New directors will continue the backbone organization’s work to provide the strategic guidance to align diverse stakeholders around a shared vision for regional health and prosperity across lower Michigan
The Michigan Health Improvement Alliance (MiHIA) board of directors elected a new chair, treasurer, and two new board members who will help support the organization’s work in addressing obstacles to equitable health and well-being across the region.
The new officers were elected at the annual meeting on November 12, 2025, and began their three-year terms in 2026. Sarah Kile, succeeding Marcia Mastracci Ditmyer as chair, has been on the board since 2024. Andreas Teich, chosen as treasurer, has been a director since 2021.
“Ms. Kile and Reverend Teich have been very engaged board members, and their insight has already been invaluable to our executive committee,” said MiHIA CEO Heidi Tracy. “Sarah has hit the ground running in her new role. Her deep regional connections were instrumental in securing MiHIA’s invitation to apply for the Central Michigan Regional Chronic Disease Care Collaborative.”
Hurley Coleman, III, was also appointed for a one-year term as secretary in January after former secretary, Pastor Craig Tatum, stepped down.
Kile is the director of community and partner engagement at Michigan 211 where she works to make 211 more accessible to Michigan residents. She also serves on the leadership team for the National 211 Steering Committee and represents Michigan on the National 211 Council of States. Kile is known for her ability to collaborate and bring people together, making her an obvious choice as chair of the MiHIA board. Her career has focused on public health promotion and activism, and she is a graduate of Central Michigan University.
Teich is a retired pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Bay City and serves the community in several capacities in his retirement. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Bay City and club executive of the Rotary Foundation, chair of the Pardee Cancer Treatment Fund of Bay County, board chair of the McLaren Bay Special Care Hospital, and a member of the boards of the Bay Area Community Foundation and the Pardee Foundation.
Coleman is executive director and CEO of the Saginaw County Community Action Center, a community hub that provides information, programs, and services to low-income individuals and families to help them achieve a more prosperous life. In addition to his advocacy for the Saginaw community, Coleman serves on the STARS advisory board, Saginaw Community Foundation’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and as assistant pastor of the World Outreach Campus.
The new directors – Shannon Martin and Derek Mydlarz – began their three-year terms in 2026. Martin was elected at the annual meeting on November 12, 2025, while Mydlarz was added in June of 2026.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Martin and Dr. Mydlarz to our board of directors, bringing a wealth of expertise across clinical care, preventive medicine, and global health leadership,” said Tracy. “Their deep commitment to addressing health equity and improving community outcomes will be vital in advancing our strategic initiatives and expanding our impact across Michigan.”
Martin is vice president of medical affairs for MyMichigan Medical Group and has worked for MyMichigan Health as a family medicine physician for 11 years. While attending University of Michigan to obtain her master’s in public health, she specialized in disaster preparedness and hospital and molecular epidemiology. After working in public health as a pandemic flu preparedness coordinator, she began her medical training at Michigan State University, School of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed her residency in family medicine at Henry Ford Macomb. She earned her master’s of healthcare administration from Saginaw Valley State University. Martin is passionate about creating healthy communities by focusing on disease prevention and removing barriers to care.
Mydlarz is global chief medical officer for Dow Chemical, and his leadership is grounded in advancing value-based care delivery and innovative payment models with expertise in employer-sponsored health plans and global occupational health and wellness programs. Mydlarz is board-certified in both preventive and occupational and environmental medicine, and earned his medical degree from University of Rochester School of Medicine and his master’s of public health from John Hopkins University. He served in the US Army where he directed the Army National Guard nationwide preventive and occupational medicine programs at the National Guard Bureau at the Pentagon, and later served in the Indiana Army National Guard as a combat team surgeon. Mydlarz passions lie in improving healthcare quality, equity, and outcomes.