health and a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Behavior with an emphasis on Concentration in Business Management from Columbia University in the City of New York.

NAHSE Denver Treasurer
Kaiser Permanente

Ernest serves at the Kaiser Permanente.

Ernest received a Masters in Business Administration and Health Care Administrations as well as a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in General Business from Admas State University. He also received an Associate of Science (A.S.) in science from SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology.

Chief Executive Officer

Kevin E. Lofton, a champion of healthy communities throughout a distinguished career spanning more than four decades, is the CEO of Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives. His passion stems from a life-long commitment to social justice and health equity for all – particularly those who are underserved and vulnerable. His passion in these areas was formed by his experiences growing up in New York City, his early career work as an emergency department administrator in Jacksonville, Fla., and his role as a caretaker for his mother after she became ill, seeing her as a patient and confronting the many challenges she faced.

The veteran health care executive, innovator and strategist has served since 2003 as the CEO of CHI, the nation’s third-largest nonprofit health system, with 100 hospitals and hundreds of other health care facilities and outreach programs in 17 states. CHI, which employs nearly 94,000 people, generated annual revenues in the 2016 fiscal year of almost $16 billion – and provided approximately $1.1 billion in charity care and community benefit. 

Prior to joining CHI, Lofton served as CEO of two university hospitals, and chief operating officer of a third. His diverse board service has included membership on health system, medical school, bioscience, retail, professional association, civil rights and community-based boards.

Lofton is a nationally recognized industry leader who served in 2007 as chairman of the board of trustees of the American Hospital Association, the nation’s largest hospital trade association. He was instrumental in creating the organization’s Equity of Care initiative, which was formed in 2008 to help address disparities in care for ethnic and racial minorities. His wide-ranging background includes key leadership positions in public, university, community and faith-based health systems, providing him a
unique perspective on a highly complicated and fragmented industry.

Executive Vice President/Chief AdministrativeOfficer
and Chief Human Resources Officer

Pat Webb joined CHI in January 2011, after serving as senior vice president and chief human resources officer for UMass Memorial Health Care, Worcester, MA. Webb has also served as ahuman resources executive at Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA; Wake Medical Center, Raleigh,NC; and University Medical Center, Jacksonville, FL. With CHI, she is responsible for creating andmaintaining an exemplary workplace and building a workforce of exceptional people that can deliver on CHI’s commitment to building healthy communities. 

Webb has more than 25 years of experience in operations and human resources. She is a leader in the health care industry and a champion of collaboration, inclusion and diversity. Her background asa health care executive and board member with several organizations has provided her the opportunity to affect change at all levels — aligning talent strategies with business plans, developing leaders and building organizational cultures marked by accountability. Webb has a master’s degree in business and human- resources management from the University of North Florida, Jacksonville, and a bachelor’s degree in management and marketing from Florida A&M University, Tallahassee. A former president of the National Association of Health Services Executives, she is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and a frequent participant in national forums and panels.

Interim Leader & Executive Coach

Ms. Deborah M. Lee-Eddie, CHE has held positions as Interim Chief Operating Officer of St. Luke’s Health System Corporation and served as its Interim Chief Executive Officer of Regional Market at St. Luke’s Episcopal Health. Ms. Lee-Eddie served as a Senior Vice President of Operations and Group Executive Officer at Catholic Health Initiatives since December 2000.

She serves as the Catholic Health Initiatives liaison for two CHI joint operating agreements: Alegent Health of Omaha, Nebraska and Mercy Health Network of Iowa and is responsible for CHI market-based operations in Durango, CO; Des Moines, IA; Chattanooga, TN; Tacoma, WA; and Grand Island, Kearney, Lincoln and Nebraska City, NE. Immediately prior to joining CHI, Ms. Lee-Eddie served as Senior Vice President and Service Area Manager in the California Division of Kaiser Permanente Hospitals and Health Plans from 1998 to 2000.

She served as President of the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) from 1997 to 1999. She served as a Director of Alegent Creighton Health (alternate name Alegent Health). She received NAHSE Senior Healthcare Executive Award in 2002. In 2003, she received a three-year appointment to the Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Ms. Lee-Eddie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in health services administration from the University of Michigan.

NAHSE Denver President
Principal, Initium Health

James Corbett, M.Div., J.D. is a seasoned healthcare executive and bioethicist bringing over a decade of c-level leadership experience from both the for-profit and the non-profit sectors of the industry. James has served as a fellow at Harvard Medical School Department of Global Health and Social Medicine as well as Harvard’s Safra Center for Ethics and recently completed a fellowship at the Nashville Healthcare Council. In addition, he was appointed a 4-year term on the National Institutes of Health’s National Advisory Council for Nursing Research by former Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebellius.

He has worked in four health systems, in this capacity his focus has been providing strategic and operational leadership for innovation, behavioral health, population health, research operations, global health, advocacy, and bioethics. Corbett has also lectured at Harvard Medical School, Harvard’s School of Public Health and numerous other universities across the country.

James has been published in multiple books and journals. Mr. Corbett earned his B.S. in International Relations from Syracuse University, followed by his Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University, and a Master of Divinity from Duke University.

Founding Chapter President
Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion, Catholic Health Initiatives

A nationally recognized visionary leader, consensus building community servant, and experienced change agent. Deep knowledge and areas of expertise include supplier diversity program development, organizational change, process improvement, board development, community relations, community-police relations, and public outreach. Proven track record in cross-functional communications. Notable capabilities for obtaining buy-in and cooperation for new initiatives. Committed to the highest standards of ethics.

President and CEO
Lawrence and Memorial Healthcare – Yale New Haven Health

Patrick is an accomplished healthcare executive with over 19 years of experience leading non-profit health systems and academic medical centers in complex markets and has a successful track record of community involvement, associate engagement, and building physician relationships. Patrick L. Green, FACHE, is president and chief executive officer of L+M Healthcare and executive vice president of Yale-New Haven Health.

Associate Chief Operating Officer
Denver Health

Over 19 years of healthcare leadership and management experience in non-profit academic and public health care systems. Attained administrative and operational skills in hospital and clinic operations management emphasizing patient care, education and research. Continue to grow and augment leadership and managerial skills to reach career goal of President/CEO of hospital or health system.