HonorHealth Board of Directors
Mike Welborn - Board chair
Mike Welborn serves as Board Chair for HonorHealth and has been on the Board since 2006. Mike retired as President of Global Brand Development for P.F. Chang’s China Bistro in 2019 after joining the company in 2005. Previously, his career was in financial services including Chairman/CEO of Bank One Arizona and Citibank Arizona, and executive leadership with Bank One (now JP Morgan Chase) in Chicago. He has served on the Boards of P.F. Chang’s, Pei Wei Asian Diner and Peter Piper Pizza. Mike’s previous community Board Chair roles include Greater Phoenix Leadership, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Valley of the Sun United Way and Arizona YPO and YPO Gold. He also headed the Governor’s task force which led to the development of a new stadium for the Arizona Cardinals. His spouse of 36 years, Patricia, has served on the Arizona State Board of Education and as Board Chair of a charter school targeting low income and minority students. Mike and Pat enjoy active travel, biking, golf, and skiing. The Welborn family has taken 23 bicycle trips around the world. Mike received his BA from Johns Hopkins and his MBA from Harvard.
Frank Pugh - Vice chair
Frank Pugh is a retired insurance brokerage and risk management executive. He founded an insurance and risk management business in 1993 that was subsequently acquired by a public financial services entity. Recently, Mr. Pugh has been engaged as a consultant to a privately held financial service entity leading its efforts to establish an insurance brokerage business in the Arizona market. Prior to establishing his insurance business. He was a healthcare management and finance executive working for healthcare systems and large medical practices. Mr. Pugh is Vice Chair of the Board of Honor Health, and he also serves as the Chairperson of the Honor Health Captive Insurance Exchange. Mr. Pugh is past Director and Chair of the Board of John C. Lincoln Heath Network and past Director and Chair of John C. Lincoln Health Foundation. He is on the board of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, and he is a member of the American Hospital Association’s Committee on Governance. Mr. Pugh’s previous community service includes volunteer work of various types with Valley of the Sun United Way, Gift of Life and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, and he created a leadership forum for CEOs of nonprofit organizations.
Todd LaPorte - President and CEO
Drew Brown
Drew Brown has served on the Board of HonorHealth and its predecessor organizations since 1997. He served as Board Chair from 2010-2012. He currently chairs the Strategic Planning Committee and serves on the Nominating and Governance, Finance and Executive Committees of the Board. Mr. Brown is a Founding Partner of DMB, a real estate development and investment firm. Prior to Founding DMB in 1984, Mr. Brown was a partner and director in the Phoenix law firm of Fennemore Craig, where he specialized in real estate and finance. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton and received his juris doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School. Mr. Brown has been active in a leadership position in a number of professional, civic and community organizations, including the Phoenix Art Museum, the Arizona Science Center, the Flinn Foundation, the Arizona Commerce Authority, the Urban Land Institute and Greater Phoenix Leadership. He is a member of Notre Dame Raclin Murphy Museum of Art Advisory Council and previously served as a member of the Notre Dame Law School Advisory Council. Mr. Brown resides with his wife, Laurie, in Paradise Valley, AZ.
Peter Hathaway
Pete Hathaway joined the HonorHealth Board of Directors in 2009 through the John C. Lincoln Health Network. Pete has served as the Audit and Compliance Committee Chair since 2013, which also includes oversight of cyber-defense and response. He also serves on the Executive and Compensation, Strategy and Finance Committees. He was a past member of the Information Technology Committee. Pete retired from JDA Software, Inc. in 2013 where he served as the Chief Financial Officer for 4 years. Prior to JDA, Pete served for 6 years as the CFO of Allied Waste Services (now Republic Services) and for 8 years prior to this he held a variety of finance and accounting roles. Prior to Allied he also worked in the solid waste industry in Italy for Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc. Pete started his career in 1979 with the public accounting firm Arthur Andersen & Co. and served as a CPA in the audit and attest division for 11 years. In addition to HonorHealth, Pete serves on the Board of Directors of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy in Scottsdale. He is also an advisory board member of PIVIUM that provides Pro-AV design and implementation services. Pete and his wife enjoy living in Scottsdale in the winter and Telluride, CO in the summer. He is active in the outdoor community in each location indulging in photography, skiing, backpacking, canyoneering and mountain biking.
Fred Hessler
Fred Hessler is a retired Managing Director of Citigroup where he headed its Health Care Group for the not-for-profit sector from 1990 through 2013. Fred oversaw strategic advisory, mergers & acquisitions, and banking services to health systems, free-standing hospitals, physician groups, managed care plans and related ancillary companies. He is one of the founders of the nationally recognized AHA/HFMA/Citigroup Healthcare Investor Conference. Fred is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Honor Health, BravoVail, EmOpti, Inc., and the Center for Health Design. Fred has also served on the Boards of PierianDx, Surgical Care Affiliates (SCAI), MedAssets (MDAS), LHP Hospital Group, Public Health Institute, Health Research and Education Trust, Health Insights Foundation and the National Center for Healthcare Leadership. He also served on the American Hospital Association Operations Committee and chaired its Investment Committee from 2002 to 2016. Fred was a member of The Center for Healthcare Governance’s Blue-Ribbon Panel on Trustee Core Competencies. Prior to joining Citigroup in 1985, Fred was a Partner and Regional Director of Healthcare at Ernst & Young. He is a non-practicing Certified Public Accountant. Fred is a graduate of Wayne State University. Fred and his wife, Kathie Mundy, reside in north Scottsdale.
Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC
Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, is the co-founder and chief clinical officer of WebPT, a leading EMR software platform for physical, occupational and speech therapists. She has been recognized as one of Health Data Management’s “Most Powerful Women in Healthcare IT,” and in 2018, she was named the “Ed Denison Business Leader of the Year” at the Arizona Technology Council’s Governor’s Celebration of Innovation. Her newest venture is Rizing Tide, a scholarship and educational enrichment program designed to broaden the reach, impact, and accessibility of physical therapy by supporting students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds pursuing their doctorate degrees. She is a founding member of the Arizona chapter of Golden Seeds, an early-stage investment firm focusing on women founders and leaders creating lasting impact and serves as a board member for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Arizona Community Foundation, Arizona School for the Arts and the Flinn Foundation. Heidi holds a post-professional Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Evidence in Motion, as well as a Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences and a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Davis in Biological Science and Exercise Physiology. She and her family (partner Joe Hendricks and daughters Ava, Tegan and Rivers) reside in Phoenix, AZ.
Andrew Kassir, MD, FACS, FASCRS, FRCSI
Dr. Andrew Kassir is the president of the Colon & Rectal Clinic of Scottsdale. Dr. Kassir graduated from The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, where he earned his doctorate of medicine. After surgical training in Ireland and a Research Fellowship at University of California in San Diego, he completed a general surgery residency in Phoenix as well as a Colon & Rectal fellowship at the Colon and Rectal Clinic in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Kassir has academic appointments as Associated Professor of Surgery at Creighton Medical School the University of Arizona. He was recently appointed on the HonorHealth Board of Directors and serves on several Board Committees for both the Board and Medical Staff. Dr. Kassir has presented at many prestigious national meetings such as the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, The Arizona Chapter of The American College of Surgeons and The World Robotic Society. He has co-authored numerous articles and published in several journals and textbooks including The Diseases of Colon & Rectal Surgery and Sabiston Surgery Textbook.
Kathryn Jo Lincoln
Kathryn Jo Lincoln was elected to the predecessor John C. Lincoln Board in 2010. Currently, she Chairs the Investment Committee for the Network, being appointed to that role in 2016. As Chief Investment Officer of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, she is responsible for the management of the $700 million portfolio, guiding strategic allocation, policy development, investment selection process and draw policies, all of which have contributed meaningfully to achieving the current asset base. As Chair of the Lincoln Institute Board, she plays a crucial role in the strategic direction and planning of the Institute, with ongoing involvement in the development of education programs, demonstration projects and impact measurement. Currently, she also serves on the Board of Claremont Lincoln University, a Director at the Lincoln Electric Company, Co-Chair of the International Center for Land Policy Studies and Training in Taiwan. In recognition of her service in Taiwan, the ROC government awarded Ms. Lincoln the Council of Agriculture’s Second-Class Agriculture Medal in 2006 and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Friendship Medal of Diplomacy in 2008. Previously, she served as a Director of Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua Foundation, Johnson Bank, AZ, the Andrew Young School of Public Policy in Atlanta and the Tesseract School. She is a Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors, a graduate of Hollins University and received her MBA from the College of William and Mary. She sings professionally on occasion and resides in Paradise Valley.
Julie Arvo MacKenzie
Julie Arvo MacKenzie is general counsel to The Industrial Development Authority of the County of Maricopa, an Arizona nonprofit corporation and political subdivision created in accordance with Arizona law to provide lower cost financing to qualified projects through the issuance of revenue bonds. Before joining the Authority, she practiced at national and regional law firms for over 30 years, concentrating her practice in public finance, including bond financings for numerous housing, hospital, education, and economic development projects. She is rated “AV/Preeminent Attorney” with Martindale-Hubbell. She attended the University of Michigan Law School and received her B.A. from the University of Michigan. Her memberships and board participation include former chair and current board member for HonorHealth Desert Mission (since 2006); past board member of the Arizona Women Lawyers Association, Maricopa Chapter; and member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers. Ms. Arvo MacKenzie has served on the HonorHealth Board since 2013.
Charles Mitchell, Jr
Charles Mitchell, CEO and co-founder, oversees All About People’s operations, executive search division and new market expansion. Charles received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from North Carolina A&T State University in 1989 and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina in 1992. Upon graduating from American University’s Washington College of Law in 1998, Charles joined the law firm of Fennemore Craig in Phoenix where his practice areas included securities law, mergers & acquisitions and general corporate representation. In addition to the education noted above, Charles is a Harvard Business School alumnus of the Owner/President Management Program (OPM) in 2008.
Charles is currently the Founding & Governing Board Chair of Vista College Preparatory Charter School in Phoenix and is a national board member of Building Excellent Schools. He has served on the national board for INROADS, is the past Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Chair of the Pacific Southwest Minority Development Council, was a founding board member and former national board member of SEED SPOT and is a current board member of the Phoenix Regional Board of Teach For America Charles also graduated from the Young President’s Organization (“YPO”), Arizona Chapter in 2017 and is currently a member of the Arizona YPO Gold Chapter after having served in YPO leadership roles as Network Chair, Forum Chair, Education Chair and Chapter Chair, as well as being a past member of Chief Executive Organization, (“CEO”).
Alpa Shah, MD, FCCP
As Chief of Medical Staff at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center from 2000-2003, Alpa Shah, MD, brings exceptional clinical leadership, institutional knowledge, and unique expertise in medical staff governance to her role. Dr. Shah focuses on creating a vision and establishing strategic direction, advancing crucial initiatives and programs, and engaging with medical staff and administrative leadership to build an environment of extraordinary patient care.
Dr. Shah’s extensive leadership is exemplified by her significant contributions at HonorHealth, where she serves on the Board of Directors and various key committees, including Board Quality, Nominating and Governance, and Strategic Planning Committees. Additionally, she has chaired and serves on many Medical Staff committees and was selected as the Network Senior Advisor for the Professional Practice Evaluation (Peer Review) and Bylaws Committees. Dr. Shah is also a Board Member of the Flinn Foundation. Beyond her professional commitments, she is deeply engaged in community service, volunteering at the National Charity League and other organizations.
Appointed to the Medical Staff in 2006, Dr. Shah is the recipient of multiple teaching awards and the Distinguished Medical Service award. She maintains her academic appointment at the HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Family Medicine Residency Program and is a Medical Consultant and case reviewer for the Arizona Medical Board.
Dr. Shah moved to Arizona after completing her medical training and fellowship at the University of Rochester Medical Center-Strong Memorial Hospital and New York Medical College Brooklyn-Queens. She is a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, and Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Shah is an actively practicing clinician and is a managing partner of SPCC, a Pulmonary and Critical Care practice located in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Kathleen Wade
Kathleen Wade has served on the Honor Health Board since the merger of Scottsdale Health and Lincoln Health. Prior to the merger, Kathleen served on the Lincoln Health Board. She held various positions on that Board, including two three-year terms as Chairman and various Committee Chair positions. Ms. Wade retired as a Regional President of Standard Pacific Homes, a national public homebuilder in 2011. Prior to joining Standard Pacific Homes, Ms. Wade was Co-CEO of Continental Homes, a public homebuilder. She has served on the Boards of three public companies and one private company. She currently serves on the Finance Committee of Lutheran Social Services. In the past she has been a Board Member and Chairman of the Homebuilders’ Association of Central Arizona, Chairman of the Arizona Chapter of the March of Dimes, Board Member of Phoenix Country Day School, and Board Member and Finance Chairman of New Global Citizens. Ms. Wade holds a B.S. in Accounting from Arizona State University and is a CPA (inactive) in Arizona. She resides in Arizona.
Steve Wheeler
Steve Wheeler joined the HonorHealth Board of Directors in 2008 through Scottsdale Healthcare and served as Board Chairman for eight years from 2011-2018. Mr. Wheeler retired as an Executive Vice President of Arizona Public Service Company in 2010. Prior to joining APS, Mr. Wheeler was a managing partner of the 450-attorney southwestern law firm of Snell & Wilmer. Mr. Wheeler currently remains a Director of HonorHealth and is also a Director and Vice Chairman of the Flinn Foundation, Director of the Helios Education Foundation, Director of Great Hearts America, and a Director of New Learning Ventures. He was previously Chairman of the Valley of the Sun United Way, Chairman of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Fiesta Bowl, President of the Arizona Theatre Company, Chairman of the Commission on the Arizona Environment, Chairman of the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization, and Vice Chairman of the Phoenix Art Museum. Through gubernatorial appointment, he has also been involved in state initiatives on childhood education, transportation, and the environment. Mr. Wheeler is an honors graduate of Princeton University and Cornell Law School.