Women Who Lead: Meet the leaders of HHRI
International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8, started over 100 years ago in 1911, focusing on women’s equality, achievements, the gender pay gap, and raising awareness about discrimination.
Later, one celebratory day turned into one week when the U.S. President proclaimed the week beginning March 7, 1982, Women’s History Week. One week morphed into one month and Women’s History Month was born in 1995, celebrating women’s achievements in American history.
Here at Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI), females make up most of our leadership team. Let’s take a further look at the women in top leadership positions at HHRI.
Kirsten Johansen, MD
Dr. Kirsten Johansen is the President of HHRI, Director of Nephrology at Hennepin Healthcare, Director of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), and Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on patients with chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease. Particularly, she studies the pathogenesis of debility and evaluates therapeutic strategies to improve functional status in patients on dialysis. Dr. Johansen is also the recipient of the 2021 National Kidney Foundation (NKF)’s J. Michael Lazarus Award for Dedication to Kidney Health.
Related Resources
https://www.hhrinstitute.org/dr-johansen-receives-nkf-j-michael-lazarus-award-for-dedication-to-kidney-health/
https://www.hhrinstitute.org/cdrg-re-awarded-united-states-renal-data-system-usrds-federal-contract/
Meghan Walsh, MD, MPH
Dr. Meghan Walsh is Hennepin Healthcare System’s (HHS) Chief Academic and Research Officer, an Associate Professor of Medicine, and the Associate Dean for Affiliate Hospitals at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Walsh is. responsible for all undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education at HHS. She is an internist specializing as a cardiac hospitalist. Her clinical expertise is in congestive heart failure, hypertension, and coronary disease.
Related Resources
https://www.hhrinstitute.org/researcher-resources/research-symposium-03-06-2024-recap/
https://healthymatters.org/the-scourge-of-black-licorice-detective-pitbull-breaks-the-case/
Kim Miller
Kim Miller serves as the Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer (COO) for HHRI, overseeing daily operations and leading the team carrying out HHRI’s strategy to advance its mission. Miller has been with the organization for over 25 years. In this time, she’s seen the research institute more than double its size, integrate with Hennepin Healthcare System (HHS), and change its name from Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation (MMRF) to its current name in 2018. She’s committed to supporting research that empowers people to take control of their own health and ensuring the work at HHRI makes a difference for our communities.
Related Resources
https://www.hhrinstitute.org/about-us/facts-and-figures
https://www.hhrinstitute.org/newsroom/women-in-science/
Allyson Hart, MD, MS
Dr. Allyson Hart wears many hats, including as a nephrologist at Hennepin Healthcare, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota, and Deputy Director of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. In addition, she’s Co-Chair of Hennepin Healthcare’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Co-Director of the University of Minnesota’s Mothers Leading Science program. Dr. Hart’s research focuses on patient engagement in research and policy, risk prediction, and the use of statistical modeling to create tools that are useful in clinical settings.
Related Resources
https://www.hhrinstitute.org/hhri-investigators-highlighted-by-ctsi-as-umn-mothers-leading-science/
Sandra Japuntich, PhD, LP
Dr. Sandra Japuntich is a tobacco-dependence researcher with a strong focus on promoting health equity through identifying and treating tobacco use among vulnerable populations. She is the Co-Director of the Behavioral Health Equity Research Group (BHERG), aimed at creating and testing unique behavioral treatments that improve behavioral and mental health for underserved communities. In recent years, she accepted a new HHRI position as the Director of Training and Mentoring, which focuses on training and mentoring for junior faculty and mid-career investigators.
Related Resources
Kate Diaz Vickery, MD, MSc
Dr. Kate Diaz Vickery is the Co-Director and Principal Investigator of the Health, Homelessness, and Criminal Justice (HHCJ) Lab at HHRI and the Medical Director of Hennepin County Health Care for the Homeless. She’s a family medicine practitioner specializing in the care of people experiencing homelessness. Her research focuses on how the healthcare system can better support people experiencing homelessness living with diabetes and other chronic diseases. In 2024, Dr. Vickery was appointed as HHRI’s first Vice President of Engagement.
Related Resources
https://www.hhrinstitute.org/dr-kate-diaz-vickery-named-hhris-first-vice-president-of-engagement/
Connie White Delaney, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, FNAP
Dr. Connie White Delaney is the HHRI Board Chair and Professor and Dean at the University of Minnesota’s School of Nursing. She’s received numerous awards and honors, including the 2025 Most Notable Health Care Leader from Minneapolis Business Journal and Twin Cities Business 2020 Notable Heroes in Health Care. She’s also the co-author of many journal publications and the primary author of the books Leading with Love and a 4-book series on Nursing & Informatics for the 21st Century.
Related Resources
https://www.hhrinstitute.org/board-of-directors-2/