Amelia Broussard, PhD, RN, MPH
Medical Associate

Dr. Amelia Broussard has over 20 years in health care. Her experience includes clinical nursing in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, work as a nursing supervisor and clinical coordinator of a three tiered nursery in the Atlanta, GA area. Dr. Broussard was the original executive director of the Atlanta Health Care for Homeless program for 2 years (1988 – 1990). For six years, Dr. Broussard was a project officer/nurse consultant for the Division of Community Health Services in Region IV (Atlanta Office) of the US PHS. In 1996, Dr. Broussard began teaching full time in health care administration in a local university outside of Atlanta and began a consulting career that includes work with community health centers (compliance site visits and new start TA), Ryan White Part C and D programs as a compliance site visitor and grant reviewer, HIVQUAL consultant (quality improvement consultant) for the AIDS Institute of New York and trainer for Family Planning Programs in Region IV (southeast region).

Dr. Broussard has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Mississippi, a Masters in Public Health, Behavioral Health Sciences from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, and a
Doctor of Philosophy in Human Resource Development from the College of Education at Georgia State University.

ABroussard@theFranaGroup.com

 

Emily Curtis, MSW
Community Development Associate

Emily Curtis is the Community Care Manager for Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin. She has served as an Independent Community Health Grant consultant, and as a paid consultant to review grants for Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, School Based Health Centers, Public Housing Primary Care and Health Care for the Homeless Programs.

Currently, Ms. Curtis serves as a member of the Healthy for Life Community Solutions Team through United Way of Dane County allocating resources to address primary care, mental health and dental access issues.

Ms. Curtis graduated from the Leadership Greater Madison Program in 2008, and earned her Bachelors of Social Work in 1999 and Master of Social Work in 2000 from the University of Wisconsin Madison.

ECurtis@theFranaGroup.com

 

Raymond W. Empereur, BA, MPA
Health Planning & Administration Associate

Ray Empereur is a health and human services consultant. He recently served seven years as Executive Director of the Rockford Health Council, a non-profit health planning and advocacy group serving Winnebago, Boone and Ogle Counties in north central Illinois.

Prior to that, Mr. Empereur worked for twenty years as a Health Officer and administrator in five local health county departments in northern Illinois, including Lake County, Will County, Lee and Whiteside Counties, and Winnebago County. 

Mr. Empereur is a native of the Rockford, Illinois area and a 1969 graduate of Rockford College. He holds a Master's in Public Administration from Northern Illinois University (N.I.U.). A Fellow in the Mid-America Public Health Leadership Institute, he has also done post-graduate work in public policy and administration at N.I.U.  Mr. Empereur is active in the Illinois Public Health Association, and resides with his wife Sherry in Rockford, Illinois.

REmpereur@theFranaGroup.com

Thurman C. Gills, CPA
Financial Associate TGills@theFranaGroup.com

Bill Huesing
Financial Associate BHuesing@theFranaGroup.com

 

Karla Finnell, JD, MPH
Health Planning & Legal Associate

Karla Finnell is a Senior Health Care professional with extensive experience in health policy for medically disenfranchised populations. She holds a strong background in advocacy and policy development, health system strengthening, program development, as well as leadership and capacity building.

Ms. Finnell is currently a Principal at Strategic Business Solutions, where she focuses on business strategy and program development for non-profit organizations dedicated to medically underserved populations. Ms. Finnell also serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Kansas, and previously served as the Executive Director of the Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved. Ms. Finnell also served as the Assistant Director of the New Mexico Primary Care Association and was a practicing attorney for 12 years.

Ms. Finnell holds an M.P.H. in Health Policy and Management from the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK (with honors), a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, and a B.S., Business Administration in Finance from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK.

KFinnell@theFranaGroup.com

 

Deborah A. Fransen, BA
Community Development Associate

Deborah Fransen is a grant writing consultant. She works not only with theFranaGroup, but also, in the past, with the Northern Illinois Botanical Society, Crusaders Health Foundation, Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, Davis Memorial Park, Blackhawk Day Care Center, and Rockford Symphony Orchestra.

Deborah currently works at NIU College of Education on Special Projects. She formerly worked as a Senior Gift and Estate Planning Officer for Northern Illinois University Foundation, as Chief Development and Communications Officer for the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, and as Director of Grants at Rockford College.

Deborah holds a B.A. in English from Rockford College, and an Associate in Arts from Rock Valley College.

DFransen@theFranaGroup.com

 

Lynn Hopkins, MS
Development Associate

Lynn Hopkins has over fifteen years experience working at a community health center. She specializes in grant writing, communications, development, and operations.  She has also served as a reviewer of grant applications at the Federal and State level. 

Ms. Hopkins completed her undergraduate degree in business administration at DePaul University and her graduate degree human services administration at Spertus College.  Most recently, Ms. Hopkins completed a community health center executive fellowship at the Univeristy of Kansas Medical Center. 

LHopkins@theFranaGroup.com

Suzanne Niemi, MHA, CPA
Financial Associate

Suzanne Niemi has been involved in the health care industry for over 20 years, and in the Community Health Center program for 8 years. In addition to experience in public accounting, she has worked for hospitals and ambulatory clinics across the country. Her experience covers all facets of healthcare finance and operations. In addition to hands-on clinic operations, Suzanne worked at the Alaska Primary Care Association as a practice management specialist for four years.

Suzanne currently works part-time for a tribally-owned CHC in Alaska, and does consulting for CHCs in new access point applications, grants management and compliance, finance, strategic planning and operations.

Suzanne holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and a Masters’ degree in Health Administration from Chapman University. She is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant and has achieved Certified Medical Practice Executive status through the Medical Group Management Association.

sniemi@gci.net

 

Linda Potts
Vice President
theFranaGroup

Before joining theFranaGroup, Linda was the Executive Assistant to the President of a major regional bank in Springfield, Illinois. She managed 40 employees in 3 different departments. After leaving the bank, she served as Director, Program Development and Coordination for a not-for-profit community health access initiative in Springfield, Illinois. In this position she worked with many community organizations; from health systems, local agencies, and residency programs to professional societies to create a consortium focused on improving health outcomes and access for under and uninsured persons in Springfield and Sangamon County. Part of this effort resulted in the federal funding of the first Community Health Center in Springfield. This position perfectly aligned her to join theFranaGroup as Vice President, where she has been instrumental in developing the lines of business from securing grant funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to being comprehensive “Health Center Specialists” for FQHCs, a more comprehensive approach.

Contact Linda: LPotts@theFranaGroup.com