PACE Leadership
Jim Schlaman
Chief Executive Officer
Jim Schlaman brings more than 30 years of experience in healthcare to his position as CEO at PACE. Before coming to PACE, Jim was the COO at Spectrum Health Lakeland (now Corewell Health) Hospital in Niles, Michigan. Jim started his career in healthcare as an Occupational Therapist and went on to serve in numerous leadership positions at Lakeland.
Jim served as a member of the Board of Directors for PACE since its founding in 2012.
Jim received his B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California and went on to receive his M.S. with a Health Care Administration Graduate Certificate from Western Michigan University.
Jim is passionate about caring for and serving the seniors of southwest Michigan. He believes in leading by example and taking great care of the PACE team members who are compassionately taking great care of our participants, patients and families.
Dr. Jennifer White, MD Medical Director
Dr. White joined PACE of Southwest Michigan with over 14 years of experience as a primary care physician. Before coming to PACE of Southwest Michigan, Dr. White was a primary care physician at Senior CommUnity Care of Michigan in Lansing. She also served at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan in bariatric medicine, outpatient internal medicine and as a locum hospitalist.
Dr. White received her Bachelor of Arts degree, Magna Cum Laude at Southern Adventist University School of Medicine in Collegedale, Tennessee. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California and completed her residency at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. White is board-certified in Internal Medicine.
Dr. White’s goal is to provide person-centered care that focuses on what is most important to seniors living with chronic illness, and to help them and their family navigate the sometimes confusing and challenging decisions that may arise when living with their illness.
Sandi Lewis
Director of Quality and Regulatory
Sandi Lewis, Director of Quality and Regulatory at PACE, has 19 years of experience in healthcare and healthcare manufacturing and over two years of experience in long term care. Before joining PACE, Sandi served at Intercare Community Health Network in Bangor, Michigan and at Thermo Fisher Scientific in Kalamazoo, Michigan; Lafayette, Colorado; and Madison, Wisconsin. Sandi specializes in lean process and quality improvement.
She holds a certification in Practical Process Improvement and Facilitation.
Sandi has a B.S. in Organizational Communication and Psychology from Western Michigan University.
Sandi has always had a connection with the senior community. She is passionate about the PACE program and enjoys coaching and supporting the team through quality improvement initiatives.
Paula Shimulunas, RN
Director of Clinical Operations
Paula brings over 30 years of nursing experience to her role at PACE, including 10 years of leadership experience in management of primary care clinics and inpatient nursing units.
Paula received her BSN and Master’s (Clinical Nurse Leader) at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Before joining PACE, Paula was the Health Center Manager at InterCare Community Health Network in Eau Claire, MI for 5 years, and worked for Advocate Health in Wisconsin for 11 years.
Paula enjoys working with the older adult population, and is inspired by PACE’s mission to support our participants in their home environment with the support of of their family and friends. She considers nursing to be a privilege, and finds having the ability to impact participant care in a leadership capacity at PACE to be motivating and rewarding.
Loren Perry, LMSW
Director of Center Operations, Niles
Loren has been with PACE of Southwest Michigan since 2013, when he joined as a Social Worker. He then transitioned to Social Work Supervisor, to his current position as Director of Center Operations for our upcoming Niles center.
Loren received both his BSW and MSW at Andrews University, and has previously worked for Volunteers of America Michigan in their Veteran and Low-Income Housing Programs, where he worked with homeless veterans and low-income individuals to help transition to and maintain stable housing.
Loren enjoys working with the Interdisciplinary Team at PACE, seeing input from all disciplines being utilized to care for the whole person, and the opportunities to see a participant living successfully in the community.
Chris Rendell - Director of Finance
Photo and more info coming soon!
Board of Directors
As a non-profit, PACE is governed by a Board of Directors. PACE’s Board is comprised of community leaders from several area healthcare organizations including Corewell Health South, Region IV Area Agency on Aging, and Corewell Health Hospice and Palliative Care.
President
Melinda Gruber - CEO, Corewell Health Hospice and Palliative Care
Vice President
Christine Vanlandingham - CEO, Region IV Area Agency on Aging
Treasurer
Dennis Mack - Community Representative
Board Members
Michelle Barnes - Region IV Area Agency on Aging
Jeremy Franks - CFO, Region IV Area Agency on Aging
Jason Hamel - MD, Medical Director, Corewell Health South
Thomas Huyck - JD, VP, Deputy General Counsel, Corewell Health South
Jenni Miller - Region IV Area Agency on Aging
Soroya Pierre-Vanartsen - Vice President, Corewell Health Foundation Southwest Michigan, Corewell Health South
Theresa Uhrich, LMSW - COO, Region IV Area Agency on Aging
Caleb Vander Ark - Community Representative
Dan Wassenhove - (Alternate) Director, Business and Community Operations, Corewell Health Hospice and Palliative Care