Our Team
Experience that inspires
Virginia Mason Institute team members are experienced and accomplished experts in preparing, guiding and inspiring healthcare leaders to transform healthcare. As current and former healthcare executive leaders, physician executives, providers, and high-level managers, and through their success working with healthcare systems and leaders around the world, our team has unparalleled knowledge and skill in improving patient safety, patient experience, and the quality, cost, and delivery of healthcare.
With their background in systems transformation and a foundation in Virginia Mason’s world-renowned management methodology, our team members’ approach is to partner with healthcare leaders to achieve sustainable improvement, and to solve today’s and tomorrow’s problems.
Leadership
Wendy Korthuis-Smith, Ed.D., M.S., Executive Director
Wendy Korthuis-Smith, Ed.D., M.S., is Executive Director at Virginia Mason Institute. Wendy provides leadership and oversees the development of new products and services to strategically assess, identify improvement opportunities, develop and implement transformation and transition plans, and continually evaluate continuous improvement for clients worldwide. Wendy holds significant experience developing and implementing large scale transformation and transition plans. Wendy came to Virginia Mason Institute from Deloitte Consulting, and spent several years prior with the Washington State Governor’s Office where she led state government transformation through the development and implementation of Results Washington, a performance improvement initiative incorporating 53 state government agencies, boards and commissions across five priority goal areas. She worked with Virginia Mason early on in her career as a leadership development consultant. Wendy is trained in the Virginia Mason Production System®.
Wendy Korthuis-Smith, Ed.D., M.S., is Executive Director at Virginia Mason Institute. Wendy provides leadership and oversees the development of new products and services to strategically assess, identify improvement opportunities, develop and implement transformation and transition plans, and continually evaluate continuous improvement for clients worldwide. Wendy holds significant experience developing and implementing large scale transformation and transition plans. Wendy came to Virginia Mason Institute from Deloitte Consulting, and spent several years prior with the Washington State Governor’s Office where she led state government transformation through the development and implementation of Results Washington, a performance improvement initiative incorporating 53 state government agencies, boards and commissions across five priority goal areas. She worked with Virginia Mason early on in her career as a leadership development consultant. Wendy is trained in the Virginia Mason Production System®.
Gordon Sansaver, MBA, Associate Executive Director
Gordon Sansaver, MBA, is Associate Executive Director at Virginia Mason Institute. Gordon oversees the Institute’s partnerships in Europe while also holding responsibility for the global operations of the organization. He is an expert in strategic planning, culture change and project management and also has over a decade of experience in empowering and facilitating teams to realize meaningful and sustained improvement. Prior to joining Virginia Mason Institute, Gordon served as an expert in Virginia Mason’s management system and quality improvement methodology – focusing on teaching, coaching and partnering with leadership to improve quality and reduce waste across the organization. In that capacity, he led numerous improvement projects and helped to achieve meaningful change in areas across the health system – including primary and specialty ambulatory, inpatient, and emergency care; facilities, supply chain, human resources, and finance. He is certified in the Virginia Mason Production System®.
Gordon Sansaver, MBA, is Associate Executive Director at Virginia Mason Institute. Gordon oversees the Institute’s partnerships in Europe while also holding responsibility for the global operations of the organization. He is an expert in strategic planning, culture change and project management and also has over a decade of experience in empowering and facilitating teams to realize meaningful and sustained improvement. Prior to joining Virginia Mason Institute, Gordon served as an expert in Virginia Mason’s management system and quality improvement methodology – focusing on teaching, coaching and partnering with leadership to improve quality and reduce waste across the organization. In that capacity, he led numerous improvement projects and helped to achieve meaningful change in areas across the health system – including primary and specialty ambulatory, inpatient, and emergency care; facilities, supply chain, human resources, and finance. He is certified in the Virginia Mason Production System®.
Brenda McLeod, MBA, CCMP, PMP, Principal Executive Partner, Engagement Operations
Brenda McLeod, MBA, CCMP, PMP, provides leadership and oversight in supporting our clients and expanding our service offerings and content in the change management space. She has over 25 years’ experience in consulting, strategic planning, change management, project management, leadership, and facilitation for privately-held companies, corporations and the public sector. She has been recognized for an outstanding ability to help businesses identify goals, guiding principles and roadmap to achieve operational objectives and ROI. An effective facilitator in helping business lines identify current and future states with the ability to bring together people, process and technology. Brenda has her Masters of Business Administration, IT Management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) as well as one of the first 88 in the world to be a Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP). She is a strategic planner with a keen sense for relationship management, executive coaching and process improvement.
Brenda McLeod, MBA, CCMP, PMP, provides leadership and oversight in supporting our clients and expanding our service offerings and content in the change management space. She has over 25 years’ experience in consulting, strategic planning, change management, project management, leadership, and facilitation for privately-held companies, corporations and the public sector. She has been recognized for an outstanding ability to help businesses identify goals, guiding principles and roadmap to achieve operational objectives and ROI. An effective facilitator in helping business lines identify current and future states with the ability to bring together people, process and technology. Brenda has her Masters of Business Administration, IT Management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) as well as one of the first 88 in the world to be a Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP). She is a strategic planner with a keen sense for relationship management, executive coaching and process improvement.
Partners and Physician/Executive Advisors
Chris Backous, MHA, Executive Partner, Transformation Services
Chris leads improvement activities, workshops and training for healthcare leaders and providers worldwide. Prior to joining Virginia Mason Institute, he led the integration of lean methods into the design of Virginia Mason’s 350,000-square-foot hospital addition, the first environment of its kind to be built from the ground up using the Virginia Mason Production System®. He also led numerous improvement events using lean tools and methods to improve healthcare processes. Chris is certified in the Virginia Mason Production System® and 3P (Production, Preparation, Process) facilitation.
Chris leads improvement activities, workshops and training for healthcare leaders and providers worldwide. Prior to joining Virginia Mason Institute, he led the integration of lean methods into the design of Virginia Mason’s 350,000-square-foot hospital addition, the first environment of its kind to be built from the ground up using the Virginia Mason Production System®. He also led numerous improvement events using lean tools and methods to improve healthcare processes. Chris is certified in the Virginia Mason Production System® and 3P (Production, Preparation, Process) facilitation.
Robbi Bishop, MS, Executive Partner, Transformation Services
Robbi’s experience includes direct patient care as an audiologist, leadership within the Kaizen Promotion Office along with operational leadership in oncology, perioperative services, and ambulatory care. In addition to sponsoring and leading improvement events across the care spectrum, he has led flow (3P) workshops focused on inpatient and surgical facility design, ambulatory flow, patient safety, and future-state visioning. Robbi is a Kaizen Fellow graduate in the Virginia Mason Production System® and 3P (Production, Preparation, Process) facilitation. In addition, Robbi is trained in the use of experience-based design (EBD) and breakthrough innovation.
Robbi’s experience includes direct patient care as an audiologist, leadership within the Kaizen Promotion Office along with operational leadership in oncology, perioperative services, and ambulatory care. In addition to sponsoring and leading improvement events across the care spectrum, he has led flow (3P) workshops focused on inpatient and surgical facility design, ambulatory flow, patient safety, and future-state visioning. Robbi is a Kaizen Fellow graduate in the Virginia Mason Production System® and 3P (Production, Preparation, Process) facilitation. In addition, Robbi is trained in the use of experience-based design (EBD) and breakthrough innovation.
Alice Forsythe, MBA, Executive Partner, Transformation Services
Alice partners with senior leaders at client organizations to transform their process improvement leadership and systems. She previously served as a senior program manager for Virginia Mason Medical Center’s leadership development, talent management and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts. Before joining Virginia Mason, she was a partner at a management consulting firm in Seattle, where she led executive development and organizational effectiveness engagements for public and private sector clients. Alice has an MBA from the University of Washington and is certified as an executive coach through Columbia University. She has completed advanced training in experience-based co-design and the Virginia Mason Production System®.
Alice partners with senior leaders at client organizations to transform their process improvement leadership and systems. She previously served as a senior program manager for Virginia Mason Medical Center’s leadership development, talent management and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts. Before joining Virginia Mason, she was a partner at a management consulting firm in Seattle, where she led executive development and organizational effectiveness engagements for public and private sector clients. Alice has an MBA from the University of Washington and is certified as an executive coach through Columbia University. She has completed advanced training in experience-based co-design and the Virginia Mason Production System®.
Neha Patel, RN, BSN, MHA, Executive Partner, Transformation Services
Neha’s experience includes direct patient care as a nurse along with extensive experience leading teams in various ambulatory care settings. Most recently, she was the Senior Director of Ambulatory Medical and Surgical Specialties at Virginia Mason Medical Center. Neha is Certified in the Virginia Mason Production System ® (VMPS), and has led numerous quality process improvement initiatives and implementations at Virginia Mason since 2013. Neha also teaches Quality Process Management as an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health Executive Masters of Health Administration Program at the University of Washington.
Neha’s experience includes direct patient care as a nurse along with extensive experience leading teams in various ambulatory care settings. Most recently, she was the Senior Director of Ambulatory Medical and Surgical Specialties at Virginia Mason Medical Center. Neha is Certified in the Virginia Mason Production System ® (VMPS), and has led numerous quality process improvement initiatives and implementations at Virginia Mason since 2013. Neha also teaches Quality Process Management as an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health Executive Masters of Health Administration Program at the University of Washington.
Celeste Derheimer, MBA, RN, CPHQ, Senior Partner, Transformation Services
Celeste Derheimer, MBA, RN, CPHQ, is a Senior Partner of Transformation Services at Virginia Mason Institute. In Seattle and at client sites worldwide, she leads multiple improvement activities to increase safety and quality and improve administrative processes. Celeste is a Kaizen Fellow graduate certified in the Virginia Mason Production System®. She is also an examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality.
Celeste Derheimer, MBA, RN, CPHQ, is a Senior Partner of Transformation Services at Virginia Mason Institute. In Seattle and at client sites worldwide, she leads multiple improvement activities to increase safety and quality and improve administrative processes. Celeste is a Kaizen Fellow graduate certified in the Virginia Mason Production System®. She is also an examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality.
Val Ferris, RN, ELMBA, Executive Partner, Transformation Services
Val Ferris, RN, ELMBA, is an Executive Partner of Transformation Services at Virginia Mason Institute. Her passion is to work collaboratively with leadership and teams to improve quality for patients and staff. Prior to her work at Virginia Mason Institute, Val’s leadership experience includes perioperative and procedural services, emergency department, hospitalist services, and Kaizen Promotion Office. As an improvement leader, she has sponsored and led efforts to reduce hospital, surgical, procedural and emergency department lead time. She has led multiple flow (3P) workshops to assist with the design of inpatient units, surgical facilities and future state processes for the hospital. Val is a Kaizen Fellow graduate in the Virginia Mason Production System and 3P (Production, Preparation, Process) facilitation.
Val Ferris, RN, ELMBA, is an Executive Partner of Transformation Services at Virginia Mason Institute. Her passion is to work collaboratively with leadership and teams to improve quality for patients and staff. Prior to her work at Virginia Mason Institute, Val’s leadership experience includes perioperative and procedural services, emergency department, hospitalist services, and Kaizen Promotion Office. As an improvement leader, she has sponsored and led efforts to reduce hospital, surgical, procedural and emergency department lead time. She has led multiple flow (3P) workshops to assist with the design of inpatient units, surgical facilities and future state processes for the hospital. Val is a Kaizen Fellow graduate in the Virginia Mason Production System and 3P (Production, Preparation, Process) facilitation.