Elizabeth Harry, MD

Chief Well-Being Officer

Instructor in Internal Medicine

eharry@med.umich.edu

Dr. Elizabeth Harry leads the Office of Well-Being at Michigan Medicine which engages with leaders, key partners, and communities across Michigan Medicine and the University to elevate the well-being of individuals and groups across the Medical School and the Michigan Medicine. As a leader at Michigan Medicine, Dr. Harry works to strengthen, enrich, and implement a vision for the future of wellness and well-being through system-level policy change. She utilizes a data-informed and relationship-driven approach to enhance well-being in both academia and clinical care.

Dr. Harry brings over a decade of experience in medicine, healthcare and wellbeing and is a nationally recognized expert on cognitive load, burnout, and well-being. She joined the Michigan Medicine Wellness Office after serving as Senior Medical Director of Well-being at UCHealth and Assistant Dean of Faculty Well-being at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.  In addition to the University of Colorado, Dr. Harry practiced at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where she was assistant medical director and director of faculty development and well-being for the Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization, as well as faculty liaison for graduate medical education well-being at Partners Healthcare. She has practiced internal medicine in both the inpatient and outpatient settings throughout her career.

She is on the board of the Collaborative for Healing and Renewal in Medicine (CHARM) under AAIM and teaches at the Stanford Chief Wellness Officer course.  Dr. Harry has partnered with leading institutions across the country to advance research and share successful strategies in this domain. She continues to study and publish about the impact of systemic and cultural aspects of health care systems on individual well-being.

Dr. Harry earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology and biology from Santa Clara University and her medical degree and completed residency training in internal medicine at the University of Colorado. She has been a Macy Scholar for the Harvard Macey Institute, and she also completed the Brigham Leadership Program at Harvard.

Her husband also works at Michigan Medicine as a clinical pathologist, and together they have three children ages 6, 9, and 11. 

Why does Dr. Harry feel passionate about well-being? I am deeply committed to the well-being of all individuals involved in healthcare, from patients to learners, researchers, and front-line clinicians and staff. I believe that the pursuit of health goes beyond just treating patients; it encompasses the holistic well-being of everyone involved in delivering healthcare. I am humbled by the opportunity to contribute to the well-being and professional fulfillment of healthcare providers, as I understand that effective care for others begins with mastering our own well-being. It is my utmost privilege to support and empower individuals in their journey towards optimal health and fulfillment. 

Sandy Goel, PharmD

Administrative Director
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry

Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy
sngta@med.umich.edu 

Dr. Sandy Goel has spent nearly two decades working in diverse health care settings and is dedicated to developing high-performing teams, advancing well-being, and achieving positive organizational impact.  She leads the strategic and operational goals of Michigan Medicine’s Office of Well-Being and collaborates with organizational leaders, key partners, faculty, staff, and learners throughout the organization and beyond to create a thriving culture of well-being.

She began her career at Johnson & Johnson, Inc.’s pharmaceutical division, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, in the area of medical affairs and medical communications.  Later she joined the University of Michigan where she provided pharmacy benefits on behalf of the university’s employees, retirees, and dependents, and then led the Michigan Medicine Specialty Pharmacy Services.  Under her leadership, the Specialty Pharmacy team achieved high patient satisfaction ratings, high employee engagement, strong revenue generation and national accreditation. While there, she was appointed to a corporate responsibility role leading employee engagement strategic goals and initiatives for the Department of Pharmacy Services at Michigan Medicine. 

Dr. Goel received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Michigan and her Doctor of Pharmacy with High Distinction from the U-M College of Pharmacy. She has graduated from two organization-wide leadership programs, including the U-M Business and Finance Leadership Academy, completed the Stanford Medicine Well-Being Director course, and is a certified executive coach. 

Dr. Goel is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Psychiatry and an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at the U-M College of Pharmacy. She is past president of the U-M College of Pharmacy Alumni Board of Governors and a former board member of the Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance.

Outside of work, Sandy enjoys yoga, mindfulness, stand-up paddle boarding, and being an ever-loyal Michigan fan. She has traveled many places including trekking to Mt. Everest Base Camp, sight-seeing at Machu Picchu, regularly visiting family and friends in New York City, and enjoying the sun and sand of any beach.

Why does Sandy feel passionate about well-being? I am passionate about the work of the Office of Well-Being because I believe our faculty, staff and learners are our biggest asset at Michigan Medicine.  Several years ago I went through a difficult experience of burnout at work. Knowing we bring our whole selves to our work every day, I have devoted this chapter of my career to ensure Michigan Medicine is a place where we not only perform and serve at our best, but are also replenished by it. 

Shelagh Saénz, LPC, NCC 

Senior Project Manager
saenzs@med.umich.edu

Shelagh joined the Office of Well-Being at Michigan Medicine in 2021 as Project Senior Manager. In this role, she implements strategic and operational goals, stewards key initiatives, and advances the work necessary to achieve the office’s missions and goals. 

After receiving her Bachelor of Arts (English) from Albion College, she went on to obtain her Master’s degree in college counseling from Eastern Michigan University.   She maintains the certifications of Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and National Certified Counselor (NCC). She also is a certified facilitator in human-centered design thinking.

Previously, Shelagh worked at the University of Michigan School of Public Health where she served as director of career development for nearly two decades.  In that role, she excelled at coaching learners, managing programs, and leading operational and strategic functions of her office.  Throughout her tenure at the School of Public Health, she was an advocate for well-being in the workplace.  Shelagh was recognized through several nominations and awards for her dedication to well-being and inclusion efforts such as starting a school-wide staff wellness committee, organizing staff programs on health topics, and creating inclusive workplaces.

Shelagh recognizes the importance of being heard, understood, and valued.  Her professional interests include positive culture change, DEI advocacy, and human-centered design-thinking.  In her free time, Shelagh’s personal interests include genealogy research, scrapbooking, exercising, and cooking.

Why does Shelagh feel passionate about well-being? I believe that small, persistent, and positive actions have a transformative power to impact our workplaces in beneficial ways. I am passionate about promoting culture change at an institutional level that is inclusive and focused on the well-being of employees. My goal is that people feel valued and empowered enough to prioritize their well-being so that we experience the best of them rather than what is left of them. 

Matthew Jerome, MS, MHA

Business Consultant
matjerom@med.umich.edu

Matthew received his bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Physiology with Distinction from the University of Iowa. He continued his education as a research assistant in the Behavioral Medicine Lab at the University of Iowa while receiving a Master of Science degree in Health Promotion. He published his research on sit-stand desks in the journal Preventive Medicine Reports. His passion for healthcare extended outside of the lab setting, so he decided to pursue a Master of Health Administration degree to gain the skills and competencies needed to manage healthcare delivery.

During his training in the MHA program at the University of Iowa, Matt worked at the Office of Statewide Clinical Education Programs conducting statewide surveys to produce opportunity directories for providers across the state. Soon after this, he worked for the University of Iowa Physician Group- the largest multi-specialty medical and surgical group in Iowa. His projects included managing the implementation of various telemedicine service lines, developing workflows to streamline access for patients in the outpatient setting, optimizing the date of discharge functionality within Epic, and creating an external patient financing option for the hospital to utilize with a local community credit union. He also served on the board for the Upstream Clinic, a new initiative aimed at targeting social determinants of health in the high-risk OB clinic. 

Matt completed the Administrative Fellowship program at Michigan Medicine in 2021. This two-year leadership development and project-based experience enabled him to work across the health system to add value through a diverse portfolio of initiatives. Through this process, he realized his passion for improving workplace well-being through culture change, process improvement, and innovative design.

In his free time, he enjoys creating and performing music, reading, and keeping up with his favorite sports teams.

Why does Matt feel passionate about well-being? I believe that well-being, both in occupational and home-life settings, is vital to productive, engaged, and purpose-driven individuals. I’m dedicated to empowering organizations to include well-being in the decision-making process, at the leadership and systems level, so that culture truly aligns with fostering meaningful work. My experiences have taught me that our lives, quite literally, depend on our ability to care for each other with empathy and compassion.

Coming soon!

Debbra brings to the table a wealth of experience from her prior role with Michigan Medicine Finance, adeptly supporting Associate Chief Finance Officers and the Finance Controller. Prior to that, her expertise was put to good use at the University of Michigan Depression Center, where she supported the founding director Dr. John Greden.  In that role, Debbra served as project coordinator for the Center’s Workplace Mental Health program piloting a project with Ford Motor Company. 

Throughout her expansive career, Debbra has amassed more than 15 years of experience providing director-level and executive support. Her background includes project management, specifically rolling out hospital-wide safety programs and event planning for high-profile academic events like research symposiums and grand rounds. Debbra is recognized for excellent interpersonal and communication skills, which complement her project planning experience and expertise in managing multiple, concurrent projects.

Debbra holds a Bachelor's in Healthcare Administration and an Associate's in Healthcare Administration, both from the University of Phoenix, on top of her qualifications from the Certified Medical Assistant Program at Ross Medical Education Center. Bringing enthusiasm, strong team-building capabilities, and a detail-oriented approach to her work, Debbra is a dependable team member whose organizational skills ensure seamless operation in fast-paced environments.

Paula Bryanch-Garrett

Executive Assistant Associate Health

pbryanch@umich.edu

Paula began her career in the academic industry working in the Detroit public school system. Upon high school graduation, she worked for the Better Business Bureau in the automotive arbitration program. Later she came to Michigan Medicine where she supported an executive leader in the field of breast surgery. In this role, Paula managed all aspects of the office: coordinating complex meetings including a weekly Breast Care Forum, securing international and domestic travel, managing the Fellowship program, and serving as the liaison for surgery/clinic staff. 

As Paula continued her career at MM, she work with a renowned teacher in the field of lean training and problem-solving. In this position, she worked closely with residents and medical students scheduling important meetings, managing complex tasks and calendars, and building strong relationships. 

In 2019, Paula was honored to receive the Quality Connector Award for going above and beyond to make the Quality Department a great place to work, while leading community service/outreach initiatives. Her present role allows Paula to build on previous experiences and use her expertise to help identify solutions for dedicated staff who are experiencing burnout and exhaustion. Paula finds it gratifying to be a member of a team that delivers meaningful and impactful strategies to navigate during these uncertain times.

When not working, you may find her running, sewing, or creating her next beautiful crochet project.

Why does Paula feel passionate about well-being?  I am passionate about wellness as it represents a life of limitless possibilities. When you are well, you feel good and love life!