Ray Williams

Chief Executive Officer

As CEO, Ray reports directly to Springfield Clinic’s Board of Directors. He is accountable for Springfield Clinic’s primary goals of creating a differential patient experience and building a high reliability organization for physicians and employees.

My Leadership Why: “Aggressive self-rescue and strategic speed”

Ray often shares the account of a pre-trip briefing from a family white water rafting excursion, where the guide explained if someone fell out of the raft, they should not expect him to jump in and save them. Instead, they should practice “aggressive self-rescue” to get to a safe place on their own. This principle of personal responsibility and quick decision-making has shaped Ray’s leadership approach throughout his career.

“You can’t expect that someone is going to come in and save you. You have to be able to save yourself. And, along with that, you always have to make your decisions based on doing the right thing, even when the right thing isn’t easy.”

Ray pairs “aggressive self-rescue” with the principle of “strategic speed.” In a large and often slow-to-shift health care industry, Ray encourages his team to be agile, reducing the “time to value” proposition. This allows his team to take advantage of opportunities quickly when they present themselves.

These principles are often on display, most notably perhaps during COVID-19. When many other health care organizations paused care, Springfield Clinic never closed its doors, as Ray led efforts to design safe pathways for employees and patients to continue to receive treatment.

Vital Stats:

• Has spent 40 years in health care leadership, beginning in finance, a career that has taken him from Virginia to Seattle, then San Francisco before settling in Springfield, Illinois.

• Ray married his wife, Faith, in 1979. Together they have two children and five grandchildren.

• A native of Norfolk, Virginia, attended Old Dominion University where he graduated with a Masters of Business Administration degree. 

• An avid sportsman and enjoys hunting and fishing.

Jen Boyer, RN, MBA

Senior Vice President, Operations

Jennifer “Jen” Boyer oversees all specialty care across all locations as well as the Ambulatory Surgery service line.

My Leadership Why: “Be the best you every day. Find your passion and calling and live by the golden rule. Have perseverance, resilience and courage—and stay true to yourself. And we’re all in this together. When we focus on each other, everything else falls into place.”

Jen found her love for patients and health care during grade school when she volunteered at a local hospital. This passion has continued to grow with each step of her career, from nursing school to today. Here, she lives and breathes the “we are our own community, charged with caring for the community” mantra every day. By being spread out across the region, Springfield Clinic encompasses many separate, distinct communities all striving toward the same goal of providing patients with exceptional care.

“It’s the team’s commitment to both their patients and each other that inspires me. The team at Springfield Clinic strives to adapt and be nimble as health care evolves. These quick pivots enable us to provide patients with the best care possible.”

Jen considers herself to be a participative and decisive leader, always encouraging her team to voice their opinions so they can come to the best decision together. Driven by the unknown of each day but guided by her health care calling, Jen’s focus will always be helping the patient navigate the health care system—removing barriers so they get the care they need—and helping physicians feel empowered to give the best care possible.

Vital Stats:

• Has 27 years in health care: 15 years of nursing in critical care and emergency medicine as well as four in the public health arena; has spent 20 years serving in health care leadership.

• Earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Jewish Hospital College of Nursing and Allied Health and a Master of Business Administration/Health Care Administration from Benedictine University in Springfield. Professional affiliations include the American Medical Group Association (AMGA), Group Practice Improvement Network (GPIN), American College of Healthcare Executives, American Organization of Nurse Executives, American Association of Orthopedic Executives and Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing.

• Active in the agriculture world, raising and showing livestock with husband Mason and three sons as a family business.

• Southern Illinois native, avid high school football mom and loves spending time at her parents’ lake with family.

Rolando Cabral

Chief Information & Transformation Officer

In his role, Rolando oversees the adoption and implementation of digital technologies across Springfield Clinic and the transformation of business strategy using technology and data, focusing on how people, processes and technology can enable the best patient care.

My Leadership Why: “The best thing you can do for yourself is to do something for others.”

Rolando is a veteran clinician and experienced technologist, developing cutting-edge, customized solutions for health care organizations to serve their patients better. His goal is to make the most use of technology without disrupting existing clinical practices or introducing unnecessary complexity to his fellow clinicians. He designs functionalities and processes for clinicians as a clinician, because he knows that happy clinicians provide the best patient care.

“I started in nursing because I always knew I wanted to help other people. Then, I moved into the IT world because I wanted to help other clinicians with technology. Everything we do in the IT Department serves our providers and clinical offices, so that they can best serve patients.”

Believing that technology should accurately support the needs of its users and not the other way around, Rolando is a firm proponent of user-centered design thinking, the power of data, process improvement and customer satisfaction.

Vital Stats:

• Received a master’s degree in health informatics from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minn., and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the Universidad de Sta. Isabel in Naga, Philippines.

• Received certification in health care information and management systems (CPHIMS) in 2019.

• Lives in Springfield with his wife Myrna, four children, Shaina, Shaira, John and Gabriel, dog Bruno and cat Sushi.

• In his free time, restores vintage audio equipment, cooks and bikes.

Michelle Clatfelter

Chief Legal Officer

Michelle Clatfelter oversees contract review and management, claims management and compliance support.

My Leadership Why: “If you put the patient at the center of the decision-making, the rest will fall into place.”

Growing up in a predominantly clinical family, Michelle gained insight early in her life regarding the many complex and often evolving challenges providers are forced to navigate day to day. This led her to pursue a legal career with a focus in health care law; her goal, to provide meaningful support to those ultimately responsible for rendering care at the bedside (or chairside).

“What motivates me is this greater objective of enabling our caregivers to do what they do best, by eliminating unnecessary distractions so that they can focus on the patient. We all have a role to play in optimizing the patient experience, no matter how many steps removed from the bedside. I take pride in the work that we do to support that effort, and I enjoy working alongside team members who share that philosophy.”

Vital Stats:

• Has 15 years of health care law experience, ten of which have been spent serving health care organizations “in house,” including at the executive level.

• Received her juris doctorate and certificate in health law from Saint Louis University School of Law, Center for Health Law Studies.

• While in law school, was lead editor on the Journal of Health Law & Policy and a teaching assistant.

• Born and raised in Peoria and lives in Sherman with husband Trevor and three children, Harrison, Adeline and Theodore.

• Has served on the Board of Directors for Sparc and actively participates in the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys, American Health Lawyers Association and St. John’s Society for Service and Leadership.

  Enjoys attending her children’s activities and sporting events, listening to live music and being outdoors, especially snow skiing, swimming, hiking, biking and tennis.

Tom Fitch

Vice President, Facilities, Real Estate and Construction

Tom Fitch, S.E., leads a team that oversees the day-to-day operations of facilities and supporting growth through the development of new real estate and construction projects.

My Leadership Why: “If we’re not failing, that means we’re not doing anything.”

In his role, Tom leads his team in providing direction and guidance throughout projects and fostering an environment that both empowers and nurtures creative solutions by holding to the mentality that each project is an opportunity for innovation—the foundation of which being the collaboration between a multidisciplinary team.

“What has been most gratifying to me has been to see the tremendous amount of growth my team has gone through, both in the style of their work, and the confidence in their leadership.”

Vital Stats:

• Earned a Master of Science in structural engineering and Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

• Licensed structural engineer with eight years of practical engineering experience designing buildings and bridges.

• 15 years of previous facilities executive leadership experience for a large commercial construction company and 14 years of small business ownership co-owning a local daycare center.

• Has sat on several Boards, including the YMCA, Heartland Credit Union, 2014 Board of the Chair to the Greater Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Springfield Business Education Partnership, Springfield Quantum Growth Partnership and is currently a national advisory board member of Ready Nation, Council for a Strong America, an advocacy group focused on just, equitable and quality early childhood education.

• Received the 2015 McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership Corporate Champion for Change Award.

• Born and raised in Springfield, Ill.; Tom and his wife Trish have six children.

• In his free time, enjoys long bike rides or runs, relaxing with a good book, spending time with his family attending concerts, catching a Cubs game or cooking up a family dinner at home.

Chase Hammon

Chief Financial Officer
Chase Hammon oversees the Accounting, Finance, Payer Strategy & Contracting, Physician Compensation and Supply Chain teams.

My Leadership Why: “The people on our teams are more valuable than the work they produce, and we should treat them that way.”

Chase strongly believes that only a well-cared for and empowered team can take care of patients well. That’s why he considers leadership of the financial division of Springfield Clinic to be less about the numbers and more about his people.

“I value treating my leaders and their employees with respect. If you’re on the team, we’ll push and challenge you and encourage you to do the same to us. But above all else, you will be treated with dignity and respect.”

Chase admires genuine humility, willingness to listen and the ability to be wrong and change directions in others. He strives to work in the same way with his own team. Only in that way, he believes, will he achieve his ultimate goal for his division: that his team sets the industry standard, to be the group that other teams look at and want to emulate for work ethic, teamwork and exceptional customer service.

Vital Stats:

• Chase brings 16 years of financial operations management experience to our administrative team, the past ten spent in health care.

• Served in the United States Army for nine years.

• Son of an Army veteran, Chase has called many states “home,” and has moved most recently from Virginia.

• Received a Master of Business Administration in Health Care Management from the University of Texas at Dallas and is a certified medical practice executive (CMPE) through the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). Received his bachelor’s in finance from George Mason University.

• Family includes wife Elizabeth and seven children.

• Enjoys playing golf and basketball, but spends most of his free time going to his children’s activities.

Sunny Hampsey

Vice President, Nursing

Sunny Hampsey oversees Nursing Regulatory Compliance, Quality Incentive Programs, Quality Management, Rural Health and Telenurse.

My Leadership Why: “Making a difference through service, growth through embracing the grey.”

If there is one thing Sunny has learned while leading the Quality Management Department is that, while growth can at times be uncomfortable, pushing boundaries, thinking outside of the box and pivoting are the best—and sometimes the only—way to make lasting improvements to how things are done. The COVID-19 pandemic, during which Sunny managed all aspects of employee health in addition to setting best practices for safely operating facilities, is a perfect example of that to her.

“Leadership is about inspiring the team to not only work together to meet the common goal of the department or organization, but also inspiring them to push themselves past boundaries they might think they have and encouraging them to grow.”

Sunny is inspired by her team’s willingness to jump in and tackle projects that better serve patients and enhance service delivery for employees and providers every day. Her goal is to continuously build a data-driven quality improvement program that supports the organization through sound recommendations based on the present, even if it’s not always been done that way.

Vital Stats:

• With 15 years of nursing experience, Sunny joined Springfield Clinic in 2012 as the Oncology Nurse Navigator for the Cancer Center. She became Director of Quality Management in 2017 and Senior Director of Quality Management in 2020.

• Received her Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Business Administration from Benedictine University.

• Originally from southern Illinois, Sunny and her spouse have one son and two “four-legged children”, Gus the Golden Retriever and Maddie the Lab.

• Loves being outdoors—walking in Washington Park, hiking or Jeeping—as well as all things music.

Samantha Johannsen

Vice President, Operations

Samantha “Sam” Johannsen oversees our Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Urgent Care Departments.

My Leadership Why: “It’s through our connections with each other and working together that we can achieve our biggest goals.”

Sam has served as a health care leader since the early 2000s with experience in primary care, specialty care and ancillary services. When she joined Springfield Clinic as an operations manager, it was the support from her peers and mentors that made Springfield Clinic feel like home. Having seen the way teams from across the organization come together to find solutions to problems and enact big change over the years, Sam is eager to lead the charge for primary care.

“What motivates me each day is working with the physicians and our teams to accomplish our goals and see ideas become realities. There is never a lack of support or feeling like you’re out on your own here. Everyone here at Springfield Clinic bands together when there’s a need, to serve our patients and take care of our employees. That’s really inspiring and motivating.”

Sam’s areas of focus include growing and developing the primary care teams and connecting providers across the Clinic so they have a streamlined way to share ideas to build the best possible primary care practices for patients.  With a passion for data and the stories it can tell, Sam is also looking at operations process improvement, so that patients have a consistently exceptional experience, whether they’re walking into Urgent Care, visiting the office for their annual check-up or seeking help for an illness or injury.

Vital Stats:

• Received her master’s degree in business and health care administration from the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, Ind., and her bachelor’s degree in business from Arizona State University in Phoenix, Ariz.

• Previous experience includes operational oversight for independent private practices in the highly competitive Phoenix health care market and human resources, particularly recruitment, talent sourcing and employee onboarding.

• Originally from central Illinois, enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, traveling and attending live performances at local theaters. You can find her often traveling to and attending her children’s sporting events and activities.

Zach Kerker

Vice President, Brand, Experience and Advocacy

Zach Kerker leads the development and reputation of the Springfield Clinic brand, efforts to improve the patient experience and community and legislative advocacy efforts.

My Leadership Why: “Death to it’s always been done this way.”

Zach has spent much of his career riding a wave of market disruption. After starting in broadcast television, Zach left to create Channel1450.com, a digital platform for local sports content that would change the way fans in central Illinois would consume sports media. In 2018 he joined Springfield Clinic, despite having no experience in health care, with a mission to modernize patient communication and the patient experience.

“Springfield Clinic was looking for someone who didn’t bring a traditional health care mindset to the team, and I thought it was a tremendous opportunity. Health care has been one of the last industries to adopt a modern consumer approach for the patient. It’s frustrated me personally as a patient, and I saw a chance to have a positive impact on that for our community. I’m comfortable in the often uncomfortable space of change, and that’s been a necessary mindset for what we’ve set out to do at Springfield Clinic.”

Vital Stats:

• Grew up in Mendon, Illinois and now lives in Chatham with his wife, Lori and their two daughters, Harper and Dagny.

• Graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2006 with a degree in Mass Communications.

• Winner of 2018 Illinois Capital Innovation Awards “Innovator of the Year.”

• Fan of Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Cardinals.

Benjamin McLain

Vice-President, Operations

Benjamin McLain leads Springfield Clinic’s hospital-based and ancillary services programs which include the areas of Hospital Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Laborist Medicine, Radiation Oncology, Radiological Medicine, Laboratory, Radiology, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy.

My Leadership Why: “See a need; fill a need.”

Benjamin considers his leadership style to be founded on building up and nurturing other emerging leaders. He believes being a good mentor makes him a better leader himself because, together, he and his leadership team can actively engage in driving the direction of their departments, instead of him solely dictating the direction.

Opportunities to build a bigger and better hospital program in the area abound, and Benjamin works every day to create and execute that strategic vision with his team. He sees the tremendous need in the region for expanded hospital services and believes wholeheartedly his job is to both help fill that need and meet the expectations and needs of those hospital teams.

“When we partner with our local hospital administrators to help meet their needs, and they’re satisfied with what we implement to make the quality of life for their patients better, that’s my favorite part of a day.”

Vital Stats:

• 25 years of experience in the health care field focused on operational leadership, including small critical access hospitals and large health systems, providing oversight to multi-hospital service line leadership.

• Native of upstate New York; now lives in Chatham, Ill., with his wife, Dawn and three sons, Tristan, Aiden and Landon.

• Received a bachelor’s degree in biology and athletic training and a Master of Business Administration from Olivet Nazarene University.

• Enjoys spending time with family, playing competitive sports, camping, participating in Boy Scouts of America and teaching Financial Peace University.

Katie Rutledge

Chief Human Resources Officer

Katie Rutledge, SPHR, oversees all areas of Human Resources, including Benefits, Compensation, Employee Relations, Training & Organizational Development and Talent Acquisition.

My Leadership Why: “Making Springfield Clinic a great place to work; empowering our workforce to provide an exceptional patient experience.”

Katie considers one of her top priorities to be championing her team to be as successful as possible in their roles. This is what Human Resources is all about, she believes: supporting the rest of the organization to carry out Springfield Clinic’s mission every day, because a positive environment for employees helps them create a community of caring for patients. This vision is simple, but the work is not always, and that’s what makes each day exciting.

“What motivates me is always being able to move things forward. If we sat stagnant, I’d go crazy. Health care is always evolving; there’s always an ongoing challenge in the industry. That means there’s always something out there that we can move toward and improve upon—and that’s where I thrive.”

Vital Stats:

• 17 years in human resources leadership that includes all areas of HR, including leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies in the Chicago area.

• Earned a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication and a Master of Human Resources & Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

• Sits on the Board and Executive Committee for Sparc.

• Maintains certification as a senior professional of human resources (SPHR) and is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).

• Born and raised in Springfield and has three children, Ryan, Jake and Emily.

• Favorite hobby/other full-time job is being a mom and jumping from one kid activity to the next.

Kenneth R. Sagins, MD, FAAP

Chief Medical Officer

Kenneth Sagins, MD, FAAP, is Chief Medical Officer, ensuring the quality of care for all departments and locations. He is also the clinical liaison for other medical entities, develops strategic clinical needs with the Board and CEO and supports care coordination to deliver positive patient outcomes along with the four physicians that serve as medical directors.

My Leadership Why: “Whether in the exam room or the Board room, it’s never one person who achieves goals; it’s always a team approach.”

Dr. Sagins is uniquely situated to walk in both of Springfield Clinic’s “worlds”: the clinical and the business. But what he values most about his two jobs and the people he works with is how, as he puts it, everyone pulls on the same rope to get the patient what they need. Not only does he feel that he can call on any of his physician colleagues to help take care of his patients directly, Dr. Sagins watches how decisions all the way up to the admin level are made to the end of excellent patient care.

“You’ve got to be on your toes here. I work with some really dedicated, sharp people, and you can’t ever slack, honestly.”

To Dr. Sagins, the most important aspect of his role leading the Clinical Research and Quality Management teams is remaining a full-time clinician. That way, he retains the perspective of his physician colleagues and understands their challenges and needs. He also relishes the opportunity to continue learning every day, whether about a new therapy for a patient’s diagnosis or about what goes into the business side of running a medical organization.

Vital Stats:

• Joined Springfield Clinic as an associate physician in 1997 and served as chairman of the board and a medical director before taking the chief medical officer role.

• Completed his residency in internal medicine/pediatrics as well as medical degree at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

• Born in Detroit, Michigan, and now lives in Springfield with his wife Anne and three children.

• In his free time between being a full-time clinician and executive, he plays ice hockey and the guitar.

Sheila Streb

Vice President, Revenue Cycle and Internal Audit

Sheila Streb leads Springfield Clinic’s end-to-end revenue cycle performance and the overall preparation and execution of a risk-based internal audit plan.

My Leadership Why: “Transforming health care impacts and improves all patient experiences, including my family’s.”

Motivated by the prospect of a new challenge around every corner and getting to be a part of the next big thing, Sheila leads Clinic-wide coordination and transformation of the revenue cycle, introducing improvements at all levels of the organization, in order to achieve performance excellence, drive down costs and achieve financial goals.

“I’m committed to a seamless financial experience for our patients. That requires continued assessment and optimization at both the strategic and operation levels in order to achieve performance excellence. ‘The only ceiling created is the one I create,’ is what I tell my team. It’s exciting to be a part of that kind of transformation, to be a part of ensuring the success of Springfield Clinic for generations to come.”

Sheila’s guiding focus is her roots in the community. While not originally from Springfield, she has raised her family, who have had Springfield Clinic doctors their whole lives, here. It’s how she can see the direct impact her team’s work has on patients’ health care journeys, and she uses it to help drive toward that exceptional patient experience every day.

Vital Stats:

• Began her career in public accounting with a local firm focusing on compliance and financial auditing and tax preparation.

• Sheila joined Springfield Clinic more than 20 years ago; in that time, she built the Internal Audit program from the ground up, developed the contracts management function and led the successful transition of the billing system and optimization of related processes.

• Attended Eastern Illinois University and University of Illinois – Springfield and received her degree in business/accounting.

• Grew up in Gillespie, Ill., and now lives in Springfield with her husband Eric. Together they have three children, Logan, Kasten and Lizzy.

• Enjoys spending time at the lake, boating and water sports.

Cal Thomas

Chief Development Officer

Cal Thomas leads Springfield Clinic’s strategic planning in the areas of Market Intelligence, Regional Strategy & Planning, Provider Recruitment & Integration, Medical Staff Services and Brand, Experience & Advocacy.

My Leadership Why: “Seeing the collective effort of the team coming together to secure opportunities and tackle challenges, celebrating those wins together and jumping right back in to figure out what can be improved upon next time.”

Cal’s focus is creating an exceptional provider and patient experience through business development. His team touches all aspects of those experiences, including the onboarding and credentialing of new providers, the careful analysis of markets and their areas of need, making providers and patients alike aware of the services available and collecting and responding to patients’ experiences after they leave the office.

Cal’s background as a multi-sport athlete is what taught him early-on that teamwork achieves success and makes the hard work more enjoyable:

“By leveraging valuable perspectives from all areas—peers, providers and patients—only then can we discover, develop and deliver a truly differential experience. When people put aside their own interests and come together to work together, that’s when the magic happens.”

Vital Stats:

• 20 years in the health care field for both for-profit and not-for-profit sectors.

• Oversaw program development, operations and mergers for a multispecialty federally qualified health center in the St. Louis and Metro East areas.

• Program development, marketing and operational initiatives in the Phoenix, Aspen and Chicago markets gave him various cultural and regional perspectives that lend themselves well to working with the health care diversity of the Midwest.

• Born in Rochester, Ill.; lives in Sherman with his wife, Carly, two children, Carson and Callie, and their lab, Cocoa.

• Attended Indiana University and Southern Illinois University and received degrees in business administration and marketing.

• Collegiate First Team All-American in soccer and played professionally.

• Enjoys spending time with family, exercising, coaching, hunting and fishing.

Stanley Allen, MD, FAAP

Medical Director, Greater Peoria Area

Dr. Stanley Allen is Medical Director for the greater Peoria area, working with Springfield Clinic’s physicians in many of our satellite areas, primarily Peoria, Macomb, Bloomington and Taylorville.

My Leadership Why: “Ensuring access to quality care for all the communities of central Illinois.”

As an Urgent Care physician with a background in primary care private practice, Dr. Stanley Allen enjoys making connections with people, both his patients and his colleagues. Having grown up in a rural community and completed his medical school and residency in central Illinois, Dr. Allen’s focus is physician stewardship in Springfield Clinic’s satellites, working with physicians outside of Springfield to grow and develop in their medical practice and careers with Springfield Clinic.

“My whole family lives around here, and my intent was always to provide care to the local community. Our communities outside of Springfield, especially, are close to my heart because of this, and I’m looking forward to connecting with the physicians in these areas.”

Vital Stats:

• Has been department chair for Urgent Care for six non-consecutive years and a member of the Finance Committee; sits on the Quality Management Committee now.

• Received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago, Ill., and completed his internal medicine/pediatrics residency at Southern Illinois School of Medicine.

• Is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and maintains membership with the Sangamon County Medical Society.

• Grew up in Ashland, Ill., and lives in Sherman with his wife, two children and Hazel the dog.

• Enjoys traveling, cooking, attending his children’s sporting events and spending time with his extended family, which includes five siblings and 17 nieces and nephews.

Lynne Barkmeier, MD, FACS

Medical Director, Associate Advancement

Dr. Lynne Barkmeier is Medical Director of Associate Advancement, working with Springfield Clinic’s physicians and with residents and students as they look to join Springfield Clinic.

My Leadership Why: “Working to make small changes that effect big impacts in patient care.”

A full-time vascular surgeon, Dr. Lynne Barkmeier sees her role as medical director as complimentary to being a doctor, as helping other physicians develop is also caring for a broader range of patients than just her own. Dr. Barkmeier helps Springfield Clinic colleagues, as well as residents and students looking to join Springfield Clinic down the road, get accommodated with the Springfield Clinic environment and team, as well as answers questions, concerns and issues.

“We’re a community, and everyone is here to help new physicians be successful. We want them to be find their place at Springfield Clinic and be happy at their jobs so they can then turn around and create a community of caring for their teams and their patients.”

Vital Stats:

• Has been medical director for nearly 20 years and sits on the QM Committee; has been a past member of the Building & Operations and Finance Committees.

• Received her medical degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., and completed her general surgery residency at Creighton University and vascular surgery fellowship at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

• Is a fellow with the American College of Surgeons and a member of the Sangamon County Medical Society and Illinois State Medical Society.

• Has lived in Springfield since 1989 with her husband, who is a financial planner, two children and, now, one grandchild.

• Has loved water skiing and is a stand-up paddle boarding enthusiast; loves to cook, knit and crochet in her free time.

Joseph Conlon, MD

Medical Director, Physician Stewardship

Dr. Joseph Conlon is Medical Director of Physician Stewardship, working with Springfield Clinic’s physicians to grow and develop throughout their career.

My Leadership Why: “Setting physicians up for success at Springfield Clinic by helping them provide the highest quality patient care possible.”

Dr. Conlon’s role as a medical director is rooted in the belief of doing the right thing and that happy people make the best doctors. A full-time practicing pediatric dermatologist himself, he knows it’s hard to be on your game and have your best day every day as a physician. He works one-on-one with Springfield Clinic physicians as needed to help them develop in their lives and career; to be and do their best.

“I want every physician to know I’m approachable, I’m here to help, and I want them to succeed in both life and at Springfield Clinic. All of us, we’re a team. Using all of our strengths and resources together as doctors, that helps us build and grow stronger, which allows us to better provide for our patients and our community.”

Vital Stats:

• Has been a medical director for a decade and sits on the Quality Management and Building, Operations and Marketing Committees.

• Received his medical degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine; completed his pediatric residency and pediatric dermatology fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and his dermatology residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

• Active member of the Society of Pediatric Dermatology

• Clinical assistant professor at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

• Born and raised in the area; now lives in Springfield with his wife and four children.

• Enjoys spending time with friends and family, especially outdoors, and trying new foods and craft beers.

Board Chairman

William Putman, MD

Center for Women's Health

Dr. Putman joined Springfield Clinic in 1989 and has served two six-year terms on the Board of Directors and twice as chairman. He is a board member at Memorial Health System as well, giving him a wealth of experience to draw on.  

“My interest in leadership at Springfield clinic stems from the fact that I can positively impact the care of many more patients than just those in my own practice. Working with the board, committees, and our administrative team, my hope is we further elevate the level of care delivered to all patients at Springfield Clinic.  

In addition, having seen over 30 years the less-than-optimal ways the practice of medicine has evolved with hospital ownership, corporate and even private equity ownership, I believe more strongly than ever that physicians should be the ones directing how medicine is practiced. Our physician-owned model, partnered with a strong administrative team, is ideal. It provides us the opportunity to continue to develop an organization that provides a great environment for physicians and employees to work with the proper focus on our patients. With that, we are well positioned to be the regional leader in health care for the foreseeable future.” 

Learn more about Dr. Putman as a physician

Board Member

Ramanath Bhandari, MD

Ophthalmology

Dr. Bhandari joined Springfield Clinic in 2013 and is serving his second Board term. He sits on the Research Committee and is chair of the Ancillary Committee, with special interest in building out laboratory, radiology and rehabilitation services. 

"Leadership at Springfield Clinic allows physicians to be vested in the group as a whole and helps keep the focus on providing excellent patient care. It is one of the unique things that drew me to Springfield Clinic and the physician-owned model.  

I joined the Board in order to be a part of the conversation and the decisions that ran our organization, and, after five years, I have a much greater understanding of the breadth of services we offer as well as how diverse and exceptional our providers are. Springfield Clinic has a great culture for a physician who is interested in being vested in a practice and having a say about the delivery of patient care in their community.” 

Learn more about Dr. Bhandari as a physician

Board Member
Leslie A. Dignan-Moore, MD

Center for Women's Health

Dr. Dignan-Moore joined Springfield Clinic in 2009 and is serving her first term on the Board of Directors. She is the chair of the Obstetrics & Gynecology Department as well as the current chair of the Quality Management Committee, and she is volunteer teaching faculty at SIU School of Medicine. 

“I think the best part of Springfield Clinic is the intangible magic of physician ownership and participation and the resilience and energy of our staff. The level of physician quality we are able to attract to care for patients in central Illinois is amazing. Springfield Clinic makes it easy to do what doctors do best, which is show up and take care of the patients. There are other physician-run multispecialty clinics across the country, but what sets us apart is the consistent compassionate care we are able to provide our patients.  

I truly feel it is vital to have physician participation outside of the clinic setting. That’s why I’m eager to support both my partners by being their voice on the Board as well as our employees by being a physician-leader.” 

Learn more about Dr. Dignan-Moore as a physician

Board Member
James Fullerton, MD

General Surgery

Dr. Fullerton joined Springfield Clinic in 2004. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors, he sits on the Executive Committee and co-chairs the Ambulatory Surgery Committee. He is the Department Chair for the General Surgery Department and co-Department Chair for Springfield Clinic Jacksonville. 

Learn more about Dr. Fullerton as a physician

Board Member
Bryan Kellenberger, MD

Family Medicine

Dr. Kellenberger joined Springfield Clinic in 2015.  

"I came to Springfield Clinic after languishing for years in a small rural Family Medicine clinic near Peoria. Springfield Clinic immediately impressed me with its professionalism, strategic mindset and ability to respond to changing market conditions. I firmly believe that each of us is very lucky to be here.  

As our world emerges from the pandemic, it is becoming increasingly clear that Springfield Clinic is now the medical center of gravity in the Springfield market. My goal on the Board of Directors is to help lead this organization as we navigate the next challenges. I'm proud to be a part of this company and am genuinely excited as we look forward into our next chapters.” 

Learn more about Dr. Kellenberger as a physician

Board Member
Rajan Kochar, MD, MPH

Gastroenterology

Dr. Kochar joined Springfield Clinic in 2013. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors, he sits on the Executive Committee and co-chairs the Ambulatory Surgery Committee and the Benefits & Payer Relations Committee.

Learn more about Dr. Kochar as a physician

Board Member
Paul Pacheco, MD, FACS, FASCRS

Colon and Rectal Surgery

Dr. Pacheco joined Springfield Clinic in 2012 as a colorectal surgeon and is currently serving on the Board of Directors. He is the chairman of the Department of General Surgery at HSHS St. John's Hospital and serves as the chairman of the IT Committee at Springfield Clinic. He also serves as the chairman of the IT Committee at Springfield Clinic. He is on the teaching faculty at SIU School of Medicine and works with the general surgery and colorectal surgery residents.  

“The opportunity to be involved in the decisions of patient care and how I practice medicine is what attracted me to Springfield Clinic. Having exceptional colleagues and patients makes practicing medicine here worthwhile. During my time at Springfield Clinic and on the Board, my goals are to continue to recruit the most clinically sound and well-rounded physicians possible and to make sure we never lose our central focus on providing the best patient care.”  

Learn more about Dr. Pacheco as a physician

Board Member

Murty Renduchintala, MD

Hospital Medicine

Dr. Renduchintala joined Springfield Clinic in 2007. He has served on the Board of Directors for three terms and co-chaired Springfield Clinic’s Hospital Medicine Department for nine years. He is also an active member of the IT Committee and is currently co-chairing the Benefits & Payer Relations Committee. He has served as a member of the Medical Executive Committee at Springfield Memorial Hospital for two terms and is starting his first term as President-elect in January 2023. 

“I am committed to bringing the perspective of the hospital to the Board of Directors and creating relationships that bridge Springfield Clinic and our regional hospital partners. It’s important to me that we work together in order to provide the best possible care to the patients we serve. 

I truly believe the best part of Springfield Clinic is its partnership of physicians. This is a wonderful group of doctors to work with and a wonderful community to serve, and I am proud to be a part of our organization’s leadership to be able to ensure that service is exceptional.” 

Learn more about Dr. Renduchintala as a physician

Board Member

Leslie Acakpo-Satchivi, MD, PhD, FAANS 

Dr. Satchivi joined Springfield Clinic in 2011. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors, he co-chairs the Finance Committee and is the Department Chair for the Neurological Surgery Department. 

Learn more about Dr. Satchivi as a physician

Board Member

Preet Paul Singh, MD 

Dr. Singh joined Springfield Clinic in 2016. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors, he chairs the Ancillary Committee and sits on the Research Committee. 

Learn more about Dr. Singh as a physician

Board Member

Steven Tsoraides, MD, FACS, FASCRS

Colon and Rectal Surgery
Dr. Tsoraides joined Springfield Clinic in 2020 and has been on the Board of Directors since. His other leadership positions include chair for the Surgery Department at Springfield Clinic Peoria, president of the Illinois chapter of the American College of Surgeons and chief of colorectal surgery in the Department of Surgery for the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP). He is a clinical associate professor of surgery with UICOMP and a member of the accreditation committee for the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) with the American College of Surgeons’ commission on cancer. 

“The thing that really makes Springfield Clinic special is the focus on physicians and patients. Our goal is to provide and support an environment where physicians can perform their best and provide care for patients in our communities. Health care has evolved over the last decades, and too much has come between physicians and their patients. Doctors are best suited to understand the needs of their patients, and physicians taking on key leadership roles ensures that patients and doctors will always be the priority.  

My goal is to promote a culture where doctors are empowered to make the right leadership choices for the future of health care in Illinois that protects quality care for patients and our ability to recruit and retain the top doctors that our communities deserve.”  

Learn more about Dr. Tsoraides as a physician

Board Member
Brett Wolters, MD

Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine

Dr. Wolters joined Springfield Clinic in 2007. He is currently serving his second Board term. He was chairman of the Orthopedics Department from 2011-2016 and has taken on a second term starting in 2023. He is also chairman of the Orthopedics Department at Springfield Memorial Hospital and sits on the Clinical Competency Committee at SIU School of Medicine and the Clinical Progress Committee at Springfield Memorial Hospital. 

“Taking a leadership role at Springfield Clinic allows you to speak for the combined best interests of our patients, employees and physicians. These actions will drive improved health outcomes while allowing for a successful work-life balance for physicians.  

I’m passionate about the strategic growth of our practice so that we can maintain our independence, because I believe the value Springfield Clinic brings to patients is that their physicians are wholly in charge of making decisions about their care.”  

Learn more about Dr. Wolters as a physician

Each year, one physician is chosen from among the many well-trained and talented doctors at Springfield Clinic to receive the prestigious A. Raymond Eveloff Award for Clinical Excellence. The award was established in 1997 in honor of A. Raymond Eveloff, a local pediatrician and one of Springfield Clinic’s founding partners.

The annual award recognizes the recipient for going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the health and well-being of patients and to continually strive for excellence in the delivery of health care. Candidates for the award have also demonstrated leadership in the community, the organization and their medical specialties.

Eveloff Honoree of the Year

Amit K Gupta, MD — 2022

The A. Raymond Eveloff Award for 2022 was presented to Amit K Gupta, MD, Cancer Center. Over the past year, Dr. Gupta has provided exceptional patient care and leadership as Chairman of the Springfield Clinic Board of Directors, which has been noticed and celebrated by his peers. Springfield Clinic is overjoyed to be honoring him with this award.

Watch the video!

Past Honorees