Leadership
Jill Wiedemann-West joined People Incorporated as its first Chief Operating Officer in 2010. She was promoted to CEO in 2014. Wiedemann-West’s professional background and experience include healthcare operations, management, and service development. Before joining People Incorporated, she was a chief operating officer at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. She holds a Master of Arts in Psychology and Human Behavior from the National University of San Diego and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Social Work from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Jill has had the privilege of speaking and advocating for mental illness care in Minnesota as part of the state’s largest community-based provider.
She has also been fortunate to use various avenues to spread awareness and knowledge on this critical issue as a frequent podcast guest for Medical Alley, participating in media interviews, and had the honor of speaking and serving as a panelist at both local and national events, including a recent engagement with Open Minds.
Congratulations to Jill for being honored by Minnesota 500 magazine (Minnesota Monthly) as one of the state’s 500 most powerful and influential leaders in 2022!
As Chief Financial Officer, Kellan Tittle is focusing on strengthening the organizational cash position, generating financial reserves, and expanding the revenue base. He joined People Incorporated as a financial analyst in 2013, and for the past nine years, he has held various financial and cross-functional leadership roles. As CFO, he oversees all the organization’s financials, assets, and risk management. His professional background and experience include financial analysis, performance management, and business strategy. Kellan holds a Master of Business Administration in Corporate Finance/Risk Management, a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN) and completed the Harvard Business School executive education in Strategic CFO leadership.
Wendy Waddell joined People Incorporated in 2019 as the Chief Operating Officer. She brings more than 25 years of psychiatric care leadership experience to her COO role. Waddell leads People Incorporated’s Strategic Business Units in successful and comprehensive client services. Before People Incorporated, Waddell served as the director of inpatient mental health at Regions Hospital for over a decade. In addition to her professional achievements, Waddell has demonstrated a deep commitment to the wider community People Incorporated serves. She is a member of the Minnesota Hospital Association Mental Health Taskforce for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) collaboration and a guiding member of the “Make It OK” anti-stigma campaign Steering Committee. Waddell earned a Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Manitoba, a Master of Nursing with a specialization in psychiatry from the University of Texas, as well as a Ph.D. in health care administration from Capella University.
Mike Turpin is the Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel and joined People Incorporated in 2015. His background includes over ten years of legal experience in the health care and government fields, including serving as General Counsel for MNsure, where he served on the senior management team and managed all legal and compliance functions for the agency. He also served as Deputy General Counsel for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, providing advice and assistance to the department on various legal topics. Prior to his legal career, Turpin was a public school teacher working with children with learning differences. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College and his Juris Doctor from the University of St. Thomas School of Law.
People Incorporated is thrilled to share that Mike was named by Twin Cities Business magazine as one of the 2022 Notable General Counsel.
Karen Kaplan, MS, SHRM-SCP, serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer for People Incorporated. In 2003, Karen decided to shift her career trajectory from the for-profit sector and instead align her values with a mission-driven organization.
Kaplan found her place with People Incorporated in November of 2017 and, prior to that, had served other nonprofits in various human resources roles. She is known for her strong commitmen
t to integrity, social justice, and inclusive leadership. These values align with People Incorporated’s, and she especially appreciates the organization’s commitment to continuous learning and the ability to create development opportunities for our employees.
Kaplan brings her expertise in transformational human resource strategy, leadership, and organizational development to People Incorporated by leading the charge of numerous employee development programs and fostering a workplace culture built on a framework of respect, trust, transparency, and inclusion.
Kaplan builds her team and department policies informed by these values. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in business management from Bethel University, a master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology from Touro University, and the Senior Certified Professional designation from the Society of Human Resources Management. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her family, hiking, and volunteering to develop future business leaders.
Twin Cities Business magazine has recognized Karen as a 2023 Notable Leader in Recruitment & Talent. People Incorporated thanks Karen for her persistence in developing workforce solutions while tapping into staff members’ talents and goals.
People Incorporated promoted physician and psychiatrist, Dr. Beverly R. Lewis, to the position of medical director in 2020. Dr. Lewis has more than 20 years specializing in addiction medicine and as a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist in public and private practice.
As medical director, Dr. Lewis will oversee all integrated clinical practices, maintain and improve quality of care, and support innovation and growth strategies for outpatient and residential programs.
Prior to joining People Incorporated in 2012, Dr. Lewis served as an Addiction Medicine Specialist and Hospitalist at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul and St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood, Minnesota. She spent several years as a Consultation Psychiatrist for Rule 29 clinics; Thad Wilderson and Associates in St. Paul and African American Family Services in Minneapolis, and served as the Psychiatry Co-leader for Collaborative Office Rounds, Developmental Pediatrics and Child Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
Scholarly and research interests include:
- addiction, mental illness, trauma
- cancer, anorexia, diabetes
Professional affiliations:
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- American Psychiatric Association
- Minnesota Medical Association
- Minnesota Psychiatric Association
- Minnesota Women Psychiatrists
- Hennepin and Ramsey Counties Medical Societies.
Dr. Lewis earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley and her medical degree at the University of Minnesota Medical School. She has held several professional leadership roles throughout her career, including serving as a board member for Parent’s Coalition for Educational Rights (PACERS).
Dr. Lewis enjoys working with individuals of all ages – providing the opportunity to always learn and keep pace with advancements in psychiatry and neurology.
People Incorporated welcomed Veronika E. Mix from Atlanta, Georgia, as the Vice President of Community Engagement in 2022. Mix brings more than 15 years of experience in healthcare, specializing in client engagement, integrated marketing, and community relations, with a strong history of building relationships and programs that support the client experience. Mix has an MBA in Marketing from Strayer University in Atlanta and a BBA in Management from Robert Morris University in Chicago.
