Page Content Regional Executive Team
Members of the PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center Regional Executive Team embrace a leadership model fully rooted in our Mission and Values and in our heritage as a Catholic health care ministry. This model guides our leaders in every aspect of their work and oversight responsibilities. It challenges us to relentlessly pursue improvements in patient outcomes and service to patients and families while awakening joy, meaning and purpose in the human spirit.
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Patrick J. Branco
CEO and Chief Mission Officer
Patrick began his career in health care as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy. He served in direct care from Alaska to the Indian Ocean during the first 10 years of his military career.
The second half of his military career was spent as a commissioned officer of the Medical Service Corps in the U.S. Navy where he developed his administrative skills. Upon Naval retirement, he took a role as Administrative Director of Ambulatory Care for the University of Minnesota.
He took his first hospital CEO position in a small rural community of Ivanhoe, Minnesota. Divine Providence Health Center was associated with the Avera Health System out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 2002, Patrick accepted the position of CEO & Chief Mission Officer at PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center.
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Ken Tonjes
CFO Southeast Alaska Region
Ken joined PeaceHealth in 1990 and assumed his current role as Chief Financial Officer of the Southeast Alaska Region in 2001. In addition to his CFO role at PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center, Ken has responsibility for the revenue cycles of the Northern Regions.
Prior to assuming his current role, he spent four plus years working in the Lower Columbia Region (LCR) as the CFO of the Medical Group and then Director of Finance for LCR. He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Masters of Business Administration degree.
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Kendall Sawa
Vice President Patient Care Administration
Born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, Kendall is an RN with a Bachelor degree in Health Care Administration. He began his career in health care following graduation from Lethbridge Community College in 1996.
Following a brief tour of employment as an RN in Canada, Kendall joined PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center in early 1997. Since then, he has participated in the development and management of health care services.
In 2007, Kendall accepted the position of Vice President for Patient Care Services.
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Barbara Bigelow
Vice President Quality Services
Barbara joined PeaceHealth in 1993 as Director of Health Information Management (HIM) and the Admitting Department at PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center.
In 2008 Barbara was asked to serve as the Acting Director in the Center for Healthcare Improvement (CHI). In 2009 she began a Director’s role that included CHI, HIM, Social Services, Medical Staff Office, Infection Prevention and Utilization Review while continuing in her role in Compliance leadership. In the fall of 2010, Barbara began her role as Vice President.
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Michele Budd
Vice President Ambulatory Services
Michele has been in health care for more than 25 years. Before coming to Ketchikan she served in Longview, Washington with PeaceHealth Medical Group as a Business System Consultant and Regional Director-Medical Group Operations & Women's Health Program. Prior to that she worked as Director, Regional Neuro-Musculoskeletal Services and Program Director, Center for Bone & Joint Care for Providence Health Systems in Portland, Oregon.
Michele joined PeaceHealth in 1995 and came to Ketchikan in 2008.
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Michael Hatfield
Vice President Facilities
Michael joined PeaceHealth in 2003 in his current role as Vice President Facilities. He is responsible for Laundry, Housekeeping, Security, Maintenance, Dietary, BioMed, and project management.
Prior to PeaceHealth, he spent 18 years as Facilities Director for St. Elizabeth Hospital in Oregon. His specialty lies in building construction and life safety.
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Lanetta Lundberg
Vice President Culture and People
Lanetta joined PeaceHealth in 1991 as a registered Histotechnologist, later to supervise Pathology Services at PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center. In 2003 she became a staff and physician recruiter, served as Manager and Director of Human Resources until being named to her current position.
Lanetta holds a bachelor’s degree in health administration and is nationally certified as a professional in human resources.
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Peter Rice, MD
Medical Director
Peter Rice joined PeaceHealth as an employed internal medicine physician in 2003 after being in private practice in Ketchikan since 1988. He became Medical Director of PeaceHealth Medical Group in 2009 and a Regional Executive Team member in 2007.
He continues to practice one-half time and represents PeaceHealth Medical Group for the Southeast Alaska Region of PeaceHealth.
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