Our Leadership

Tonya Darner, MBA

Market Chief Executive Officer

Tonya Darner serves as the market chief executive officer of UP Health System – Marquette and UP Health System – Bell.  A healthcare executive with more than 25 years of experience, Tonya brings a deep background in clinical operations, strategic growth, and medical practice management across both civilian and military healthcare systems.

She began her career in the United States Air Force, where she served for 20 years in progressively responsible roles, culminating in senior leadership within medical operations. Her military service instilled in her a disciplined, mission-driven leadership style and a strong foundation in patient-centered care, operational efficiency, and team development.

Following her military retirement in 2011, Tonya transitioned into civilian healthcare leadership and held several key positions at UP Health System – Marquette, including senior director of neurosciences, imaging, and on-call specialist services, and director of regional operations across multiple service lines. In 2021, she returned to UPHS – Marquette as chief operating officer after serving as COO at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, a leading tertiary care center in Wisconsin.

Throughout her career, Tonya has led high-performing teams, overseen complex clinical operations, and advanced initiatives to improve access, quality, and patient outcomes in rural and regional healthcare settings. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to delivering high-value care and fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and service.

Lisa Long, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Board-certified in family medicine and integrative medicine, Dr. Long is a longtime UP Health System physician, where she has been practicing for more than 23 years. She brings extensive medical expertise and clinical leadership experience, having held roles such as chief of staff, section chair for the Department of Family Medicine, and faculty physician for the UPHS – Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program through Michigan State University.

Dr. Long earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Michigan State University (Lyman Briggs), a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Michigan Medical School, and completed her residency in family medicine at Marquette General Hospital (now UP Health System – Marquette), where she served as chief resident for two years. She later completed a fellowship in integrative medicine at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Her professional memberships include the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, and the Michigan State Medical Society.

As chief medical officer, Dr. Long oversees the medical operations of the hospital and ensures patients and staff are cared for with the utmost quality and safety. She also serves as the primary liaison between medical staff and administrators and supports medical staff recruitment, retention and professional growth.

Outside of work, Dr. Long is an active member of the greater Marquette community and enjoys hiking, gardening, kayaking, beekeeping, camping and spending quality time with her family.

Meg McConnell, DNP, MSN, RN

Chief Nursing Officer

Meg joined UP Health System – Marquette in early 2023 as the assistant chief nursing officer. She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Science in nursing through Chamberlain College of Nursing’s executive leadership program. 

Meg previously served as director of the intensive care unit, respiratory therapy, cardiac rehabilitation and inpatient hemodialysis at Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde, North Carolina, where she led efforts to deliver high-quality care and foster a growth-oriented environment. Prior to that, she held various nursing leadership roles at hospitals in Ohio, with a focus on emergency and critical care.

Throughout her career, she has championed initiatives to improve patient safety, staff engagement and clinical outcomes in high-acuity rural and community hospital settings. Her leadership is rooted in evidence-based practice, operational efficiency and a commitment to transparency, professional development and compassionate care.

Jason Collins, PHD, MBA-HCA, RN, NEA-BC, CCRN-K

Vice President of Operations

Dr. Collins brings more than 21 years of nursing and leadership experience to the role and will oversee the clinical administration of the heart and vascular, perioperative, oncology and imaging service lines.

A board-certified advanced nurse executive and critical care nurse, Dr. Collins previously worked as a cardiovascular nurse, flight nurse and critical care educator. He later served as director of clinical operations for Indiana’s largest cardiovascular and pulmonary service line, and expanded into multi-facility operations management, leading successful reaccreditation efforts.

Dr. Collins earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Toronto, an MBA in health care administration from Indiana Wesleyan University, and a Ph.D. in nursing science and advanced cardiovascular sciences from Indiana University at Indianapolis. His doctoral work explored the relationship between cognitive deficits in acute decompensated heart failure and early hospital readmissions.

Originally a professional violinist, Dr. Collins enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Sarah, and their two daughters. He is committed to promoting clinical excellence, team engagement and high-quality health care for the community.

Polly Hockberger, MS, MLS (ASCP)CM

Vice President of Operations

Polly brings more than 25 years of progressive leadership and laboratory operations experience to the role. A proud native of the Marquette area, Polly began her career at Marquette General Hospital in 1995 as a phlebotomist. After gaining valuable experience elsewhere, she returned to Marquette in 2005 and has been instrumental in advancing health care services in the region ever since.

Throughout her career, Polly has held several key leadership positions, including director of laboratory services and laboratory manager for quality and compliance. She has successfully led multiple laboratory accreditations, including Joint Commission, AABB, CAP and FDA inspections, and has been at the forefront of implementing strategic initiatives to improve laboratory efficiency, patient outcomes and operational excellence.

Polly holds a Master of Science degree in clinical molecular genetics and a Bachelor of Science degree in clinical laboratory science from Northern Michigan University, where she also served as a laboratory instructor. She is certified as a medical laboratory scientist (ASCP) and medical technologist (AMT), among other professional credentials.

Dedicated to high-quality patient care and continuous improvement, Polly is passionate about driving operational success while maintaining strong partnerships with health care providers, employees and community stakeholders.

Peter Camilli, MHA, MA, CMPE

Regional Vice President, Medical Group Practices

Peter Camilli joined UP Health System in June 2020 and is the regional vice president of physician services. In this role, he oversees strategic operations for the clinics and physician practices of UP Health System’s three hospitals.

A servant leader with extensive experience in physician practice administration, Camilli has held roles across the Midwest, including director of clinic operations at Wheaton Franciscan Medical Group in Waterloo, Iowa, and administrative director of medical and surgical specialties at Ascension Medical Group in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is an active member of the Medical Group Management Association and serves as president of the board of directors for the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Upper Peninsula Education Corporation.

Camilli holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, and a Master of Arts in geography and geographic information systems from the University of Oklahoma.

Julie Nordberg, MSN, RN, CPPS

Executive Director of Nursing

Julie brings more than nine years of progressive nursing leadership experience within the organization. She most recently served as director of inpatient nursing services, where she oversaw multiple clinical departments and played a key role in driving quality improvement initiatives, staff development and operational efficiencies.

Julie’s diverse background includes previous roles as clinical director for ICU/cardiac, clinical nurse educator, nurse manager of the medical/oncology unit, and bedside registered nurse in various critical care and medical-surgical units. Her strong foundation in both clinical and operational leadership, along with her commitment to evidence-based practice, regulatory readiness and staff engagement, has consistently improved patient care outcomes and team performance.

Julie holds a Master of Science in nursing from Chamberlain University, a Master of Arts in education, and bachelor’s degrees in nursing and elementary education from Northern Michigan University. She is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety and an active member of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership.