Heather Schmidt, DO, is a family medicine physician in Fond du Lac, Wisc., who serves as the system medical director of Healthy Work and Wellness for SSM Health.
She trained at Midwestern University - Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed her residency at Exempla/St. Joseph’s Hospital in 2005. She became the medical director of Health and Wellness at Agnesian HealthCare in 2013 and since that time, has devoted time to developing relationships with community stakeholders to create programming that addresses the social determinants of health and improves population health outcomes. She is the medical advisor to the Fond du Lac Public Health Department, the co-chair of the Living Well FDL Coalition and sits on the Fond du Lac County Board of Health and the Healthy FDL County 2020 Steering Committee.
Since 2015, Dr. Schmidt has been involved with the Wisconsin Medical Society and serves as the Chair of the Physician Experience Task Force. She was awarded the Superhero of Medicine award from the Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation in 2017.
Deborah Simmen, MHCM, is the system vice president of ministry formation and the executive advisor for spiritual care at SCL Health in Broomfield, Colo.
In her ministry formation role, she is responsible for developing a comprehensive system-wide and role-specific formation strategy that utilizes adult learning principles, innovative programming and technologies that promote and advance SCL Health’s Catholic, cultural and ministry identity. She serves as a policy, strategic and operational change agent which enables SCL Health to be an industry leader in achieving the highest levels of virtuous leadership, associate engagement and patient satisfaction across the enterprise. She provides thought leadership and subject matter expertise in the healing legacy and heritage of SCL Health, mission and values coaching and integrating values-based discernment into strategic direction and business development processes, including organizational stewardship and change management.
Before joining SCL Health, Ms. Simmen served as the system director of mission initiatives for CHRISTUS Health in Irving, Texas. While at CHRISTUS Health, Deborah created and implemented a variety of programs and formation experiences to deepen appreciation for the health system’s Catholic identity. She also led the heritage initiative that used various communication tools and media to promote the healing legacy and ministries of the health system’s three sponsoring congregations. Prior to joining CHRISTUS Health, she served in various leadership roles within Trinity Health in Novi and Farmington Hills, Mi., and with Holy Cross Health System in South Bend, Ind.
She received her master of arts degree in health care mission from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, and her bachelor of arts degree in Cross-Cultural Communication and Organizational Communication from Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio.
Debra Canales is executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Providence Health and Services. Called to Providence in 2014, Ms. Canales is responsible for human resources, communication, foundation boards, community partnerships and government affairs.
Prior to joining Providence, she served CHE Trinity Health for over 10 years, most recently as executive vice president and chief administrative officer. During her tenure, she guided the organization through significant change, creating synergy across a geographically and operationally diverse system in 21 states.
Throughout her 25-year human resources career, Ms. Canales has worked in a range of global Fortune 500 organizations, including Hewlett Packard/Compaq Computer Corporation, Yum Brands/PepsiCo, R.H. Macy's Inc. and Centura Health.
A nationally recognized leader, she was named a "Healthcare Executive to Watch" by Modern Healthcarein 2016. A champion of creating an exceptional employee experience, Ms. Canales sponsored a groundbreaking benefits program that provides free or reduced medical insurance to those employees most in need, resulting in Providence Health and Services receiving the Employee Assistance Trade Association's (EASNA) Corporate Award of Excellence in 2016.
She has served on a number of community and business boards. Currently, she a member of the boards of directors for AMICA Mutual Insurance, The Breakaway Group-Healthcare Division of Xerox, the Inforum-Women's Alliance Group, Seattle Repertory Theatre and the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. She is also a certified executive coach with a reputation for helping executives develop transformational leadership styles. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration and the American Society of Employers board.
Born in Uvalde, Texas, she is a graduate of the University of Texas, Austin.
Dougal Hewitt is executive vice president and chief mission officer of Providence Saint Joseph Health (PSJH) based in Renton, Washington. Prior to joining PSJH in September 2018, he was chief officer for mission and external affairs at Chicago-based Presence Health. Previously, he served with Bon Secours in Richmond, Virginia, and with Eastern Mercy Health System in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Hewitt is a doctoral candidate in community health and architecture at the University of Miami. He has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in modern history and international relations from the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland. In addition, he has a certificate in ethics from Georgetown University and a certificate in integral leadership from the University of Notre Dame.
Over more than two decades, Mr. Hewitt has developed and shaped the function of mission integration to go past the acute-care facility environment to engage physician practices, ambulatory settings and beyond. He has supported various models of sponsorship, including a new public juridic person. During his years with Presence Health in Chicago, Mr. Hewitt built a system-wide leadership formation program and also designed, delivered and facilitated corporate compliance and ethics education. He has facilitated multiple community visioning and engagement initiatives that significantly enhanced relations between local ministries and the communities they serve.
Mr. Hewitt has established and implemented multiple models of spiritual care services, and has created and implemented a system-wide community benefit reporting program. He has served on boards of multiple organizations, and currently is on the Board of Directors of the Catholic Health Association of the United States. A creative and effective leader with significant experience in advancing organizational mission through values integration, Mr. Hewitt is recognized for his ability to build strong, resilient internal and external relationships. He is committed to leading and sustaining Providence St. Joseph Health and the Catholic health care ministry in ways that help individuals and communities to flourish.
Deryk Van Brunt, Dr.PH, is a co-founder of CredibleMind and serves as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. He is also president and CEO of the Healthy Communities Foundation, a nonprofit organization.
Dr. Van Brunt teaches health informatics at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health, and conducts research in the area of individual and community health information systems. He has overseen the creation, development, and evaluation of clinical and patient-centered information systems implemented in over 500 health care institutions.
He has authored several health-related articles. He received his master’s degree in public health in epidemiology and biostatistics and his doctorate degree in public health in health informatics from the University of California at Berkeley.