DR. JOHN MULDER, MD, FAAHPM, HMDC – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
John Mulder, M.D., is a leader in the field of palliative care. Improving the quality of life for his patients has always been a matter of service to Dr. Mulder, and his career reflects that. As a nationally recognized authority on end-of-life issues and pain management, Dr. Mulder has become a sought-after speaker on these topics. He began his engagement in hospice, end-of-life care, and palliative medicine in 1984. He was certified as a hospice and palliative medicine specialist in 2000. Maintaining a passion for medical education, he has taught at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and currently teaches at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine where he serves as the Director of the Division of Palliative Medicine.. He is also the director of the Mercy Health Grand Rapids Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program. Dr. Mulder had the distinction of providing congressional testimony in the midst of the opioid crisis in 2018, and was selected to receive the 2019 AAHPM PDIA Palliative Medicine Community Leadership Award by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
SANDY REATINI – PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Sandy Reatini has varied work experience in healthcare including as a Physical Therapist Assistant, a Recruiter, and a Volunteer Coordinator. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations from Michigan State University followed by many years of customer service roles in the furniture industry and academia. Sandy is now honored to give her energy to the institute where she can educate others on the holistic and universal benefits of palliative care.
ASSOCIATED FACULTY
JASON R. BECKROW, DO, FACOI, HMDC
Dr. Beckrow attended Kalamazoo College and completed his undergraduate education at the Lyman Briggs Honor College of Michigan State University (MSU). He attended medical school at MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Ingham Regional Medical Center in Lansing, Michigan. This was followed by a Medical Oncology Fellowship conducted through MSU and the Great Lakes Cancer Institute at the Breslin Cancer Center in Lansing.
Dr. Beckrow is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Hospice & Palliative Medicine. He is a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Internists (FACOI) and is Hospice Medical Director Certified (HMDC). Dr. Beckrow serves as the Medical Director for Caring Circle – Spectrum Health Lakeland and is an Adjunct Clinical Professor for Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Dr. Beckrow enjoys being involved in many community organizations and is proud to serve on the Board of Education for Lakeshore Public Schools. In his spare time, Dr. Beckrow enjoys hiking portions of the Appalachian Trail, delving into any history-related literature, and traveling with his wife, Kate, and their children, Justin and Caroline.
PATRICK FITZGIBBON, DO, MPA, MS, CMD
Dr. Fitzgibbon completed his undergraduate education at Spring Arbor University and attended several U.S. Air Force officer schools before matriculating through medical school at Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSU-COM). He served his internship and residency in Family Medicine at Mercy Health Partners in Muskegon, Michigan. Dr. Fitzgibbon’s professional and personal experiences with end-of-life care and symptom management in chronic disease led him from Family Medicine to the fields of Geriatrics and Hospice & Palliative Medicine where he has practiced for over a decade.
Dr. Fitzgibbon is Board Certified in Hospice & Palliative Medicine. He holds a Masters of Public Administration from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and a Masters of International Relations from Troy University’s Kaiserslautern, Germany campus. Dr. Fitzgibbon serves as the Medical Director for Faith Hospice and Trillium Palliative Services in Grand Rapids, and is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine with the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MSU-CHM). He is an attending physician at Faith Hospice’s Trillium Woods in-patient hospice facility, and an attending physician and nursing home medical director through Trinity Health, St Mary’s Geriatrics in Grand Rapids. He is a Certified Medical Director and Certified Hospice Medical Director (CHMD).
Dr. Fitzgibbon enjoys precepting and lecturing and brings a wealth of experiences beyond medicine to his didactics; including six years of active military service as well as experience in the arenas of Public Administration, International Relations, and Christian Ministry. He is an advocate for holistic care of the whole-person; mind, body, and spirit.
In his free time, Dr Fitzgibbon enjoys playing and coaching ice hockey and he is USA Hockey Level IV Certified coach. He also continues to work toward a Masters Degree in History and a Masters of Divinity and enjoys all things outdoors in his native Upper Peninsula with his spouse, Heidi, and his three children (Dane, Jack, And Skye).
CAROL ROBINSON, DNP, MS, BSN, RN, CHPN
Dr. Robinson has had a varied nursing career, spanning critical and palliative care in both clinical and administrative leadership positions. Her passion for the care of seriously ill patients and their families led to extensive experience with patient/family communication relative to quality of life and treatment preferences. Her scholarly work has focused on communication skills for health professionals, including advance care planning conversations. Her friendly and open approach has helped many individuals create an advance directive reflective of one’s own personal values, beliefs, and preferences for end-of-life care. Dr. Robinson has served as an adjunct nursing faculty member at GVSU and in the postgraduate interprofessional hospice and palliative care certificate program. She serves on numerous local non-profit Boards and committees in an effort to promote patient advocacy.