Megan Murphy

MARQUETTE–The Superior Health Foundation announced Tuesday that they have named Megan Murphy as the organization’s new executive director.

Murphy comes to the role after a stint as the Director for Community Health and Capacity Building at the Michigan Health Endowment Fund where she played a pivotal role in the development of a $6.5 million grant-making and nonprofit support program.

“The Superior Health Foundation is a special organization, and the impact our grants have in rural communities is profound,” said Sara Giles, President of the Superior Health Foundation board of directors. “Megan has an incredible vision and strategy to extend the foundation’s reach to all areas of the Upper Peninsula. Her creativity, drive and familiarity with the U.P. will help her succeed for years to come.”

Murphy’s role with the Michigan Health Endowment Fund started in 2016, where she started as the grants manager. Two years later, she transitioned to a role as a program officer for the fund’s Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle program. She has also held other roles in nonprofit organizations before her time with the endowment fund.

Murphy earned a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and international relations from Grand Valley State University and a Master of Public Administration from Western Michigan University. She was raised in Ironwood and currently resides in Pinckney.

“As someone who grew up in the U.P. and spent several years working on health issues in the region at a distance, this is like a homecoming for me,” Murphy said. “The Superior Health Foundation is an innovative grant-making organization that focuses exclusively on the health of U.P. residents. I look forward to bringing my experience as a statewide funder to lead the Foundation into this new chapter.”

Murphy will take over the executive director role with SHF starting on April 1. She succeeds current Executive Director Jim LaJoie who has been in the role since 2012 and will be retiring from the position in May.

For more information about the Superior health Foundation, visit them online at www.superiorhealthfoundation.org