Alexandria Lueth, CPA
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
Alexandria Lueth currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of CentraCare’s Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). During her time with CentraCare, Alexandria has been pivotal in the organization’s ability to successfully deliver exceptional, coordinated care for frail elderly adults in an otherwise complicated health care system.
Prior to coming to CentraCare, Alexandria worked as a financial auditor with Plante Moran. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Hope College in 2005. With an expected graduation date of May, 2018, she is also working toward a Masters’ degree in Healthcare Administration from the School of Public Health at University of Michigan.
Because of her passion for supporting older adults and promoting their independence and autonomy, Alexandria also serves as the Treasurer of the Friends of the Portage Senior Center Board of Directors. She also serves as treasurer for Western Michigan University’s Wesley Foundation. Alexandria resides in Kalamazoo with her daughter, Jordyn, and husband, Brian she enjoys running, biking, cooking and spending time at Lake Michigan in her spare time.
Laura Ferrara
Director of Operations and
Business Development
Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration
Certified in Health Care Compliance and certified in Health Care Privacy Compliance through the Health Care Compliance Association.
Laura has over 25 years of experience working in several acute and post acute health care settings with 16 years of health care corporate compliance, quality improvement, and operational experience. Laura has extensive expertise in consulting and working with a variety of health care providers to evaluate the effectiveness of their compliance and performance improvement programs as well as achieving operational efficiencies. Laura is currently the Director of Operations and Business Development for CentraCare, the PACE program in Calhoun and Kalamazoo counties in MI. In addition, Laura serves as the Chair of the NPA Regulatory Compliance Subcommittee, a member of the NPA Q! Committee, and a member of the Public Policy Committee.
Debra Beard, MD
Primary Care Physician
Debra Beard, MD, serves as a clinic Physician at CentraCare in Battle Creek. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan in 1983 and her medical degree at Wayne State School of Medicine in 1988. Upon completion of her residency in Internal Medicine at Loyola Medical Center in Chicago in 1991, Dr. Beard entered private practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan until 1997. Originally from Battle Creek, Dr. Beard returned to her home town in 1997 and worked in private practice until 2012 at which time she joined the CentraCare team as a clinical physician.
In addition to her clinical responsibilities, she also is involved in onsite training of medical students from the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine through CentraCare’s Longitudinal Clinical Experience program. Dr. Beard is a member of the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, and has been board certified in Internal Medicine since 1991.
Mehmet Ismailoglu, MD
Medical Director
Mehment B. Ismailoglu, MD, serves as the Medical Director for the CentraCare locations in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. A graduate of Albion College, “Dr. I” earned his medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean school of Medicine in Plymouth, Montserrrat. Upon completion of his residency at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan in 1993, he served in private practice until 2014 when he became the Department of Medicine Section Vice Chief at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital. While in private practice Dr. I also served as the Medical Director for the Calhoun County Correctional Facility, Medical Director for the Calhoun County Department of Public Health, Medical Director of the Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center, Chief Medical Examiner for Calhoun County, and as a hospitalist at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Battle Creek.
Dr. I joined the CentraCare team in 2016 as a clinical physician and in 2017 accepted the position of Medical Director for CentraCare. In addition to his current responsibilities he is also very involved in onsite training of medical students from the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine through CentraCare’s Longitudinal Clinical Experience program.
Wendell Diggs, PA
Physician Assistant
Wendell L. Diggs, PA-C, joined the clinical team in 2008 and serves as a Physician Assistant at CentraCare in Battle Creek. Earning his undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University in Medicine, Wendell went on to become certified as a Physician Assistant (PA-C) through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Receiving further training in the science of acupuncture, he, in addition to his PA-C responsibilities, is the resident acupuncturist for CentraCare participants both in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo.
Wendell is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants as well as the Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants. He also has a longstanding relationship with the Western Michigan University Physician Assistant program serving as a Clinical Preceptor since 1997. Additionally, Wendell is involved in onsite training of first and second year medical students from the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine through the Longitudinal Clinical Experience program as well as training the Internal Medicine, Med-Peds, and Family Practice residents doing their geriatric rotations at CentraCare.
James E. Kursch, MD
Primary Care Physician
James E. Kursch, MD, is a clinical physician at CentraCare in Battle Creek. His education has been expansive and includes studies at Valparaiso University, University of Freiburg, Germany, Concordia Sr. College, Indiana University Northwest and Cambridge University, Cambridge, England. After serving in the U.S. Army, he earned his medical degree from Indiana University in 1977. Dr. Kursch completed his residency at St. Vincent Health Center in Erie, Pennsylvania and went on to complete the Geriatric Fellowship and the Primary Care Faculty Development Fellowship at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
He began his medical practice as a private practice partner in Muskegon, Michigan, followed by serving as the Medical Director at University Park Care Center in Muskegon, Michigan and St. Lawrence Dimondale Nursing Center in Dimondale, Michigan. He then went on to become a Clinical Associate Professor at the Department of Family Medicine at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine while also serving as a Geriatrician at Sparrow Senior Health Center in Lansing, Michigan.
Over the years Dr. Kursch has held various medical positions in the field of senior health care and has been a presenter at numerous medical conferences and symposiums related to geriatric healthcare. He is a long standing member of the American Academy of Family Practice and joined the clinical team at CentraCare in 2016.
Christina M. Worgess, DNP, MSN, RN FNP-BC, NP-C
Nurse Practitioner
Christina M. Worgess, DNP, MSN, RN FNP-BC, NP-C, earned her Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Detroit Mercy and her Masters of Science in Nursing degree from Michigan State University. She is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner through the American Nurses Credentialing Center as well as the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Additionally, she is affiliated with the Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners, the American College of Nurse Practitioners, Doctors of Nursing Practice, LLC, Doctors of Nursing Practice Professional Development, Inc, and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
For the past two decades Christina has been involved in direct patient care and is committed to practicing medicine using a holistic approach with an emphasis on continuous patient education. Joining CentraCare’s clinical team in 2016, she is a strong advocate for the frail elderly. Christina is also actively involved in onsite training of medical students from the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine through CentraCare’s Longitudinal Clinical Experience program.
Michelle Huffman
Enrollment Coordinator for Battle Creek
