Miembros de la Junta

Suzanne works for the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as their Perinatal Mortality Review Coordinator, facilitating multidisciplinary committees who review cases of maternal and perinatal infant death with the goal of preventing such deaths in the future. Although retired now, she practiced as a community midwife for 25 years, owned and operated several birth centers along the Wasatch Front, and trained scores of students through her apprenticeship program. Suzanne co-wrote and lobbied for Utah's Direct-Entry Midwife Act, and chaired the committee that wrote the administrative rules for LDEM practice. She also lobbied to change birth center laws so that DEMs could own and practice in birth centers, ultimately enlisting the legislative help that made it happen.

She has served on the Utah Women and Newborns Quality Collaborative (UWNQC) Out-of-Hospital Birth Committee since its inception in 2013, creating tools to improve processes and outcomes for midwives and families choosing community birth. She has a bachelor's and master's degree in midwifery from the Midwives College of Utah (where she later served as Academic Dean), and a bachelor's degree in human biology from Stanford University. She currently lives on a remote off-grid homestead with her husband Ken, mini-goldendoodles Hazel and Hannah, and a variety of other critters.

Liz Craker serves as a Health Systems Support Coordinator for PCRH. She earned her BA in Journalism from Franklin College, and her MBA in Healthcare Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. She has over 30 years of leadership, project management, non-profit management, grant writing, public relations, patient advocacy, and health equity experience. She also has several years experience in international commodity procurement and sourcing. She previously worked in a Federally Qualified Health Center advocating for insurance enrollment and health literacy.

Heidi is the Director of the Home and Community Department at Utah State University Extension. She also serves as the Director of Create Better Health (SNAP-Ed) Utah and the Hunger Solutions Institute. With nearly 25 years of experience at USU Extension, Heidi has dedicated her career to improving the well-being of individuals and communities across the state.

Shandi Adamson has devoted 23 years to the Department of Health and Human Services, primarily within the Division of Integrated Healthcare. For the past 11 years, she has led as Director of the Office of Medicaid Operations, championing operational excellence and a culture of collaboration and improvement.

With extensive knowledge of claims processes, industry regulations, and policy implementation, Shandi has streamlined Medicaid operations, notably through the launch of the PRISM (Provider Reimbursement Information System for Medicaid) platform. Her leadership has advanced efficiency and provider enrollment best practices.She also serves as the Division’s Indian Health Services liaison, working to strengthen partnerships with tribal governments and organizations to improve community health outcomes.

Outside of work, Shandi is a devoted mother of six and proud grandmother of two. She treasures life with her best friend and husband, sharing a love for travel and cruising. Known for her humility and willingness to support others, she balances professional success with a deep personal commitment to family and service.

Alan Pruhs has served as the Executive Director of the Association for Utah Community Health (AUCH) since 2010. Before stepping into the role Executive Director, Alan served as AUCH’s Associate Director from 2005-2010. During his time at the Association, Alan oversaw the strategic growth of Federally Qualified Health Centers in Utah while also implementing new and highly creative programs and services for medically underserved populations and communities. AUCH serves as the federally recognized Primary Care Association for Utah. In this role, AUCH supports and represents Utah’s 14 Federally Qualified Health Center organizations who operate over 65 primary care practices in urban underserved and rural communities, and provide care to 175,000 patients annually. Alan has over 35 years’ experience in the healthcare industry – twenty-two years in community health, four years in pharmaceutical research as Vice President of Bio-Kinetics, and ten years working as a recreation therapist with adults and children with physical, developmental and emotional disabilities.

Alan has received numerous awards for his service to the community and medically underserved populations, including the 2018 Utah Department of Workforce Services Distinguished Partner Award; 2017 CHAMPS Outstanding Advocate for the Underserved; 2016 Joint Commission Commitment to Supporting Health Centers in achieving Accreditation and PCMH Certification; 2013 Utah Community Foundation Enlightened 50; and the 2009 National Association of Community Health Centers Betsey K. Cooke Grassroots MVP Award.

Sarah Day is a dedicated public service and healthcare professional with experience in strategic development, project management, and healthcare education programming. Currently serving as the Project ECHO Lead at University of Utah Health, Sarah oversees multiple education training programs aimed at enhancing healthcare access and provider knowledge across the western region. She facilitates clinician education series, leads outreach efforts to support rural healthcare providers, and has managed federal grant-funded initiatives. Her expertise in telehealth education and program evaluation has contributed to impactful healthcare improvement projects.
With a strong background in healthcare education, strategic planning, and relationship building, Sarah is passionate about advancing rural healthcare access and fostering provider collaboration. She brings a wealth of experience in organizational management, stakeholder engagement, and policy research, making her a valuable advocate for rural health initiatives in Utah. She holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Health Policy & Public-Private Partnerships from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with minors in Campaign Management and Leadership Studies from the University of Utah.

Larry is an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing. He earned his doctorate in Interdisciplinary Health Science from Western Michigan University. Dr. Garrett was the first Health Informatics Fellow at the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and previously served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the CDC.


Before his role at the University of Utah, Dr. Garrett was a partner in a public health software and consulting company, where he provided consulting services to state and local health departments throughout the country. He later worked at Comagine Health on various health care quality improvement initiatives. Currently, he is focused on a project aimed at enhancing primary care by creating opportunities for registered nurses to operate at the top of their licensure, particularly concerning issues related to substance use disorder. With twenty-nine years of experience in health care consulting and teaching, Dr. Garrett is dedicated to improving health care delivery.

Sarah serves as the Director of the Utah Telehealth Network (UTN), directing network operations and working with the UTN Advisory Council to develop and execute organizational strategic plans. Sarah also serves as the Principal Investigator (PI) for the NRTRC HRSA Grant awarded to the University of Utah to support NRTRC operations. Her background includes nonprofit development, healthcare management, and government relations. In her current role with UTN, she oversees network support services for 80 healthcare facilities accessing the UTN broadband network and the financial discounts provided by the Universal Service Administration Company’s Healthcare Connect Fund.

In addition, Sarah manages UTN’s school-based telehealth project providing telehealth kits and training to Title One schools in the State of Utah. Her prior experience includes serving as an elected official on the Moab City Council and in the roles of executive director and development director for Utah-based nonprofit organizations where she drove business development and impact, fostered partnerships, and increased organizational capacity.

Marcie D Gray, a Licensed Substance Use Disorder Counselor and Certified Peer Support Specialist with 22 years’ experience in the field of SUD. After starting my career with the Local Substance Abuse Authority in Southwest Utah, I decided to spread my wings and open a private outpatient treatment program. This endeavor enabled me to gain a wealth of knowledge in regard to management, billing, networking, marketing, policy and procedure and developing treatment curriculums.

The relationships established and the knowledge obtained over the 3 years of owning a business have been a valuable asset as I have worked with USARA to open and maintain a Recovery Community Center where we provide Recovery Support Services to members of the Recovery community. My experience with the local substance abuse authority, owning my own outpatient program, and working with USARA in Southwest Utah has vastly expanded my own personal recovery from substance use disorder and also provided a greater understanding of the need for collaborative efforts throughout agencies within the Rural areas of the Southeast and Southwest Region.

Mike is an accomplished, results-driven business leader with a passion for driving strategic initiatives and achieving operational excellence in the healthcare technology sector. With a proven track record across large and small organizations, Mike excels in leading teams to success and aligning stakeholders across all levels of the organization. As a seasoned executive with expertise in driving innovation and numerous commercial successes, Mike delivers consistently high-value to companies of all sizes in the ever-evolving health tech landscape.

Tiffany Vickers, Ph.D. is Associate Dean and Director of Healthcare Administration programs in the School of Business at Western Governors University, where she leads with a vision for expanding access to high-quality, workforce-ready education. A first-generation college graduate herself, Dr. Vickers has built her career around creating opportunities for students to thrive, whether by designing new programs, forging partnerships with healthcare organizations, or developing innovative micro-credentials that prepare graduates for leadership in a rapidly changing industry.
Her academic journey includes launching Utah Tech University’s Master of Health Administration program and directing strategic growth at the University of Utah, where her efforts improved graduate placement rates, diversified enrollment, and connected students with industry mentors. Her research in stress management, maternal self-efficacy, and chronic disease management reflects her belief that education and scholarship should directly impact the health and well-being of communities.
Dr. Vickers is also deeply engaged in service, serving on the advisory councils of the Utah Telehealth and Education Network and the Rural Health Association of Utah, and previously as a board member for United Way of Montana. Across her teaching, leadership, and service, she is committed to advancing health equity and preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders to meet both today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.

Navina Forsythe has a Ph.D. in Psychology, a Master’s in Public Administration, and is a Certified Information Privacy Manager. She has over three decades of experience in health and social services government agencies including clinical work, technology and information systems management, and data management. As a clinician she has conducted neuropsychological, psychological, cognitive and achievement assessments, provided therapy, group sessions, and cognitive remediation. As a technology manager she has overseen development and maintenance of multimillion dollar case management information systems and worked with the Utah Digital Health Services Commission to update and maintain the Utah State Health Information Technology Strategic Plan. As a chief data & privacy officer, she has overseen complex data sharing agreements and the development of reporting systems and provided information for assessment, policy decision making, process and outcome evaluation, and program improvement. She co-facilitated the multi-agency collaborative creation of the Utah State Health Assessment (2016) and the Utah Health Improvement Plan (2017). She also has over 20 years of experience as an Institutional Review Board chair or member with the Utah Department of Human Services Institutional Review Board and the Utah Department of Health Institutional Review Board & Ethics Board. She currently serves as the Chief Data & Privacy Officer for UHIN, the Health Information Network in Utah.

Dr. James Bekker, DMD is a Pediatric Dentist with many years of pediatric private practice in both urban and rural settings, having practiced in Salt Lake City in an urban setting and in
Carbon County Utah, in a rural setting.
He has noted leadership experiences, including Clinical and Medical Director of the Pediatric
Dental Graduate program at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. He has served in
several important leadership roles in the University of Utah School of Dentistry (UUSOD) since
its origin, including the Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, which included the initial planning and
development for the UUSOD in 2013. Dr. Bekker is now serving as Associate Dean for
Professional, Community, and Strategic Relations with direct oversight for the UUSOD
Associated Provider network for Medicaid. In that role, he initiated and continues to lead the
Associated Providers program throughout the state of Utah helping to find and care for the
Medicaid benefit recipients who will contribute to our COMPOSIT program.
Dr. Bekker is a currently a member of the Utah Dental Association Board and has been elected
as a delegate from Utah to the American Dental Association House of Delegates. In that role, he
advocates for the innovative Medicaid program in the state of Utah and helps to present the
success of the Utah program on a national level.
Dr. Bekker helped organize the collaboration of the Dental Hygiene programs currently part of
the UUSOD and has been involved in several clinical trials related to his expertise working with
pediatric populations. He will direct the projects in COMPOSIT related to rural Medicaid
programs.