Annual Community Network Leadership Team Retreat 2025

Agenda:

8:00-9:00 a.m. – Registration/Continental Breakfast

9:00-9:30 a.m.

•Welcome and Introductions: Teresa Newman, Director Rural Health Resources UnityPoint Health-Des Moines

•Michelle Niermann, Senior Vice President Chief Operating Officer, UnityPoint Health

9:30-10:30 a.m.

•David Stark, Chief Government Affairs and Philanthropy, UnityPoint Health

10:30-11 a.m.

•Break

11:00-12:30 p.m.

•Speaker: Ben Whiting

12:30 -1:15 p.m.

•Lunch

1:15-2:15 p.m.

•Clare Kelly, Chief Government and External Affairs Officer, Iowa Hospital Association

2:15 p.m.-2:45 p.m.

•UnityPoint Health Rural Leadership Awards

2:45 -3:45 p.m.

•Networking/Adjournment

Speaker Information:

Michelle Nierman - Michelle Niermann is the Senior Vice President Chief Operating Officer for UnityPoint Health. Prior to her current role Michelle served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids from 2013 to 2018 with responsibility for all major clinical, professional, and support services. From 2019 to 2023 Michelle served as President and Chief Executive Officer for UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids. Michelle has spent the entirety of her professional career at UnityPoint Health, joining St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids as an Administrative Fellow in 1994. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois and a master’s degree in hospital and healthcare administration from the University of Iowa. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), as well as past President of both ACHE of Iowa and the University of Iowa Health Management and Policy Department Alumni Board. She has the privilege of mentoring many rising healthcare administrators.

Michelle serves as a board member for several community organizations and was named the Corridor Business Journal’s Most Influential Leader in 2021.

David Stark - Joining UnityPoint Health in 1996, Stark is an Iowa native. He currently serves as the Foundation/Government Affairs Executive for UnityPoint Health and most recently served as President/CEO for UnityPoint Health - Des Moines. He received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University in Management and his Master's in Healthcare Administration from the University of Iowa. Stark is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, serves on the Iowa Hospital Association Board, Greater Des Moines Partnership Board, Principal Charity Classic Board, Des Moines University Board, and Grandview University Board; he is a member of Rotary and is a graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute.

Ben Whiting - Ben Whiting works with organizations that want to tap into the Limitless Potential of their greatest resource: their people.

Drawing on his background as an international leadership development consultant, Ben teaches simple skills and actionable strategies that immediately create cultures of engagement, self-motivation, and true fulfillment in day-to-day work.

Combining his experience in leadership development with his background in corporate entertainment (magic & mind reading) and professional theater, Ben’s unique formula creates keynote experiences that are fun, memorable, and-most of all-meaningful, the audience will remember what they learn long after he leaves the stage. Ben has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, The New York Times, and has worked in more that 30 countries for clients such as Crystal Cruises, Oprah’s HARPO studios, Facebook/Meta, Apple, Google, American Express, and Amazon.

Clare Kelly - Clare Kelly is the Chief Government & External Affairs Officer at the Iowa Hospital Association. Prior to joining IHA she was health policy adviser to Gov. Kim Reynolds. Before her state service, Kelly was executive vice president and CEO of the Iowa Medical Society and was also executive director of government and external affairs for Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. She is a native of Fort Dodge and received her bachelor’s degree in English and political science from the University of Iowa.

View full retreat agenda here.