Executive Leadership
Board of Advisors
Chad S. Priest, Chair
Chad S. Priest is an attorney with Baker & Daniels, LLP. Before joining Baker & Daniels, Priest was nurse consultant and paralegal at Schultz & Trombly, PLLC where he served as case manager for a number of major medical malpractice actions. Previously, Priest served on active duty in the United States Air Force, first as charge nurse on the surgical unit with the 89th Medical Group at Andrews Air Force Base, and later as primary care optimization nurse at the Malcolm Grow Medical Center Family Practice Residency Program. He is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing and the American Association of Nurse Attorneys. Priest graduated with distinction from Indiana University School of Nursing and with honors from the George Washington University Law School, where he was a Dean’s Fellow in the legal research and writing department.
Carol Applegate
Carol S. Applegate, BSN, MSEd, JD, attorney at law, is currently an adjunct professor for Medical Law and Ethics at the University of Indianapolis. She earned her BSN from Indiana University School of Nursing, her Master of Science in education from Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne and her Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Lansing, Michigan. Applegate is a member of the Indiana Bar Association, Sigma Theta Tau International, the American Association of Nurse Attorneys and an adjunct professor at IU School of Nursing. She has a professional history that included hospital director of nurses, obstetrics nursing, psychiatric nursing and clinical instruction, and risk management consultation. In addition, Applegate has been a general practice attorney for over 10 years.
Elaine E. Bedel
Elaine E. Bedel is the president and owner of Bedel Financial Consulting Inc. in Indianapolis. She has 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, providing financial planning and investment management services to individuals and business owners. Prior to founding Bedel Financial Consulting, she was director of personal financial planning at Coopers & Lybrand and vice president and trust officer at Indiana National Bank. Bedel writes The Inside Edge, a weekly column on financial planning for Inside Indiana Business and has been published in the Indianapolis Business Journal, The Indianapolis Star, and Indianapolis Monthly. Bedel is the 2006 chairperson of the Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB) and serves on the national board of the Foundation for Financial Planning. She has a BA from Hanover College and an MBA from Butler University.
Sherrie Bossung
Sherrie Bossung is the manager of Global Corporate Branding with Eli Lilly and Co. and has served in different capacities for Eli Lilly over the years. Her past professional positions include manager of clinical research at St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center in St. Paul, Minnesota; clinical research associate at Bristol Myers Squibb; and critical care nurse at Welborn Baptist Hospital in Evansville, Indiana. Bossung earned her BSN degree from University of Evansville and her MBA from University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Bossung serves on the boards of American Nurses Foundation, International Nursing Leadership, and Every Child by Two.
Betsy Kovacik
Betsy Kovacik, an account sales manager with Royal Philips Electronics, Medical Division, for the last 13 years, has an extensive background in nursing. Kovacik previously worked at Indiana University (IU) Hospital in critical care nursing, was a Corporate Nurse Coordinator at Vital Incorporated, Cardiac Rehabilitation and a Clinical Nurse Specialist with Hewlett Packard Medical Division. She earned an associate degree in respiratory therapy from IU and worked for several years as a respiratory therapist at IU Hospital. In addition, Kovacik earned a BSN degree from IU. She worked a summer as a nurse for Camp Riley, a specialized camp for physically and mentally challenged children and volunteers as a nurse assistant for Creekside Middle School.
Barbara McElroy Kunkler
Barbara McElroy Kunkler, a community activist, nurse, and former hospital administrator, received her GN from the IU School of Nursing in 1951. She was a charge nurse in emergency admitting and out-patient clinics as well as the first director in the United States for a new surgery intensive care unit. Kunkler has over 28 years experience in hospital administration in various directorship positions including patient referrals, admissions, utilization review, and physician relocation. She has been active in the Woodburn Guild Board and IU Alumni Association (IUAA) Insurance Committee. Kunkler retired in 1994 and spends her time with her husband, Arnold W. Kunkler, traveling between Indianapolis and Fort Myers, Florida, where she is active in the Gulf Coast Symphony Society and Fort Myers Hope Hospice Foundation.
Edward G. Leer
Ed Leer is president of Profficee, a physician service designed and created to provide the “patient dedicated” physician full service products and service offerings. Leer was formerly vice president of HealthCare Solutions at Verias, LLC/Next Stage Development and was the former chief information officer (CIO) at ONEX, Inc, a consulting company specializing in e-business, technology, finance, and business process reengineering. Prior to joining ONEX, Leer served as CIO for Acordia, a major insurance/brokerage firm. His education includes a BS in accounting from Indiana University and a Computer Systems fellowship from MIT in a joint AT&T/MIT program. Leer is an active member of IU’s Indianapolis Alumni committee.
Julie A. Meek
Julie A. Meek, DNS, is the founder and CEO of The Haelan Group. She has been designing, testing, and evaluating systems and processes for effective population health management for nearly two decades. Meek’s long-term research and development efforts have been focused on predictive modeling and high-risk management, resulting in the One Care Street™ product suite for The Haelan Group, which she founded in 1995. Meek completed her doctoral work with highest distinction in the areas of behavioral science and health management at Indiana University School of Nursing. She speaks frequently at national conferences and has publications on the subjects of behavior change, behavioral coaching, outcomes evaluation, systems approach to health management, and predictive modeling.
Samuel Odle
Samuel Odle was named CEO of Indiana University and Methodist Hospitals and executive vice president of Clarian Health Partners in September 2004 and is the former senior vice president and chief operating officer of Clarian Health. He earned his BS in Allied Health Education and his MS in Hospital Administration from Indiana University. Odle is a fellow with the American College of Health Care Executives and has received several awards recognizing service and leadership, including the 1986 Indiana Jefferson Award, Meritorious Hoosier Award, and the 1990 National Emerging Leader in Healthcare Award.
Marya E. Overby
Marya E. Overby, attorney, is currently special counsel for economic development at the Indianapolis mayor Bart Peterson’s office. She was previously of counsel with Sommer & Barnard, practicing in the area of Estate Planning and Administration. Other former positions include associate director of Planned Giving Services at the IU Foundation and account officer in NBD’s Estate and Guardianship Administration Department at the IU School of Medicine, Vice President and Trust Officer for NBD, N.A., Indianapolis. She received an AB degree in American government from Harvard University and a JD from IU School of Law in Indianapolis. Overby is a member of various bar associations and civic memberships.
Amy Minick Peterson
Amy Minick Peterson, First Lady of Indianapolis, is the president of Minick Peterson, LLC, a consulting firm with an emphasis on strategy, marketing, and communications. She was formerly the managing director of Copper Advertising, a full-service advertising firm. Other positions include serving as director of marketing communications for Community Hospitals Indianapolis and working in community relations at a health center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Minick Peterson serves on the boards of the Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens, the International Center of Indianapolis, the IU National Center of Excellence in Women's Health External Advisory Board, and supports many other civic efforts. She received a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Jonathan West
Jonathan West is the Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, serving as the chief legal officer for the last 13 years. He has been designated by the Board of Directors as the bank’s Ethics Officer. In addition, West was an associate with the Indianapolis law firm, White & Raub, where he was engaged in general civil and corporate practice with primary emphasis in insurance defense, director liability and construction litigation. He earned his BA and MBA degrees from Indiana University as well as his Doctorate of Jurisprudence. He is a member of the Indiana Bar, American Bar Association, and the Indiana State Bar Association. West has been the corporate secretary for the last several years for the Geist Harbours Property Owners Association Board of Directors.
Ex Officio
Virginia A. Caine
Virginia A. Caine, MD, is director of the Marion County Health Department and associate professor at Indiana University School of Medicine. Prior to her appointment at IU, she was assistant professor of medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She earned her MD from the State University of New York, Upstate Medical School, Syracuse and took her residency in internal medicine at the University of Cincinnati. She then completed a fellowship in infectious diseases at the University of Washington in Seattle. Professional commitments include serving on numerous expert panels and chairing both the AIDS Section and the Infectious Disease Section of the National Medical Association. In 1999, she was selected by the Association as Internist of the Year.
Cora Hartwell
Cora Hartwell is president of the IU School of Nursing Alumni Association Board.
