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Leadership
Much like our providers, nurses, and staff, North Country Healthcare leadership is focused on the NCH Mission of providing accessible, high quality, integrated healthcare throughout all of our communities. Their wealth of experience both within and outside of healthcare, help us in our ongoing journey toward becoming a High Reliability Organization (HRO).
Senior Management
Darrell Bodnar, BS, CPM, CPHIMS
North Country Healthcare Chief Information Officer
Professional Bio:
Darrell has been a Weeks Medical Center employee for more than 30 years, 22 years of that in Information Technology and most recently as a Department Director. He added the responsibility of North Country Healthcare Director of Information Technology in 2017. Darrell is an active member of The Health Information Management and Systems Society and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. He has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and certifications in CompTIA Project+, CompTIA Security, CompTIA Cloud, CompTIA Mobility, and ITILv3 as well as Health Administration.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Groveton, Darrell enjoys photography, hiking, and travel. He donates time as a photographer for the Nature Conservancy for which he has been published many times and received many awards.
A passion turned business is Darrell’s love of making beer, and the science behind it. He is co-owner of the Copper Pig Brewery.
Darrell is also an active member of CHIME, HIMSS, and Vice Commander of the Sons of the American Legion as well as the NH Brewers Association.
Suzanne Landry, CPCO
NCH Corporate Compliance and Privacy Officer, AVH Sr. Director, Medical Staff Office and Risk Assessment
Professional Bio:
Sue joined AVH in 1990 and is the Senior Director of the Medical Staff Office and Risk Management. She is an active member of the New Hampshire Health Information Management Association and the New Hampshire Association of Medical Staff Services. Sue completed the Lean in Healthcare Program in 2015, earned her Certified Professional Compliance Officer (CPCO) training in 2016, has a Bachelor of Science in Business – Healthcare Management, and a Master of Business Administration – Healthcare Management.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Milan, Sue enjoys bird watching, antiquing, gardening, listening to audiobooks, and is a member of the NH Audubon. She serves as the Secretary/Treasurer of the NH Health Information Management Association.
Brian O’Hearn, MBA, BSN, CEN
Chief Nursing Officer and VP of Patient Care Services
Professional Bio:
Brian O’Hearn has been a member of the AVH Senior Team since 2016. He serves as the Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. Brian has a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Both degrees were earned at Binghamton University in New York. Brian began his nursing career in 1986 and has enjoyed developing his clinical acumen in a wide variety of acute care settings. He is currently PICC certified and has held certifications in Emergency Nursing and Oncology. Brian’s system experience prior to NCH includes Catholic Health East and Bon Secours Health System.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Gorham, Brian enjoys hiking the White Mountains with family, a good round of golf with friends, and a variety of other North Country activities. Brian is married to Teresa and together they have raised five children (and now are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first grandchild).
James Patry, MBS, MS
Senior Director of Patient Experience and Marketing, North Country Healthcare System Director of Marketing
Professional Bio:
James Patry joined Androscoggin Valley Hospital (AVH) in July 2008 as Public Relations and Marketing Director. His role expanded to that of Senior Director of Patient Experience and Marketing in April 2016, at which time he became a member of the hospital’s Senior Management Team. Since December 2018, James has also held the role of System Director of Marketing for North Country Healthcare (NCH).
He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Electronic Media Production from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, where James also earned a Master of Science in Communication Management. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Plymouth State University and completed a Philanthropy Certificate Program from Indiana University. James is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives from which he has completed coursework in the area of Leadership.
An active participant in many AVH and NCH groups, James is a member of the NCH Quality Committee, AVH Master Facilities Planning Committee, and is Past President of the AVH Auxiliary.
Personal Bio:
James is an active Rotarian, currently serving as President of the White Mountain Rotary Club for Berlin and Gorham, NH. When not volunteering in this capacity, he enjoys listening to and performing music; playing tennis, golf, and softball; cheering on the sports teams of his beloved Syracuse University; and studying genealogy. James is also a proud Godfather of a great-niece and great-nephew.
Michael Peterson, FACHE
CEO and President
Professional Bio:
Michael Peterson joined AVH in 2015 as President. He serves on all of the AVH Board Committees including Compensation, Ethics, Executive, Finance, Governance, Professional Affairs, and Quality. Mike has a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from the University of Maine at Orono, as well as a Master of Science in Business from Husson College. He has served as a healthcare executive in community or Critical Access Hospitals for over two decades. Mike is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a TPS Lean-trained facilitator.
Personal Bio:
Residing in Bethel, Maine, with his wife and two sons, Mike’s interests include golf, skiing, hiking, cooking, travel, snowmobiling, and spending time with his family. He serves on the Board of the Northern New England Association of Healthcare Executives as well as The Rural Health Coalition of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. Mike is the Past-President of the White Mountain Rotary Club of Berlin/Gorham. He was recognized by New Hampshire Business Review as one of 2020’s Top 200 Most Influential Business Leaders in New Hampshire.
Kate Piña, SHRM-SCP, SPHR
Human Resources Director
Professional Bio:
Kate Piña, MBR, SPHR, SHRM-SCP to recently served as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Lake Chelan Community Hospital, Chelan, Washington. Prior to that role, she served as Interim Human Resources Executive providing HR leadership to Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation in Bethel, Alaska.
Personal Bio:
Kate is originally from Oregon, but her military career with the U.S. Air Force provided her the opportunity to travel and live in many locations in the U.S. and overseas.
Keith Shute, MD, MMM
Professional Bio:
Dr. Shute joined the AVH Medical Staff in the winter of 1994. He has been a member of the senior management team since 2000, and has served as the Senior VP and Chief Medical Officer since late 2013. In addition, Dr. Shute continues to see patients two days each week at Coos County Family Health Services and provide frequent pediatric on-call services.
Dr. Shute obtained his Bachelor of Arts in chemistry and psychology from Ohio Wesleyan University, a Master of Technical and Scientific Communication from Miami University in Ohio, his M.D. from the Robert Larner College of Medicine at The University of Vermont, and a Master of Medical Management from the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University. He completed his family practice residency and a faculty development fellowship at Lancaster General Hospital in Pennsylvania prior to joining AVH.
Dr. Shute is certified by the American Board of Family Practice and is a Fellow, as well. He is a member of numerous professional associations. Dr. Shute is an active participant in many NCH teams and a champion of quality and patient safety. He is involved in healthcare with the state, serving on the NH Hospital Association Board of Trustees since 2014 and formerly (2011-18) serving as a trustee of the Foundation for Healthy Communities. Finally, Dr. Shute has served as a peer reviewer for Family Practice Management, a professional journal, for more than a decade.
Personal Bio:
Raised in a small town in southern NH, Dr. Shute is now a resident of Shelburne. He is blessed to enjoy every day with his wife, Brenda. Together, they appreciate time with family and friends, humor, attending concerts, sporting events, and extensive travel. He is an avid Red Sox and Celtics fan. Dr. Shute is the proud father of three adult daughters. He is also a long-time supporter of the United Way and other local charities.
Board of Directors
Donna Goodrich
Chair, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Donna Goodrich has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2011. She serves as Board Chair and is a member of the AVH Board Executive, Finance, Governance, and Professional Affairs Committees. Donna has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Marketing and has completed courses in Accounting at the White Mountains Community College.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Gorham, Donna enjoys the expansion of self through diverse new experiences, reading, hiking, and music. She is past Chair of the Gorham School Board and has been a member of the Cooperative School Board, Gorham Booster Club, and United Way.
Jay Poulin
Vice-Chair, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Jay Poulin has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2009. He serves as Board Vice-Chair and is a member of the AVH Board Executive, Governance, and Planning Committees. Jay has a degree in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Berlin, Jay enjoys hockey and sports and is a member of BIDPA, Friends of Nansen Ski Jump, and Berlin Youth Hockey.
Martha LaFlamme
Secretary, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Martha Laflamme has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2013. She serves on the AVH Board Governance Committees. Martha attended Keene State College for Public Affairs/Journalism. She earned her Master of Education in Counseling and is Certified Public Manager of Leadership North Country.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Berlin, Martha enjoys reading, boating, snow shoeing, and gardening. She has served on the boards of the Berlin Recreation and Parks Department, NH Council on Alcoholism, AV Chamber of Commerce, The Family Resource Center at Gorham, and Berlin Board of Education.
Max Makaitis
Treasurer, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Max Makaitis has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2011. He serves as Board Treasurer and is a member of the AVH Board Executive, Finance, and Governance Committees. Max has a Bachelor of Science in Business Analysis and a Master of Business Administration in Finance.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Hales Location, Max enjoys snow shoeing, cross country skiing, chess, gardening, science astronomy, ancestry, and hiking with his wife Karen. He is a past member of AVER (Chair), BIDPA, CEDC, Cornerstone Housing, NH Housing Planning Council, and NH Brownfields Advisory. Max is active in philanthropic fund-raising.
Louise Belanger
Member, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Louise Belanger has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2018. Louise serves on the AVH Board Professional Affairs and Quality Committees. She is a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Home Administration.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Gorham, Louise enjoys health care, reading, crafts, camping, and four-wheeling.
Daniel van Buren, MD, FACC
Member, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Dr. Daniel van Buren has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2014, representing the AVH Medical Staff. Dr. van Buren, Cardiologist, New England Heart and Vascular Institute at AVH, joined the AVH Medical Staff in 2010. He received his Doctor of Medicine from Ross University School of Medicine, and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Nuclear Cardiology, Cardiovascular Medicine, and Adult Echocardiography and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Bethel, Maine, Dr. van Buren enjoys music (guitar), ukulele, singing, rock ‘n’ roll, snowmobiling, four-wheeling, hiking, and cooking.
Javier Cardenas, MD
Member, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Dr. Javier Cardenas has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2013. He serves on the AVH Board Quality Committee. Dr. Cardenas attended Universidad del Norte, Barrangiuilla, Atlantico, Colombia – Medico Cirujano.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Milan, Dr. Cardenas enjoys reading, tennis, and dancing.
Tim Godin
Member, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio
Mr. Godin has a degree in Electronic Engineering Technology from New Hampshire Technical Institute. He served as a full-time law enforcement officer for 24 years, retiring in 2019 as a Lieutenant. Mr. Godin also served as a member of the NH Army National Guard for nine years.
Personal Bio
A resident of Gorham, Mr. Godin enjoys hiking, biking, photography, woodworking, motorcycling, and spending time with his two children.
Eric Johnson
Member, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Eric Johnson has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2015. He serves on the AVH Board Governance and Quality Committees. Eric graduated from UNH with a major in Psychology and a minor in Sociology and later received a Master of Science in Human Services Administration from Springfield College. He has over 36 years of professional and management experience in the provision of behavioral health and developmental services. He is proficient in contracting, budget development, grant writing and program development. Eric is currently the CEO of Northern Human Services, which is a large nonprofit agency that covers Coos, Carroll, and northern Grafton counties.
Personal Bio:
A lifelong resident of Berlin, Eric enjoys the woods; hunting and fishing are his passion. He is also an avid cook and enjoys carpentry. He spends as much time as he can at his camp in the Rangeley area of Maine. He has two grown daughters who are married and live in southern NH. Eric is a Board member of the NH Community Behavioral Health Association and the Vice President of the Board of the NH Community Support Network. His work with the AVH Board allows him the opportunity to give back to the community.
Randall Labnon
Member, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Randall Labnon has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 1990. He serves on the AVH Board Ethics and Finance Committees. Randy graduated from Berlin High School in 1971 and is a 1975 graduate of the University of New Hampshire for Music Education.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Gorham, Randy enjoys music performance, golf, and travel. Since 1990, Randy has been a board member of Northway Bank and its Human Resources Committee, as well as past Chair of the Board of the St. Kieran’s Community Center for the Arts and a member of the Board of the Business and Industry Association of NH.
Attorney Thomas McCue
Member, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Attorney Thomas F. (Tom) McCue has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2018. Tom serves on the AVH Board Finance and Governance Committees. He attended Boston College and received a Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) from Franklin Pierce Law Center (n/k/a UNH School of Law).
Personal Bio:
A resident of Berlin, Tom enjoys riding his motorcycle, politics, and learning about the American Civil War. He serves on the Berlin Planning Board and the Coos County Planning Board and volunteers with the Berlin Main Street Program.
Joan Merrill
Member, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Mrs. Merrill is a retired English teacher who taught in the Berlin and Gorham, NH school systems. She is a former Board Chair of Coos County Family Health Services. Mrs. Merrill also served in the capacity of City Councilor for the City of Berlin, as well as former Commissioner for Berlin Water Works and the Berlin Housing Authority. She has also been active with the United Way of Northern New Hampshire and worked as a writer and editor at the Berlin Reporter newspaper.
Personal Bio:
Mrs. Merrill is an active volunteer for RESPONSE against Sexual and Domestic Violence, a program of Coos County Family Health Services. She has been a longtime volunteer at Androscoggin Valley Hospital and local prisons. Mrs. Merrill recently became a certified recovery coach assisting individuals working to overcome addiction. She also enjoys reading, doing crafts and spending time with her family.
Jerry Rittenhouse, MD
Member, AVH Board of Directors
A health care provider of AVH Surgical Associates since 2006, Dr. Rittenhouse earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University Medical School in Loma Linda, California in 1985. He is a member of the American Medical Association and American Urological Association.
Matthew Streeter
Member, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Matthew Streeter has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2021. He serves as Chief Financial Officer of North Country Healthcare and Androscoggin Valley Hospital. Matt has a Bachelor of Arts. Degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and a Masters of Business Administration from Lakeland University. He has 14 years of healthcare leadership experience, and 25 years of leadership experience, overall. He serves as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, as well as the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Personal Bio:
Originally from Eastern Wisconsin, Matt, and his husband are now residing in the North Country of NH. Matt enjoys cooking, camping, home brewing, and travel. He is the Past-President of the Wisconsin Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, and has served on the Council on Finance and Payment, as well as the Council on Rural Health for the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Matt was also featured on the cover of the October 2020 edition of HFM, the magazine of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Sara Verney Frechette
Member, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
Sarah Verney Frechette has been a member of the AVH Board of Directors since 2020. She holds an Associates Degree in Business Management from Granite State College, and is a graduate of both Leadership Mt. Washington Valley and Leadership New Hampshire.
Personal Bio:
A resident of the Mt. Washington Valley, Sarah is certified in ServSafe and Wilderness First Aid. She has also participated in Maine Guide training.
Michael Peterson, FACHE
President, Androscoggin Valley Hospital
Professional Bio:
Michael Peterson joined AVH in 2015 as President. In addition to leading the AVH Senior Team, he serves on all of the AVH Board Committees including Executive, Finance, Planning, Governance, and Quality. Mike has a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from the University of Maine at Orono, as well as a Master of Science in Business with a focus in Healthcare Administration from Husson College. He has served as a healthcare executive in community or Critical Access Hospitals for twenty four years. He serves on the Board of Directors, the Policy Advisory Task Force, and the Rural Health Coalition of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. In 2020, He was recognized by New Hampshire Business Review magazine as one the Top 200 Most Influential Business Leaders in the state. Mike has been a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives since 2007.
Personal Bio:
Residing in Bethel, Maine with his wife and two sons, Mike’s interests include skiing, golf, hiking, cooking, travel, mountain biking, and spending time with his family. He serves on multiple community and industry Boards, including the Northern New England Association of Healthcare Executives, the North Country Health Consortium, and the Great Northwoods Community Foundation. An active Rotarian, Mike is the Past-President of the White Mountain Rotary Club of Berlin/Gorham.
Alta Chase, D.Min.
Secretary, AVH Board of Directors
Professional Bio:
This is the second period of Board service for Alta Chase, D.Min.. She served as the Board Secretary and as a member of the AVH Board’s Ethics Committee from 2013 tol 2018. She also represents AVH as a member of the North Country Healthcare Board of Directors. Dr. Chase is a graduate of the University of Maine at Orono (BS), Bangor Theological Seminary (M.Div.); and Boston University’s School of Theology (D.Min.).
Currently a retired United Methodist Clergywoman and licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor in both NH and ME, Dr. Chase feels her broad personal and professional experience here in the North Country is a gift that she is able to give back to this community that she has come to call home.
Personal Bio:
A resident of Stratford, Alta enjoys the out-of-doors, hiking, kayaking, and raising their families of Black and Yellow Labrador Retrievers. She is an avid reader and enjoys cooking for family and friends. In addition to her volunteer role as Board Secretary, she served on the AVH Values Committee. She is a retired Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and was a member of the NH Behavioral Health Disaster Response Team.
The practitioners and support staff of AVH Surgical Associates create a friendly environment not only for patients, but also for staff. I welcome you to experience this environment yourself.