New Gundersen HR VP leads with people-first focus
Shannon Mulligan will tell you success can often be found in the three “P’s.”
“People. Purpose. Possibility. Connecting these incredibly important elements is key to creating the experiences we want for everyone the organization serves – employees, consumers, and the community. With a focus on people and alignment to a clear purpose, so much is possible,” Shannon shares.
“I am drawn to Gundersen Health System because of the organization’s vision, mission, strategic direction, and the talented team. I’m particularly excited about Gundersen’s investment in employees, patients, and in the communities in Gundersen’s care, and the possibilities in the months and years ahead. I look forward to building relationships and learning about the organization so I can continue to advance our mission through innovative people strategies and programs.
With more than 25 years of Human Resources experience in large health systems, Shannon joins Gundersen as the system’s vice president of Total Rewards. This new leadership role will evolve Gundersen HR processes and programs to best serve people across the system.
“Shannon’s executive experience in larger health systems, each with multi-state complexities and rapid system growth, will be so valuable as Gundersen grows,” says Mary Ellen McCartney, chief human resources officer. “I’m excited about Shannon’s ability to help us as we evolve our compensation, benefits, HRIS, and people analytics strategies to serve our staff and seize the opportunities we have in the talent market.”
Shannon most recently served as system vice president, HR Operations and Technology, at PeaceHealth based in Vancouver, Washington. Prior to that, Shannon served in numerous HR leadership positions at Fairview Health Services and then M Health Fairview (Minneapolis, Minnesota), including vice president of HR Solutions, director of HR Technology, and director of Employee Services.
In these positions, Shannon has been able to leverage data to inform and guide decision making and use technology to reduce manual processes for our employees and leaders. Also, Shannon and her teams have improved HR service delivery to improve employee satisfaction and quality, and redesigned Total Rewards programs to better meet employee and organizational needs.
“I have a passion for healthcare,” Shannon says. “It has such a profound impact on all of us, and I’ve dedicated my career to improving the services and solutions for our care providers so they can focus on patients and the community. Joining Gundersen is an exciting opportunity to connect people, purpose and possibility to deliver results.”
Shannon, a Northfield, Minnesota native, received bachelor's and master's degrees from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She also is credentialed as a Senior Certified Professional (SCP) through the Society for Human Resources Management and a Certified Change Practitioner through PROSCI. Additionally, Shannon volunteers as a mentor at the Hamline University School of Business.