News Releases

The Center for Health Affairs Appoints Officers, Names Community Leaders to Boards of Directors

Melissa Kline to Lead The Center for Health Affairs Board of Directors as Chair

The Center for Health Affairs called upon leaders from Northeast Ohio hospitals and community organizations to step into new roles with its Boards of Directors, supporting the organization’s mission to bring partners together to positively impact the communities it serves.

Included in these new appointments is the naming of a new chair of The Center for Health Affairs Board of Directors. Melissa Kline, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, senior vice president-system chief nurse executive, The MetroHealth System, who had been serving on the board as a director, begins a two-year term as chair.

“It’s a genuine honor to accept this new role as the chair of The Center for Health Affairs Board of Directors,” said Kline. “This will allow me to continue generating impactful change for the health of our community while fulfilling The Center’s vision of being a catalyst for transforming total well-being.”

The Center is also pleased to welcome Airica Steed, EdD, MBA, RN, CSSMBB, FACHE, IASSC, chief executive officer of The MetroHealth System, as a director on The Center for Health Affairs Board.

The Community Health Affairs Board of Directors made two updates. Having joined the board as a director in Feb. 2023, William E. Finn, MBA, president & CEO, Hospice of the Western Reserve, will now serve as secretary. Nazleen H. Bharmal, MD, PhD, MPP, associate chief of community health & partnership at the Cleveland Clinic, has been named a director.

Consisting of hospital, academic and community leaders in Northeast Ohio, the Community Health Affairs board works to support the association in addressing high-priority healthcare needs and issues in the community.

Kirsten Park, senior vice president, Treasury for Eaton, has been named vice chair of the Board of Directors of HealthComp, Inc., dba CHAMPS. The HealthComp Board of Directors oversees two of The Center’s subsidiaries, CHAMPS Group Purchasing and The Essentials Group.

“I would like to thank our new directors and board officers, and most especially our new chair, Melissa Kline, for enthusiastically volunteering their time to serve in this leadership capacity,” said Brian Lane, president & CEO of The Center for Health Affairs. “Each of our directors brings a unique background and wealth of experience to strengthen our organization as we fulfill our mission to serve and benefit our community. Their expertise brings tremendous value to The Center.”

About the Directors:

Melissa Kline, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, senior vice president, system chief nurse executive at The MetroHealth System, oversees nursing practice, education, evidence-based practice and research. Previously she has served as chief nursing officer for several years and was named System Chief Nurse Executive in early 2022. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Akron and her Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University. She completed the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Chamberlain College of Nursing and is board certified as a nurse executive.

Kirsten Park serves as senior vice president of Treasury at Eaton, where she is responsible for the company’s cash management, capital market activities, hedging programs, retirement asset management, insurance programs, and global real estate strategies. Previously, Ms. Park, who came to Eaton in 2008, held several roles in Treasury including vice president and assistant treasurer and North America treasury center manager with responsibility for cash management, global foreign exchange and commodity hedging.

William E. Finn, MBA, serving as president & CEO of Hospice of the Western Reserve since 2011, brings nearly 30 years of experience working in hospice and palliative care. Finn has twice been the chair of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State and served on the Board of Trustees for 21 years. A member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, he has presented at the state and national levels on hospice and healthcare issues and holds a Master of Business Administration from the State University of New York.

Airica Steed, EdD, MBA, RN, CSSMBB, FACHE, IASSC, is the chief executive officer at The MetroHealth System. Previously, Steed served as executive vice president - system chief operating officer of Sinai Chicago Health System and president of Mount Sinai and Sinai Children’s Hospital. Regarded and recognized across the country for her innovation and leadership, she was named by Modern Healthcare to its list of “Top 25 Healthcare Innovators” in 2020 and was included in their “Top 25 Minority Leaders” list in 2022.

Nazleen H. Bharmal, MD, PhD, MPP, is the associate chief of community health & partnerships for Cleveland Clinic Community Care and Population Health. Previously the director of science and policy at the Office of the Surgeon General in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bharmal received her Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School, PhD in health policy and management from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and Master of Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

For more information on The Center's governing boards, visit here.