Sara Giles
President
Currently the marketing director of Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital (SMH) and member of the Senior Leadership Team in Manistique, Sara is a native of Canada. She is an honors graduate in psychology and criminology at the University of Western Ontario.
At SMH, Sara serves as the marketing director and is responsible for all internal/external marketing material and designs/manages digital and print campaigns for advertising, social media, annual reports, fundraising efforts, and press releases. She’s passionate about event planning and coordinates the annual Schoolcraft County Health Fair, Gala, and Festival of Trees celebrations. In addition, she works closely with the fund development department to promote giving campaigns.
Sara lives in Manistique with her family. She is a world traveler and enjoys living in the Upper Peninsula. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, exploring new beaches, fishing for salmon, and spending time with her family.
David Jahn
Vice President
Jahn, a native of the Upper Peninsula, has over 40 years of experience in healthcare. He served as the president and chief executive officer of MyMichigan Medical Center Sault for 17 years before retiring in 2022. During his tenure, the center experienced significant growth, including an $8 million expansion of the radiology department, the addition of a new 30,000-square-foot rehabilitation department, the construction of a 40,000-square-foot medical office building, and the establishment of a 20-bed inpatient psychiatric facility. Under his leadership, the center also improved its financial performance, reversing a $1 million loss in its first year to achieve a consistent $1 million profit during the last six years of his tenure.
Priot to joining MyMichigan Medical Center Sault, Jahn worked as the vice president of marketing at MHA Insurance Company in Lansing. Earlier in his career, he spent 22 years as the chief executive officer and chief financial officer at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital in Manistique, where he played a key role in converting the hospital to a critical access facility, which allowed for increased Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.
Jahn earned a master’s degree in business administration from Lake Superior State University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Accounting from Michigan Tech University. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, traveling, and spending time with his family.
Kara Katona, CPA
Secretary/Treasurer
Kara is a partner in the CPA firm of Makela, Toutant, Hill, Nardi & Katona, P.C., in Marquette. A Marquette native, Kara graduated summa cum laude from Northern Michigan University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting/computer information systems.
Kara is active in the community. She serves on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Marquette County, is a member of the Marquette Noon Kiwanis and the Economic Club of Marquette County, and is active in her church. Kara is a 2013 graduate of the Lake Superior Leadership Academy.
In her spare time, Kara enjoys traveling, reading, and boating. She resides in Negaunee Township with her husband, Chris.
Elise Bur
Director
Elise Bur was hired as the inaugural director of the Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health in July 2020. In this role, Bur is focused on creating and enhancing an integrated healthcare network to better serve the residents of the Upper Peninsula. The center aims to expand access and improve the quality of essential healthcare services.
Prior to this position, Bur served as the administrative director for the Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center for six years. In that capacity, she conducted advocacy efforts by developing and maintaining professional relationships with organizations, foundations, partner agencies, and legislators at the local, state, and national levels. Additionally, she played a key role in developing, implementing, and sustaining comprehensive marketing and outreach initiatives, which included media campaigns and both internal and external communications.
In 2023, Bur was nominated for the Michigan Center for Rural Health’s “Michigan’s Rural Health Professional of the Year Award.” She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal studies from Suomi College, with concentrations in business communications, English, and music. Suomi College later became Finlandia University.
Fredi De Yampert
Director
Fredi De Yampert recently retired as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Finlandia University. She served as the Chief Academic Officer for two colleges and two schools within the university for 11 years before retirement. Earlier in her career at Finlandia, De Yampert worked as Chair of the Nursing Department and was a tenured professor in the Department of Nursing. Prior to coming to Finlandia, among several other nursing roles, she worked as a Clinical Instructor at Suomi College, as a NICU, and as a Pediatric nurse in Texas, Arizona, and Ohio.
De Yampert earned a PhD in Education from Capella University in Minneapolis, MN., with a major in leadership for higher education. She owns a Master of Science Degree in Nursing and Nursing Education from Saint Joseph’s College in Standish, ME., and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at El Paso.
Away from work,
De Yampert enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and traveling.
Dr. Bryan Dixon
Director
Dr. Bryan Dixon Dr. J. Bryan Dixon is a physician at the Advanced Center for Orthopedics and Plastic Surgery. Born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska, Dr. Dixon received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Montana State University before completing his medical degree at Michigan State University and family medicine residency at the former Marquette General Health System.
Following his residency, Dr. Dixon completed a fellowship in sports medicine at the South Bend Notre Dame Sports Medicine Fellowship. Dr. Dixon also serves as a clinical associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at MSU and is the team physician for Northern Michigan University.
In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and being outdoors.
Traci Johnson
Director
Traci Johnson of Foster City joined the Superior Health Foundation Board of Directors in 2022 and serves as the Dickinson County representative.
A prevention services supervisor with Great Lakes Recovery Centers in Iron Mountain, Johnson oversees prevention services in seven counties and provides substance use disorder prevention services. In her role, she counsels individuals, groups, families, or communities regarding issues including mental health, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, physical abuse, rehabilitation, social adjustment, childcare, and medical care.
Johnson holds several certifications, including prevention specialist and crisis intervention stress management. In addition, she is a mental health first aid, American Red Cross, and human traffic presenter instructor. Johnson has a strong background in grant writing and state prevention programming.
An active community member, Johnson is a member of the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Victim Service Unit and the Southern Upper Peninsula Crisis Response Team. She has volunteered for a local ambulance service for more than 25 years.
Johnson and her husband, Kevin, have two grown children and two grandchildren. Away from work, she enjoys sightseeing, reading about old local history, oil painting, crafting, fishing, camping, and spending time with her family.
Meghan Lane
Director
MeghanMeghan Lane of Wakefield represents Gogebic County and the western Upper Peninsula on the Board of Directors.
As the Director of Early Childhood Education for the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District, the Director of Early Childhood Education for the Great Start Collaborative, and an Early Childhood Specialist for the same district, Lane oversees all early childhood programs in Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties. This includes a childcare center and four Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) sites, as well as managing parent liaisons and the Great Start Collaborative for both counties, all with the goal of ensuring that every child is born healthy and is developmentally on track from birth to age eight. In addition, Lane serves as the cheerleading advisor for the Wakefield-Marenisco School District.
A native of Wakefield, Lane earned a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies: Administration, Management, and Leadership from Walden University in 2020. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Media Production and New Technology from Northern Michigan University.
Outside of work, Lane enjoys snowshoeing, attending country music concerts, spending time with her family, going to the beach, and traveling.
Dr. Scott Pynnonen
Director
Scott Pynnonen, M.D., joined the Superior Health Foundation Board of Directors on July 1, 2022.
A native of Negaunee, Dr. Pynnonen practiced family medicine at Baraga County Memorial Hospital in L’Anse for 17 years. Prior to that, he founded Bayview Family Practice and worked there for 19 years. He retired from his role as a family practice physician in May 2021, concluding a 36-year career at Baraga County Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Pynnonen earned a bachelor’s degree from Northern Michigan University and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1982. He completed a three-year residency in the Marquette Family Practice Residency Program, serving as chief resident from July 1984 to June 1985.
Dr. Pynnonen is affiliated with several professional organizations, including the American Board of Family Medicine, the American Medical Association, and the Michigan State Medical Society. He served as the Medical Director for Baraga County Home Health for 25 years. Throughout his medical career, Dr. Pynnonen received numerous accolades, including recognition as the Outstanding Outpatient Educator and being named the Upper Peninsula Physician of the Year by the Upper Peninsula Pharmaceutical Travelers Association.
Dr. Pynnonen and his wife, Deanne, have been married for 41 years and have two adult children and two beautiful grandchildren. In his spare time, he is actively involved in the Gwinn Lions Club and enjoys fishing, hunting, boating, kayaking, tent camping, riding side-by-sides, and supporting the Michigan Wolverines.
Carrissa Rondeau
Director
Carrissa Rondeau, LMSW, BCBA/ LBA, and Founder/CEO of Functional Behavior Services in Marquette.
Rondeau, a board-certified behavior analyst, and a licensed master’s clinical social worker has spent much of her career providing support for people with autism, developmental disabilities, and social-emotional impairments.
She founded Functional Behavioral Services, LLC, in July 2015 and serves as its CEO. Functional Behavioral Services, LLC contracts with agencies across the U.P. that need specialized behavior analysis services and provides behavior analytic and mental health therapy services to individuals and families.
Previously, she worked as a mental health aide, paraprofessional, behavior analyst, and specialist for Pathways Community Mental Health in Marquette.
Rondeau holds a bachelor’s of social science/sociology from Northern Michigan University and a master’s of social work from Michigan State University.
Away from work, Rondeau enjoys craft projects and spending time outside with her husband and three young children.
Scott Sampeer
Director
Scott Sampeer is a certified financial planner for Northwestern Mutual in Marquette. Sampeer, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, has worked for Northwestern Mutual for 17 years, including the last seven out of the Marquette office.
As a certified financial planner, Sampeer conducts financial assessments for clients to created tailored financial plans. He also provides guidance on retirement planning to enable his clients to achieve their retirement goals.
A Michigan native, Samper received his bachelor’s degree in management and a minor in economics at the University of Tennessee. He earned licenses for Chartered Life Underwriter CLU®, Chartered Financial Consultant ChFC®, and Financial Planning and Services from the American College of Financial Services.
Away from work, Scott enjoys trail running, camping, golfing, traveling, backpacking, pickleball, and spending time with friends and family. He and his wife, Mary, reside in Marquette.
Angela Victorson
Director
Angela Victorson is a home mortgage consultant with LoanDepot and has over 30 years of experience in the financial industry.
She actively participates in her community, holding various roles with organizations such as the Girl Scouts, 4-H Club, and the Heart of the North Lions Club.
In her spare time, Victorson enjoys traveling, motorcycling, and camping. She is a Bark River resident with her husband, Steve. They are proud parents of three grown children—Shannon, Kyle, and Sydney—and have two grandchildren, Ava and Gionni.