Join us for a panel discussion on the trends affecting healthcare and the state of healthcare in the Springfield area. Club president Joyce Nardulli will moderate a discussion with Mandy Eaton, president and CEO, Memorial Health; Rebecca Birenbaum, CEO, Springfield Clinic; Brian Brennan, president and CEO, HSHS Central Illinois Market; and Dr. Chris McDowell, executive associate dean, SIU Medicine. Doors open at 7:30 am for free coffee and networking.

SIU School of Medicine

Dr. Christopher McDowell is Executive Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at the SIU School of Medicine. He is an alumnus of SIU School of Medicine (Class of 2005), Chair of Emergency Medicine, Associate Professor, and Medical Director for the Memorial Learning Center. He previously served as Assistant Program Director (2009–2011) and Program Director (2011–2017) for the Emergency Medicine Residency Program and later as Vice Chair of Emergency Medicine. His leadership portfolio includes oversight of the Office of Correctional Medicine, Telehealth, Rural Health and Social Service Development, Community Care, and development of the SIU System’s Institute for Rural Health. He holds an M.Ed. in Health Professions Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, and completed physician assistant training at Finch University/Chicago Medical School.

HSHS St. John's Hospital

Brian Brennan is Central Illinois Market President and CEO, and President and CEO of HSHS St. John’s Hospital. He brings more than 20 years of executive healthcare leadership experience across integrated delivery networks, community hospitals, and rural health systems. Prior to joining HSHS, he served as Chief Operating Officer of the Greater Austin Region for Baylor Scott & White Health and previously as System Vice President and COO of UT Health East Texas Medical Center. He holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of South Florida and a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Technology from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and is board certified in healthcare management by the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Springfield Clinic

Rebecca Birenbaum is Chief Executive Officer of Springfield Clinic. She previously served as Chief Operating Officer of Vancouver Clinic in Washington for seven years and brings more than 25 years of healthcare leadership experience spanning operations and human resources. Her background includes strategic planning, physician and employee engagement, fiduciary management, and team development within large outpatient care organizations. She holds a Juris Doctor from Lewis & Clark Law School, an MBA from American University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Earlham College.

Memorial Health

Dr. Mandy C. Eaton is President and CEO of Memorial Health, a role she assumed on April 1, 2025. She previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Cone Health, where she also held executive leadership roles in people and culture and human resources. Her career has focused on healthcare operations, workforce strategy, and organizational leadership in multi-hospital systems. She holds a BS in Public Health and an MS in Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a PhD in Leadership Studies from North Carolina A&T State University. She is certified as SPHR and SHRM-SCP and serves on the boards of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association and the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance.