MHSA Advisory Board
Marty Carmody, FACHE
Healthcare Account Executive, Microsoft Corporation
Executive with expertise in business transformation, value generation and delivering sustainable results. Built experience in academic, private not-for-profit, physician-owned joint ventures and for-profit hospital operations. Seek out and integrate input from all stakeholders in order to leverage teamwork, innovative insights and improve performance faster.
Served as officer in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps. Held various leadership positions around the world as a UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter Pilot. Gulf War Veteran.
Board Certified in Healthcare Management and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Interests include education, health and wellness, positive people, cooking and family.
Almir Karamovic, FHFMA, PMP
Almir Karamovic is a healthcare professional with expertise in programs incubation, organization redesign, operational improvement and financial turnaround. Over time, Almir has had various work experiences in healthcare settings with increasing levels of responsibility, growth and outcomes. Currently, he serves McLaren Health Care which is an integrated, non-profit, healthcare organization serving Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. The focus of his current role as administrator for Cardiovascular Services grants him the opportunity to lead and support operations for McLaren Oakland Cath Lab, Non-Invasive Testing, Cardiac Rehab, EEG and ambulatory clinics serving Oakland County communities.
He has a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration from University of Detroit Mercy, Master of Public Administration from the University of Michigan and is a graduate of the Rutgers Business School Executive Education training program on Project Management. He holds the globally recognized Project Management Professional designation from the Project Management Institute. He is certified in Lean Healthcare and Six Sigma from the University of Michigan, Basic Quality and Safety by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and is a board-certified fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Almir serves on the board of the Midwest Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Detroit Mercy College of Health Professions’ MHSA Advisory Board and the Detroit Economic Club - Young Leader Board of Directors. He also makes time to lead as chair of University and Student Relations for the Eastern Michigan Chapter of Healthcare Finance Management Association and is active with Leaders for Kids, World Medical Relief and Project Management Institute.
When he is not working, Almir spends much of his time with family and friends or reading. Some of his favorite authors are Fyodor Dostoevsky, Mesa Selimovic and Michael Lewis. He also enjoys exercise and is an avid fan of artisan coffee.
Gwendolyn Henderson Parker, MD, MBA, FACHE
Senior Medical Director in Case Management, BCBSM
Parker, a board-certified radiation oncologist, has been employed at BCBSM for 25 years. She has been the senior medical director in Case Management since 2001. She is certified in Healthcare Quality & Management, and is a fellow in the American Institute of Healthcare Quality and American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Parker was awarded the 2016 ACHE Regent’s Award for Senior Healthcare Executive. She is the 2018 President for the Midwest Chapter of the ACHE.
Parker has 28 years of Managed Care experience. Her career at BCBSM began as a physician consultant in the precertification and Care Management areas. She served as the Case Management quality physician prior to assuming the position of the senior medical director. Her current role is to provide clinical oversight for the Case Management Program and includes experience in LEAN Management.
She was a participant on the National Institute of Health-National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Guidelines Implementation Panel (October 2005-2006) and has served as a consultant for many pharmaceutical advisory boards. She is an affiliate of the National Association of Managed Care Physicians. Parker is co-author of the article, “Managing Asthma in a Managed Care Setting: Strategies for Treatment and Control”, “in Managed Care, 2005 Aug.14(8).
She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Midwest Chapter of American College of Healthcare Executives, Presbyterian Villages of Michigan and the Michigan Cancer Consortium.
Parker is a graduate of University of Detroit (B.S. in Biology) and Wayne State School of Medicine. She received her MBA from Lawrence Technological University and has taken post-graduate finance courses at Walsh College.
Previous work experience includes chemical engineering research for BASF and Rockwell International.
Kenneth Rates, MBA, MHSA
Administrative Manager, Michigan Medicine | Taubman Center Urology Ambulatory Care Unit
A graduate of University of Detroit Mercy’s MBA and MHSA programs, Kenneth Rates provides leadership and administrative management of operational objectives to the Taubman Center Urology Ambulatory Care Unit at Michigan Medicine. Prior to moving to this position in 2018, he was a behind-the-scenes staple at Detroit Mercy’s McAuley Health Center for more than three years. Kenneth is an active member in the Midwest Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Michigan Medical Group Management Association and the Detroit Economic Club.
Chantal Cornfield, MHSA
Regional Director of Operations at American House Senior Living
Known throughout the senior living industry as a successful leader and an efficient operator, Chantal consistently delivers results. She has dedicated her career to providing outstanding client experiences rooted in customer service. She has a passion and deep appreciation for the seniors she serves.
Chantal has been recognized by American House for her corporate leadership. In 2016, she was the youngest person to be awarded "Assistant Director of the Year" by American House. Chantal was promoted to regional director by American House in 2017, the youngest ever in that role.
A native of Toronto, Chantal played college basketball at the University of Tampa and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of South Florida. She received her Master of Health Services Administration degree with honors from University of Detroit Mercy in 2014. She currently sits on the Waterford Aging Board and is an active member of the Pontiac Chamber of Commerce.
Chantal and her husband, Max, reside in West Bloomfield and are the proud parents of their daughter, Sydney, and dog, Lennox.
Tasha German
Senior Human Resources Specialist at U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Tasha German is a passionate and dedicated human resources professional with more than 13 years of experience. German is a senior human resources specialist at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and adjunct professor in the Health Services Administration program at University of Detroit Mercy. She previously held roles at Trinity Health and Beaumont Health for more than 10 years combined.
German earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration from Detroit Mercy and her Master of Public Administration with a minor in Organizational Development from Oakland University. She also holds a graduate certificate in Human Resources Management.
German has a wealth of experience in strategic planning, employee relations, training and development, diversity and inclusion, team building, succession development and management, HR policies, recruitment and retention, corporate compliance and performance management.
She has a strong commitment to developing leaders and serving the community through leadership and volunteerism. She is a member of MHSA Advisory Board, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE), National Diversity Council, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Federal Court Clerks Association (FCCA), Federally Employed Women (FEW), American Cancer Society and American Society for Public Administration.
Tasha enjoys mentoring, career coaching, traveling and spending time with her family and friends.