I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the Michigan Value Collaborative’s (MVC) new Engagement Associate. As the Engagement Associate, I will work closely with the Site Engagement Manager and Site Engagement Coordinator to foster collaboration among members and other stakeholders and drive outreach efforts that facilitate statewide cross-institutional learning. I am excited to join the MVC Coordinating Center and look forward to getting to know our sites and members.

Colleagues would call me a well-versed health and wellness leader with an authentic and collaborative approach to program management who creates a positive and high-performing culture. I have worked in healthcare and health research in various capacities over the past 11 years, ranging from direct patient care to administration, and have co-authored multiple medical encyclopedia entries and actively contributed to NIH research. I’m a Michigan State University alumna with a pre-medical Bachelor of Science in human biology; a specialization in bioethics, humanities, and society; and a Spanish minor. After working as a nurse assistant in various specialties, I left the state of Michigan to earn my Master’s in Public Health in health systems, management and policy at the University of Colorado. While in Colorado, I was part of the administrative team for Colorado Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine. Since my return to Michigan in 2019 and prior to joining the MVC, I worked at the University of Michigan School of Nursing as Program Coordinator for the Alliance to Advance Patient-Centered Cancer Care, where I defined and executed project goals and acted as a liaison between the national program office teams, grantees, and board members.

I am passionate about comprehensive patient-centric operational procedures, community engagement, and reducing healthcare disparities. When I’m not working, you can find me playing with my dog and three cats, adventuring outside, working on cars, or reading next to a fire (I’m always accepting book recommendations). If you have any questions, please reach out to me at andreche@umich.edu.