UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office recognized 13 individuals in its third cohort of Momentum Leaders in Medicine at UAB during a graduation ceremony on May 7, 2024. Patricia Pritchett, executive vice president for Ambulatory and Administrative Services, graduate of the Momentum Executive Leadership Program, and incoming president of Momentum, provided graduation remarks.
Momentum Leaders in Medicine at UAB is a nine-month program provided in partnership with Momentum and is designed for senior women leaders at UAB. It strives to develop senior women executives through workshops and events that focus on their own unique strengths and provide opportunities for networking with other senior leaders.
We are very fortunate to have so many high-caliber executive women at UAB Medicine," said Jean Ann Larson, Ph.D., Chief Leadership Development Officer for UAB Medicine. "We want them to have this opportunity, which parallels the Momentum Executive Leadership program. Momentum only accepts one or two individuals per year, so our program allows more women to participate. In our program, they also have a unique opportunity to network with women across all of UAB Medicine.”
Learn more about the Momentum Leaders in Medicine at UAB 2024 graduates.
Lynne Class, MHA, BSN, RN, CNOR, Perioperative Services and HVC, Vice President of Clinical Operations
Lynne Class earned her Master of Science in health administration from the University of Phoenix in 2007. She is board-certified and has experience with facilities planning, new facility construction and new technology implementation in clinical settings, as well as patient throughput, clinical optimization, sterilization processes, and regulatory compliance. Her leadership experience focuses on ambulatory and inpatient settings in community and academic medical centers.
Gena Dunivan, M.D., OB/GYN, Division Director, Urogynecology; Vice Chair of Faculty Development and Mentorship
Dr. Gena Dunivan attended medical school at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at the University of California, San Diego and her fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She returned to the University of New Mexico where she worked for 12 years and held multiple leadership roles including as fellowship director in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery and Associate Dean of GME. In 2022, she joined the UAB faculty, where she is currently Professor and Director of the Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She holds the additional leadership role of Vice Chair of Faculty Development and Mentorship.
Donna Dye, MS, BN, ADN, RN-BC, Ambulatory, Senior Director of Ambulatory Services
Donna Dye is a Registered Nurse with 25 years of experience. She received her MS in Nursing and Health Systems Administration and her BSN from the UAB School of Nursing. Donna began her leadership journey at The Kirklin Clinic of UAB in 2005 and currently serves as a Senior Director of Ambulatory Services. Donna holds a certification in Ambulatory Nursing through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). She is passionate about operational efficiency and process improvement that promotes safe, quality care.
Cameron Earnhardt, JD, BA, UAB Office of Counsel, Construction Lawyer
In her role as University Counsel at UAB, Cameron Earnhardt serves as the primary construction lawyer for the UAB Medicine and UAB facilities departments. She advises internal clients on general corporate, medical research, construction, ethics, corporate governance and insurance-related transactions and issues. In addition, Cameron negotiates transactions and contracts for the UAB Enterprise. She has represented the university and its employees in negligence, medical malpractice, and breach of contract hearings before state administrative boards. She has also served as the legal representative to boards of directors for UAB Medicine and UAB affiliated entities and UAB Enterprise committees related to medical research, data privacy, information technology, conflicts of interest and entrepreneurial development.
Doreni Fleming, MSHA, BSN, RN, NE-BC, UAB Highlands Nursing Administration, Senior Director Highlands Nursing and Departmental of Interprofessional Practice & Training
Doreni Fleming obtained her Master of Science degree in health services administration from Central Michigan University. She is a board-certified nurse executive with more than 22 years of nursing leadership experience. As Senior Director of UAB Highlands Nursing, Doreni has a passion for improving health care outcomes, enhancing nursing practice, and implementing innovative strategies to optimize patient care and safety. She has honed her expertise in the specialized fields of geriatric and orthopedic care and is a founding member of UAB Medicine’s first Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit, which is the only specialized ACE unit in Alabama.
Laurie Hunter, MSN, BSN, RN, NE-BC, Ambulatory, Senior Director of Ambulatory Services, Medicine
Laurie Hunter is a results-driven health care leader with more than 25 years of progressive nursing leadership experience and has served as a Senior Director of Ambulatory Services with UAB Medicine since 2018. Laurie has a strong background in ambulatory care operations, quality improvement initiatives, and strategic planning. Laurie has a passion for developing and implementing processes to optimize safety, quality, and efficiency of care delivery as well as developing future leaders. She is also certified in Nurse Executive Leadership through ANCC and Healthcare Quality and Safety through the UAB School of Health Professions.
Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., MEHP, Surgery, Associate Professor, Chief-Section of Endocrine Surgery, Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education
Brenessa Lindeman, MD, MEHP, graduated Alpha Omega Alpha as the Founder’s Medalist at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 2009. She completed residency training in General Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she served as an Administrative Chief Resident, and completed a fellowship in Endocrine Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School. At UAB, she also serves as the Section Chief and Fellowship Director for Endocrine Surgery and Co-Director of the Multi-Disciplinary Endocrine Tumor Clinic. Dr. Lindeman completed Surgical Education Research Fellowships with the Association for Surgical Education and Massachusetts General Hospital. She served as a member of Drafting Panels for EPAs with the AAMC Core EPAs for Entering Residency, the American Board of Surgery, and American Association of Endocrine Surgeons. She is a Councilor for the American Board of Surgery, Director of the General Surgery Board, and Associate Member of the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. She is a member of the Editorial Board for Academic Medicine and Associate Editor for Education at American Journal of Surgery. Her research interests are in development and assessment of competency in surgical trainees and evaluation of the learning climate/physician wellbeing.
Ashley Lovingood, MSHQS, BSN, OCN, AMB-BC, O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center Service Line, Senior Director
Ashley Lovingood has worked for UAB Medicine for more than two decades caring for cancer patients. She earned an associate’s degree in Nursing from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee in 2002. She then went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in Nursing in 2016 and a master’s in Health Care Quality and Safety in 2020, both from UAB. She is a Certified Oncology Nurse as well as a Certified Ambulatory Nurse. In 2008, Ashley was awarded the UAB Medicine Nurse Excellence Award, the highest honor given to a staff member. In 2019 she received the UAB Medicine Certified Nurse Award for demonstrating expertise in the field of nursing and for the impact and valuable contributions made to the nursing profession.
Christy Nation, MSHA, BSN, RN Women and Infants Services, Senior Director
Christy Nation, a registered nurse for 26 years, chose a career in nursing because of her interest in science and love of serving people. In leadership roles since 2003, she is motivated by a strong work ethic and believes accountability is key to successful leadership. Christy enjoys caring for the staff that care for patients and thrives when mentoring staff and leaders toward excellence. Christy earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Samford University in 1995 and Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from the University of Saint Francis in 2014. She also completed the Quality Academy Certificate, Department of Health Sciences Administration, from UAB in 2020. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, serving as the Membership Ambassador for Nu at-Large Chapter. Christy has also been recognized for various honors such as Nurse Director of the Year 2009 and 2013, Ida V. Moffett Courage to Care Award 2009 and B Metro Excellence in Nursing Award 2013.
Lauryn Schultz, MSHA, MBA, Medicine, Senior Administrator for the Department of Medicine Clinical Affairs
Lauryn Schultz has served at UAB for 24 years. She received her bachelor’s degree from Auburn University in Health Administration and both her MSHA and MBA from UAB. She began her journey at UAB as a graduate student working on empirical data sets and simulation programs for improving patient flow at The Kirklin Clinic. Soon after, she was hired as the first Administrative Resident for the Health Services Foundation. Following her residency, she stayed at HSF and began a career in the Executive Office as a Project Manager. In 2014, Lauryn joined the Department of Medicine where she leads the Department in Clinical Affairs and Operations. In addition, she spent three years serving as the Division Administrator for Endocrinology in addition to her role in Clinical Affairs for the DOM. Lauryn brings a unique perspective to the organization by having experience on both the corporate side and the department side, thus understanding the full picture of how everything must come together to make an academic medical center successful.
Dorothea Staursky, DHA, MBA, MHS, O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center Service Line, Manager of Strategic Initiatives
Dr. Dorothea Staursky has a passion for health care, advocacy, and service to the community. In 2021, she was awarded the UAB Medicine Excellence Award, the highest honor given to a staff member, for her commitment to the UAB Medicine Core Values and for her work as the Manager of COVID Testing Site Operations in 2020 and 2021. She earned a doctorate in Health Administration from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi and was awarded the Outstanding Doctoral Student Award for her academic performance and service to the community. Prior to her doctoral program, Dorothea earned a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Millsaps College, also in Jackson. Dorothea is very active in her church and in many non-profits in her local community, including the Junior League of Birmingham where she serves as Assistant Vice President for Fund Development. Dorothea is a volunteer and two-time bone marrow donor for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). She is very active and involved with NMDP in hosting donor registration drives to increase the registry’s size and diversity and in participating in legislative advocacy efforts, most notably testifying before Congress in March 2023.
Kemberly Williams, DNP, MBA, RN-BC, Ambulatory Services, Senior Director
Kemberly Williams oversees the clinical and financial operations of multiple ambulatory clinics and the Patient Healthcare Coordination Center. Kemberly began her career as a licensed practical nurse and has approximately 20 years of nursing and leadership experience in various healthcare settings across Alabama, Georgia, and California. Kemberly earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Jacksonville State University, a Master of Business Administration, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree from UAB. She is a graduate of UAB's Leadership Institute. She also serves on the Council of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for UAB. She is a member of the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing.
Megan Yeatts, MBA, Ophthalmology, Executive Administrator
A North Carolina native, Megan received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to joining UAB, she worked in magazine and book publishing at various divisions of Time Inc., primarily Southern Living. Her initial roles at UAB were related to her experience in communications and marketing (Department of Ophthalmology 2013 – 2015; Department of Surgery 2016-2018). She completed her MBA from UAB in 2015. In 2018, she transitioned to a broader role serving as the administrative director for Surgery. In fall 2019 she returned to the Department of Ophthalmology as executive administrator.
Learn more about the Leadership Development Office and its programs at Leadership Development Office - Heersink School of Medicine | UAB.