Health Care Workforce & Education Committee

Formerly the MERC Committee

The committee was established in 1993 by the Minnesota Legislature to examine the financing of medical education and research in Minnesota's changing health care market. The committee has provided essential support to the Department of Health, both through legislative recommendations and analysis of pertinent issues.

Meeting information

• View and download Meeting Materials

Refer to the agenda for call–in information.

• Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 1-3 p.m., virtual meeting
• Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 1-3 p.m., virtual meeting
• Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 1-3 p.m., virtual meeting

Committee Members

• Bradley Benson, MD
  M Health - Fairview Health System
  Chief Academic Officer
  benso040@umn.edu
• Susan Culican, MD
  University of Minnesota
  Associate Dean of GME & Professor of Ophthalmology 
  culican@umn.edu
• David Dahlen
  Mayo Clinic
  Administrator
  dahlen.david@mayo.edu
• Roger Dearth, MBA
  Mayo Clinic
  Finance Director, Department of Development 
  dearth.roger@mayo.edu
• Kelly Frisch, MD
  HealthPartners
  Executive Director of Health Professional Education 
  kelly.k.frisch@healthpartners.com
• Miranda Gilmore, Psy.D., LMFT, LP
  Fraser Integrated Healthcare
  Director, Clinical Staff Development and Compliance 
  miranda.gilmore@fraser.org
• Badrinath Konety, MD
  Allina
  Chief Academic Officer
  Badrinath.Konety@allina.com
• Kimberly Lakhan, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C
  College of St. Scholastica
  Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant Program 
  klakhan@css.edu
• Robert Miner, MD, FACP
  Allina Health/Abbott Northwestern Hospital Director, Medical Education/Designated Institutional Official
  robert.miner@allina.com
• Christine Mueller, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN 
  University of Minnesota
  Senior Executive Associate Dean for Academic Programs, School of Nursing
  cmueller@umn.edu
• Nate Mussell, JD
  Fairview
  Vice President of Public Policy
  Nate.Mussell@fairview.org
• Peter Nalin, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAFP
  University of Minnesota, Duluth
  Associate Dean for Rural Medicine & Professor/Dept Head Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health 
  pnalin@d.umn.edu
• Michelle Noltimier, RN, BSN, MBA 
  HealthPartners Institute
  Director of PA & NP Graduate Education
  michelle.t.noltimier@healthpartners.com
• Sheila Riggs, DDS, DMSc - VICE CHAIR
  University of Minnesota
  Chair, Department of Primary Dental Care & Director, Public Policy
  sriggs@umn.edu
• Thomas Satre, MD - CHAIR
  CentraCare
  Program Director, Family Medicine Residency Program 
  satret@centracare.com
• Troy Taubenheim
  Metro Minnesota Council on GME Director
  taube019@umn.edu
• Meghan Walsh, MD, MPH
  Hennepin County Medical Center
  Chief Academic Officer/DIO
  meghan.walsh@hcmed.org
• Lynda Welage, PharmD, FCCP 
  University of Minnesota
  Dean and Professor, College of Pharmacy 
  lwelage@umn.edu