Staff
Kate Kohn-Parrott was selected unanimously in 2012 as President and CEO of GDAHC. She is responsible for GDAHC’s strategic plan and operations management, ensuring the organization pursues its mission, vision, and values, providing leadership and guidance to the staff, ensuring member satisfaction and engagement, responding to members’ priorities and ever-evolving health and health care needs of the southeast Michigan, and maintaining GDAHC’s financial wellbeing.
Kate championed GDAHC's new strategic plan in 2019 seeking to make health care more affordable for Michigan’s citizens, reduce disparities in care, integrate social determinants of health with clinical care, improve health behaviors, and drive positive health outcomes. She has brought in more than $7.5 million in new grants since 2015 and reduced annual operating costs by more than $250,000. Dr. Ray Fabius, co-editor of “Population Health: Creating a Culture of Wellness,” said “he could teach a course on population health management using the projects led by GDAHC, under Kate's leadership, and the positive outcomes the organization delivers."
Kate has demonstrated positive and actionable leadership in health and health care from her first foray in this sector when she directed the health and welfare programs at Chrysler (saving $400 million annually on a $2.3 billion spend) through her time serving as health policy adviser to the Michigan House of Representatives and State Treasurer, and Eastern Michigan University, and now GDAHC.
Kate is pursuing a master's in applied science degree in population health management at Johns Hopkins University. She holds an MBA from the University of Detroit Mercy and a bachelor's degree in business administration (accounting) from Eastern Michigan University. She holds Certificates from the Johns Hopkins University Population Health Management program, the Stanford University Executive Program, and the Managing Business Program at Insead (France). Kate is both a Certified Management Accountant and Certified Internal Auditor.
Kate serves on a number of public and private boards, including serving as treasurer and executive committee member of the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement, board chair for Develop Detroit, and board member of Marywood Nursing Center. She is a member of the Human Resources Committee and the Friends of Prints, Drawings, and Photograph Auxiliary at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
To contact Kate, please email her at TellKate@gdahc.org.
Lisa Braddix is Director, Population Health and Health Equity at the Greater Detroit Area Health Council, where she oversees projects that seek to eliminate health disparities in marginalized populations throughout southeast Michigan. In her daily work, she fosters organizational collaboration to improve the health of communities in need. It is her personal belief that all have the right to experience optimal health and well-being, regardless of one’s background or station in life, and she applies this in every area of her work.
Lisa serves as co-chair of the Health Equity Committee for the Michigan Cancer Consortium, one of the country’s premier statewide partnerships to reduce the cancer burden, and as a co-chair for the Healthy Pontiac We Can! Coalition, which supports and promotes initiatives that improve the quality of life for residents in Pontiac, Michigan. She has spent several years working in community health and is passionate about issues related to minority health and health disparities.
As a native of Cleveland, Ohio, Lisa has a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Ohio State University and a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan. She has also earned a graduate certificate in Non-Profit Management from Eastern Michigan University.
To contact Lisa, please email her at lbraddix@gdahc.org.
248-282-6916
Nicki Gabel joined GDAHC in September of 2016 as the Director of Special Events, overseeing Salute! to Healthcare which celebrates individuals and organizations who have transformed healthcare in southeast Michigan. She also facilitates Coffee & Controversy, GDAHC’s signature program, which offers dynamic discussions on relevant issues impacting health, health care, and access. Topics range from policy to practice, including voices from the medical, business, and civic communities.
Nicki has successfully organized and improved over the past four years GDAHC's annual substance use summit, which has drawn attendance of more than 600 people and provided a venue for collaboration across a number of disparate organizations working to address the SUD challenge. Currently, Nicki coordinates GDAHC's Southeast Michigan Alliance for Addiction-free Communities (SEMAAC).
Nicki has over eighteen years of experience as a fundraiser, event planner, and project manager, working for the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and Programmed Products Corporation. She managed several events for the ADA including their signature cycling and walk events, golf outings, and multiple galas in the Detroit and Toledo areas.
Nicki graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources with a concentration in Human Services from Oakland University. Her affinity for fundraising developed with her passion for running with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s program Team and Training. Here she learned how individuals and teams can make a difference through passion and unity for a common cause.
To contact Nicki, please email her at ngabel@gdahc.org.
248-282-6911
Devon Parrott is GDAHC’s Manager of Media Strategies and Initiatives. In this role, Devon develops and manages our communications strategy, including producing and executing the content and direction of GDAHC’s website and social media to highlight our programming, events, and promote our vision: “Healthy people. Healthy community. Healthy economy.” They also create and produce all of our digital and printed materials.
Have you attended an Opioid Summit or Salute! to Healthcare? What about our Annual Meeting? Devon has designed and produced the programs for all of these events since joining GDAHC in late 2015. Above all else, Devon works to ensure that GDAHC’s communications stay consistent with our Mission, Vision, and Values and that members and the community know what's going on at GDAHC.
In addition to all of this, Devon was the Program Coordinator for our Choosing Wisely and Health Around the Corner grants. They organize and lead communications on SEMPQIC and had a key role in GDAHC's work with the State to develop appropriate messaging for infant safe sleep practices. Devon is committed to the greater Detroit area and feels very passionately about many of the challenges Detroit faces, such as access to appropriate healthcare services, healthy food access, public transportation, and overall neighborhood sustainability.
Devon recently earned a certificate in web development through Grand Circus' Front-end Bootcamp. They hold a Bachelor of the Arts in Art History from Wayne State University. They firmly believe in art's ability to create meaningful social change and progress, and it is their goal to open a split gallery-residency program and urban farm in Detroit in the near future.
To contact Devon, please email them at dparrott@gdahc.org.
Andrell Sturdivant is GDAHC’s Project and Outreach Specialist, staffing several of GDAHC’s projects. Andrell conducts outreach and provides staff support to the Southeast MI Hospital Collaborative, which aims to prevent diabetes through collaboration. She is a GDAHC team member on the Lead Project. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is requesting assistance from GDAHC to market test the currently available Lead Action Level Exceedance (ALE) education documents to determine if they resonate with the target populations most at risk for lead exposure in the water supplies. Andrell maintains and promotes Find MI Care GDAHC’s website and smartphone application to connect people to free and low-cost care. Andrell is also a certified Lifestyle Change Coach, leading workshops under the CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program.
Previously, Andrell worked for the Karmanos Cancer Center in Detroit. While here she helped lead various programs including their Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program, as well as the Rise, Sister, Rise Therapeutic Support Group.
In her over 15 years of experience, Andrell has worked to help minorities and other medically underserved populations receive care and support. Much of this is also reflected in her volunteer work for many different organizations, helping to mentor individuals in building self-esteem, developing spiritual gifts, and ministering to the physically disabled. Andrell holds a Masters in Social Work from Wayne State University.
To contact Andrell, please email her at asturdivant@gdahc.org.
248-282-6907