Our Staff
Melissa Holmquist
executive director
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Melissa Holmquist is the Chief Executive Officer for the Upper Peninsula Health Plan (UPHP), which serves approximately 50,000 Medicaid, Healthy Michigan Plan, Children with Special Health Care Services, and Medicare beneficiaries in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She has been employed by UPHP since 2002 in a variety of positions and departments, including claims services, reimbursement analysis, utilization management, case management, and government programs.
Melissa provides leadership and direction for UPHP, Upper Peninsula Managed Care (UPMC), and Upper Peninsula Health Care Solutions (UPHCS), oversees all operations of the plan and works closely with the UPHP and UPMC Management Committees, UPHCS Board of Directors, and Senior Management (company officers and department directors) to ensure quality, efficiency and effective cost-management strategies.
A native of Crystal Falls, Melissa received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Northern Michigan University. Additionally, she was named one of Crain’s 2020 Notable Women in Health, which recognizes women in the health care field for their career accomplishments and involvement in nonprofits and community organizations.
Tyler LaPlaunt, MS
assistant director
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Tyler LaPlaunt “Migizii Migwan” (meaning “Eagle Feather”), our new Assistant Director of UPHCS! Tyler was born in Sault Ste. Marie, raised in Marquette, and currently resides in Ispheming with his wife, Jessie, and his daugheter, Gianna “Mino Giizhig Kwe-Zance,” which means “Good Day Girl.” He’s a graduate of Northern Michigan University and before joining us, worked as the Executive Director of the Great Lakes Area Tribal Health Board and was the Program Director/Senior Epidemiologist at the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. His hobbies include walks through the woods, harvesting/gathering, reading, and weightlifting.
“I am a citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and proud of my heritage. I have been an outspoken Indigenous advocate and am thrilled to join the team and utilize my knowledge and experience to increase health outcomes for all populations.”
andy chosa
grant administrator
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Andy Chosa grew up in Baraga, MI and received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University Of Michigan School Of Business. He worked as a finance manager for a non-profit Indian Health Services Urban Clinic in Detroit, MI for several years before returning to the UP. He received his MBA from Northern Michigan University, worked as the Foundation Coordinator for Great Lakes Recovery Centers, and as the CEO of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s Economic Development Corporation before joining UPHCS in 2017 as the Grant Administrator. Since then, he’s overseen the successful conclusion of several UPHCS grant funded projects, edited successful proposals for partner organizations for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and written over $1.2M in successful proposals for UPHCS. When not working, he enjoys losing at video games, board games, and adult hockey; reading, hunting; fishing; and walking/dragging/chasing his disobedient dog around his neighborhood with his wife in Negaunee, MI.
katrina keough
project director
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Katrina Keough is the Project Director with Upper Peninsula Health Care Solutions where she develops, leads and implements UPHCS grant project activities, provider and program outreach, education and training, and coordination of the Region 1 U.P. Perinatal Collaborative. She also functions as a liaison for statewide collaborative projects aimed at serving rural, vulnerable populations for the Upper Peninsula.
An experienced Registered Radiologic Technologist, Cardiovascular Interventional Technologist, and previous adjunct faculty for Northern Michigan University, Katrina also previously operated as the Executive Director to the UP Area Health Education Center serving rural health care students and professionals, and connecting communities to health care in health care professional shortage areas. She holds a Bachelor in Clinical Science and a Master in Public Administration from Northern Michigan University.
Kristie Hechtman
quality Initiative Coordinator
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Kristie Hechtman is the Quality Initiative Coordinator for Upper Peninsula Health Care Solutions. Kristie’s primary role is integrating behavioral health services into rural health care systems for improved patient engagement and health outcomes.
Kristie graduated from Northern Michigan University, obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, with a minor in Marketing. Her diverse health care career includes, pharmacy, medical sales and marketing, community education, clinical work and behavioral health. Her previous position of seven years was as a Psychometrist in the Neuropsychology Department of UP Health System. Kristie found working directly with patients experiencing cognitive change to be humbling and took pride in helping patients. The Quality Initiative Coordinator position, under UPHCS, will allow her to further advocate for those in need of behavioral health services and education, through grant work.
Kristie Hechtman was born and raised in Marquette, MI and loves spending time with her children, especially hiking, and most any seasonal activity available in our beautiful region.
marlene beaudry
programs assistant
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Marlene Beaudry, is a Programs Assistant with Upper Peninsula Health Care Solutions, where she provides provider outreach, education, and enrollment as part of the UPHIE team, as well as assists in contract execution and management of UPHIE contracts. She coordinates many aspects of bimonthly Laboratory, Radiology and Materials committee meetings with the UP hospital managers, as well as assists in coordination and logistics for UPHCS board meetings, provides high quality administrative support during meetings and serves as a liaison to the Assistant Director for UPHCS.
Marlene previously served for 4 years as a Quality Improvement Advisor with the GLPTN network in collaboration with Altarum and Indiana University, as part of the CMS Transforming Clinical Practices Initiative. Where she served as the Upper Peninsula representative for the program and assisted numerous clinics with quality improvement reporting and improving workflow and quality initiatives in their offices.
Marlene holds a Bachelor of Science from Northern Michigan University and a Master Certificate in Healthcare Data Analytics from John Hopkins, School of Medicine.
Our Board
| Position | Organization | Title | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paula Chermside | Chair | Aspirus Ironwood Hospital & Clinics | CAO |
| Hunter Nostrant | Vice-Chair | Helen Newberry Joy Hospital | CEO |
| Mitch Leckelt | Treasurer | UP Health System – Bell | CEO |
| Kevin Kalchik | Secretary | MyMichigan Medical Center-Sault | CEO |
| Rae Kaare | Aspirus Iron River Hospital & Clinics | CAO | |
| Matt Krause | Aspirus Region & Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital | CAO | |
| Garfield Atchison | UP Health System – Marquette | CEO | |
| Jim Parker | Munising Memorial Hospital | CEO | |
| Rae Kaare | Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital | CAO | |
| Robert Stowe | Baraga County Memorial Hospital | CEO | |
| Ryan Heinonen | UP Health System – Portage | CEO | |
| Andy Bertapelle | Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital | CEO | |
| Karen Cheeseman | Mackinac Straits Health System, Inc. | CEO | |
| Amanda Shelast | Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson | Interim President | |
| Christine Harff | Aspirus Hospitals | President of UP Region |
