Baystate Health Leadership

Chief Physician Executive and Chief Academic Officer, Baystate Health
President, Baystate Medical Practices
Regional Executive Dean and Professor of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate

Andrew W. Artenstein has served in senior leadership at Baystate Health (BH) since his arrival in 2012. He was recruited here from the Alpert School of Medicine of Brown University where he served as the physician-in-chief of Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island and the founding director of the Center for Biodefense and Emerging Pathogens from 2001-2012. From 2012-2016, he served as the chair of the BH Department of Medicine and the Tufts University School of Medicine chair of medicine at Baystate. He has served in his current roles since 2016, providing leadership to and having accountability for the physician enterprise, including the academic network, Baystate Medical Practice (BMP) physician operations, service lines, clinical integration, population health, and Baycare Health Partners. As the BH chief academic officer and the regional executive dean of the UMass Chan-Baystate, Dr. Artenstein presides over undergraduate- and graduate medical education and the research enterprises of BH.

Dr. Artenstein earned his B.A. from the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, his M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, and his M.B.A from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass. He completed his internal medicine residency at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and fellowships in infectious diseases and tropical medicine at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), both in Washington D.C. Dr. Artenstein has been nationally recognized for expertise in biodefense and emerging infectious diseases. He served as a physician scientist in the U.S. Army from 1986-1996. During this time, he was the head of the Section of Protective Immunity to HIV-1 within the Division of Retrovirology at WRAIR, overseeing vaccine field sites in Thailand and a molecular epidemiology laboratory in Washington D.C. Dr. Artenstein has published more than 110 scholarly works in the medical literature. He is the author and editor of Vaccines: A Biography, a book detailing the history of vaccines, and In The Blink of an Eye: The Deadly Story of Epidemic Meningitis, both published by Springer.

Chief Medical Officer

Yvonne Cheung, MD, MPH, MBA serves as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Baystate Health and holds responsibility for quality, safety, and patient experience. Dr. Cheung has served as Associate Chief Medical Officer (ACMO) and Associate Chief Quality Officer (ACQO) at Baystate Medical Center since February 2024, leading hospital-wide quality and patient safety programs focused on eliminating preventable harm and reducing unwarranted clinical variation. Prior to her arrival at Baystate Medical Center, Dr. Cheung was the Associate Chief Medical Officer at Mass General Brigham - Newton Wellesley Hospital. She also held positions as Chief Quality and Safety Officer at Beth Israel Lahey Health-Mount Auburn Hospital. Under her leadership Mount Auburn Hospital received several Leapfrog A safety grades, CMS 5 star ratings for hospital quality as well as designation as a Blue Cross Center of Excellence.

She is a physician member of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine (MA BORIM) and currently serves as the Chair of the Quality and Patient Safety Committee of the MA BORIM. She earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard University, MD from Columbia University, MPH from Harvard School of Public Health, and MBA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Isenberg School of Management. She completed her internship in internal medicine at Mount Auburn Hospital and residency training in anesthesiology at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Chief Information and Digital Officer

Clara Guixa serves as the Chief Information and Digital Officer (CIO) of Baystate Health, where she leads the organization’s strategic and operational information technology initiatives. Guixa is instrumental in shaping and executing an innovative IT agenda across Baystate Health and its affiliate entities.

With over 25 years of experience in healthcare IT and technology management, Guixa brings expertise in system interoperability, IT optimization, business process transformation, and cyber and information security. Her work focuses on leveraging data and digital capabilities to enhance patient care, operational excellence, and high-value service delivery.

Before joining Baystate Health, Guixa was Vice President of Applications and Deputy CIO at Boston Children’s Hospital, a nationally ranked acute care children's hospital and the main pediatric program of Harvard Medical School. There, she played a pivotal role in advancing IT strategies, implementing operational standards, and overseeing performance metrics and financial stewardship.

Guixa has held progressive leadership roles at the University of Chicago Medicine and the University of Illinois at Chicago, where has demonstrated a track record of developing organization-wide technology investments, platform roadmaps, and data governance strategies. She successfully established standards and practices, operational measures and performance indicators, and financial stewardship, including the implementation of a single EHR (Epic).

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and completed the Executive Program for Emerging Leadership at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Chief Legal Officer, Baystate Health

Kathleen (Kate) Healy serves as Chief Legal Officer of Baystate Health, where she leads the organization’s legal, compliance, risk management, and corporate governance functions. As a member of the President’s Council, she plays a key strategic role in guiding Baystate through a complex healthcare environment, advising executive leadership, physician leaders, and the Board of Trustees on legal and reputational risk, regulatory matters, and enterprise-wide governance.

Kate brings more than 25 years of legal experience with deep expertise in healthcare law. Prior to joining Baystate Health, she was a law partner in private practice, where she advised health systems and other health care organizations on strategic affiliations, joint ventures, regulatory compliance, data privacy, and emerging innovations in healthcare technology. Kate has extensive experience serving as both interim and outside general counsel to health systems and is known for her ability to help organizations navigate wide-ranging legal matters and complex regulatory frameworks.

She earned both her Juris Doctor and her Bachelor of Arts in the Program of Liberal Studies (Classics Program) from the University of Notre Dame.

A former Peace Corps volunteer and project director, Kate has established a precedent of and commitment to community service. She has also held board leadership positions with a number of healthcare organizations.

Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

Tyonne Hinson, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for Baystate Health, provides leadership to and has accountability for ensuring Baystate Health’s diversity, equity, and inclusion’s (DEI) and social justice impact is unifying and integrative by growing a more diverse and inclusive workforce, reducing health disparities, and improving family prosperity in marginalized communities. She proactively develops programs and initiatives that support the equitable delivery of healthcare services and eliminate disparities in health outcomes, as well as the creation of an inclusive environment for diverse caregivers who share a deep sense of belonging built on the principles of dignity and respect. Additionally, she provides strategic leadership in implementation and execution of the long-term vision and goals focused on advancing public health, community health, and DEI across the enterprise.

Dr. Hinson, who served as nurse manager for the NICU for Baystate Health early in her career, re-joined the Baystate team in 2023 as a member of the Senior Leadership Team. She brings more than 20 years of experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion through service in various leadership positions in clinical and executive nursing, healthcare administration and international/global healthcare. Prior to rejoining Baystate, she most recently served as senior director of Nursing Diversity Initiatives at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH). At BCH, she led departmental diversity and inclusion strategies to strengthen the enterprise health equity portfolio, as well as workforce advancement, mentorship, recruitment/retention, and professional development for 6,000 registered nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, and interprofessional colleagues spanning numerous clinical disciplines.

Dr. Hinson earned a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from Syracuse University, a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree with a focus in healthcare administration from Villanova University, and a doctor of public health (DrPH) degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also holds Nurse Executive Board Certification (NE-BC) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). She is an advisory board member of the Gillings School of Global Public Health at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and emeritus board member of Villanova University Fitzpatrick School of Nursing Board of Consultors. She is a 2019 graduate of the MGH Disparities Leadership Program and an awardee of the Dr. Terry Nance Award for Inclusive Excellence from Villanova University.

Recognized as a diversity equity, and inclusion leader, Dr. Hinson was named a Diversity Leader Rising Star for 2024 by Modern Healthcare and among the top health-system chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officers to know by Becker’s Hospital Review.

Chief People Officer

Melonie R. Jackson, Chief People Officer (CPO) for Baystate Health, oversees initiatives in leadership development, talent recruitment and retention, employee engagement, workforce wellness, and labor strategy, while fostering a culture of inclusion and continuous improvement. She provides human resources strategy, focusing on attracting, developing, and retaining a skilled and engaged workforce aligned with the organization’s Mission and Vision.

With over 20 years of experience in human resources, Jackson has significant expertise in healthcare, finance, and technology. She previously served as the Vice President of Human Resources at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), overseeing HR strategy for nine hospitals across Pennsylvania and New York. She has led workforce transformation efforts, enhanced talent acquisition, and implemented programs to strengthen workplace culture and employee engagement.

Jackson’s background includes leadership roles at Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health System), Capital One, Methodist Health System, and Regions Bank. Her experience with large, integrated health systems and health plans will be invaluable in advancing Baystate Health’s mission and supporting its caregivers as the organization builds a thriving future across western Massachusetts.

Jackson holds a Bachelor of Arts from Southeast Missouri State University, an MBA from Texas Woman’s University, and a certificate in Executive Compensation from the Wharton Executive Education program at the University of Pennsylvania.

Chief Operating Officer

Scott Lichtenberger, MD, is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Baystate Health, where he leads systemwide health operations and oversees for hospital operations, nursing leadership, quality, patient safety, and systemwide operational performance.. A seasoned healthcare executive and physician, Dr. Lichtenberger brings over two decades of experience driving strategic transformation, operational performance, and clinical excellence in complex health systems.

Prior to joining Baystate Health, Dr. Lichtenberger served as a Principal in EY-Parthenon’s healthcare practice, where he led major system integrations and operational redesigns for large academic and university-affiliated health systems. He previously held executive leadership roles at Centura Health, including Chief Transformation Officer—where he achieved over $200 million in EBITDA improvements in one year—and President of the Physician Enterprise, overseeing the organization’s employed and aligned provider network.

Dr. Lichtenberger’s background also includes time as Partner at McKinsey & Company, where he led the Healthcare Provider Operations group, and as Chief Strategy Officer at University of Colorado Health, where he guided enterprise-level strategic planning and growth.

He earned his MD from Indiana University School of Medicine, completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and a fellowship in Gastroenterology at Yale University School of Medicine. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Northwestern University.

Chief Financial Officer

Laurie Martin is the Chief Financial Officer at Baystate Health and is responsible for leading the Budget and Business Performance, Treasury Services, Decision Support, Financial Reporting, Payment Systems, Accounts Payable and Payroll functions.

She is a member of the Transformation Group and works on several of the transformation initiatives. Collectively, she has worked at Baystate for more than 24 years having rejoined in 2016.

Prior to her return she served as the Chief Investment Officer for the State of Connecticut managing over $36 billion of investment assets for retirement plans serving approximately 212,000 state and municipal employees, teachers and retirees.

Laurie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from American International College, a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and is a Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Public Accountant. She is also actively involved in community service, serving on the Board of Trustees for Springfield Technical Community College and the Board of Directors for Dakin Humane Society.

Chief Transformation Officer

Mary Elizabeth “Beth” O’Brien serves as Chief Transformation Officer for Baystate Health. In her role, she supports senior leadership in mission- and values-driven approaches to improving our profitability and financial imperatives, core operations, throughput and access, growth and new revenue streams, and partnerships and acquisitions integration. O’Brien is a sought-after, experienced senior executive who has served as a Chief Nursing Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Executive Officer in well-known health systems around the country for almost four decades. She has also served as the managing director of the health care practice for Navigant Consulting (now called Guidehouse) and senior vice president for medical management and network operations at Cigna. Since 2017, she has provided results-oriented interim strategic leadership to organizations including Trinity of New England’s Mercy Hospital in Springfield and, most recently, Mount Auburn Hospital in the Beth Israel Lahey Health System.

Chief of Staff and Vice President of System Integration

Andrew Ritz serves as Chief of Staff and Vice President of System Integration for Baystate Health and supports the office of the CEO, the President’s Council, the Transformation Center, the strategic planning process, integration opportunities, and other key priorities.

He comes to Baystate Health from Centura Health where he served in Vice President roles in three distinct markets and drove operational improvements. Most recently, he oversaw hospital operations and service line growth across three hospitals in the Colorado Springs market.

Ritz has served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Healthcare Center at the Great Lakes Naval State. Deployed as part of Operation Continuing Promise 2015, he traveled to 11 countries in the Caribbean and Central America onboard the Naval Hospital Ship USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20).

Ritz is a dynamic servant leader who has greatly contributed to growth, operational efficiency, best practice patient quality and safety, and financial transformation. He was raised in the Hartford area and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree from Cornell University. He and his wife Brittany are the proud parents of two sons.

Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Strategy Officer

Dean Sanpei serves as the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Chief Strategy Officer for Baystate Health. He provides leadership to and has accountability for strategy, human resources, legal, information technology, marketing and communications, philanthropy, and government relations. He heads a council of senior leaders, the Administrative Leadership Council, which serves as the decision-making body for matters related to providing support and service to acute care, the physician enterprise, and Baystate’s academic network.

Prior to joining Baystate Sanpei was the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Centura Health. Centura was the largest healthcare network in the Denver metro, Greater Colorado, Western Kansas, and Utah area with over 20 hospitals, 13 affiliated hospitals, health at home, urgent care centers, and physician clinics which met the needs of more than a half million people each year. Under his leadership, Centura built sustainable, forward-thinking strategies to facilitate meeting the needs of the community.

Previous to joining Centura he was the Vice President of Strategy for Intermountain Healthcare where he had served in progressively more responsible hospital and health system strategy roles for over 17 years. Intermountain Healthcare, is an integrated healthcare delivery system with 22 hospitals headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also served as an elected Representative in the Utah State Legislature and chaired executive appropriations in the House of Representatives where he was responsible for a $15.1 billion annual state budget. He also helped move Utah Medicaid toward more accountable care and population health initiatives as well as drove efforts to ensure the state remains among a small minority of states with AAA credit ratings.

Sanpei has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Hawaii and a master of public administration degree from Brigham Young University. He has been consistently recognized for his political advocacy on behalf of public employees, people with disabilities, technology development, tax reform, and the business community. He is also active in child advocacy and international volunteer efforts.

Chief Clinical Officer

Adrianne Seiler, MD, serves as Chief Clinical Officer for Baystate Health with operational responsibility for the physician enterprise and population health.

She has held progressive leadership roles across Baystate and its Physician-Hospital and Accountable Care Organizations. With over 15 years of experience leading programs to optimize quality, access, clinical and care model integration, she has built scalable, sustainable systems for value-based care, including provider and post-acute network development, care management, medical complexity capture, and medical management to reduce clinical variation, manage total medical expense, and improve clinical outcomes.

Prior to her current role, she was Medical Director of Healthcare Quality at Baystate Medical Center and Chief Medical Officer of Baycare Health Partners and Pioneer Valley Accountable Care Organization. Most recently, she served as the Vice President of Clinical Integration, leading key initiatives in integrated access, ambulatory quality and safety, and population health.

She earned her MD from University of Connecticut, completed residency in Internal Medicine at Baystate Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, fellowship in Healthcare Quality and Safety at Baystate Health and the Jefferson School of Population Health, and graduate certification in Healthcare Quality and Safety from Jefferson School of Population Health. She is a Fellow of the Massachusetts Health Leadership College and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Trinity College.

Interim Chief Nursing Executive

Brenda Simpson, DNP, RN, CENP, serves as Interim Chief Nursing Executive, supporting nursing practice, engagement and clinical excellence. With over 40 years of leadership experience in nursing and healthcare operations, Simpson is passionate about leading teams to operational excellence, improving clinical outcomes, and enhancing patient safety.

She recently retired as Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Centura Health, where she oversaw nursing operations and led nearly 7,000 nurses across 25 hospitals. Brenda’s extensive experience also includes leadership roles at Northeast Georgia Health System, CHI St. Vincent Health System, and CHRISTUS Spohn Health System. She has served as a Team Leader and Appraiser for the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet® program, further underscoring her expertise in nursing excellence.

Simpson holds a bachelor of science in nursing from Tennessee State University, a master of science in nursing from the University of Tennessee, and a doctorate of nursing practice from the University of South Alabama. She is Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP), a member of the American Organization of Nursing Leadership and the American Nurses Association and has been published extensively on nurse leadership practice.

President of Health New England

As President, Mike oversees all operations of Health New England, including strategic planning, sales, product development, actuarial services, provider relations and contracting, health services, and day-to-day operations. His goal is to drive membership growth in line with short- and long-term plans. Mike serves on the Board of Trustees helping to shape strategy in response to community needs, and inspire consumer-first solutions that strengthen engagement, loyalty, and overall experience.

Mike’s role is pivotal to the integration of Health New England with Baystate Health across key platforms, including care coordination, physician alignment, and value-based care.

Mike joined Health New England in October 2025 and has more than three decades of leadership in provider-based health plans and health system integration. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President at Health Alliance Plan in Detroit, where he led Operations, IT, PMO, Supply Chain, and Data Insights while developing and executing a multi-year data transformation strategy. Previously, he was Vice President of Enterprise Operations at Priority Health in Grand Rapids, directing production and analytics for a $2.6 billion health insurer. He also held roles as Interim CEO of Missouri Health Care Cooperative, COO of The Outsource Group, and Executive Vice President and COO at Mercy Health Plans in Chesterfield, MO.

Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Western Michigan University and a Master of Public Administration degree from Arizona State University.

Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

Jennifer Wills serves as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Baystate Health. She is a storyteller and strategic thought partner with more than 22 years of experience leading and partnering to solve business, marketing, and communications challenges.

Most recently, Wills served as Vice President of Communications and Chief of Staff for CommonSpirit Health’s Mountain Region in Colorado, Kansas, and Utah. For more than 10 years, she led regional and hospital communications, crisis communications and issues management, public relations, organic social media, and leadership, governance, physician, and foundation events for the 25 hospitals and 240 clinics.

Prior to CommonSpirit, she managed her own consulting agency, Wills Communications, LLC and worked with GroundFloor Media, an integrated marketing and communications firm based in Denver, for nine years. Jennifer has provided consulting support to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, Colo., St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, Colo., Rose Medical Center in Denver, among others.

A relatable and servant leader, she enjoys helping healthcare organizations navigate complex operational changes and crises, improving employee engagement, and promoting and managing the reputation of their business and brand.

Wills earned a Bachelor of Science from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at University of Colorado, Boulder and will receive her master's in business administration - healthcare from Northern Arizona University in 2025.