For alumni Steve Birchard (86MA) and Marsha Miller-Birchard (87MA/MBA), giving back to the University of Iowa Department of Health Management and Policy (HMP) through philanthropy, mentoring, and leadership is a way to say thank you for the education and skills that helped launch their successful careers.

“We’re grateful to the program because we founded our careers here and had such rewarding experiences,” says Steve.

The University of Iowa also happens to be where the couple met as graduate students in the Hospital and Health Administration program, now the Master of Health Administration program based in the College of Public Health.

“Steve was the second-year student who gave my small group of first-years a tour of the campus and program,” says Marsha, who completed her undergraduate degree at Iowa and knew the campus well.

“After the tour, she told me I got 9 out of 10 things wrong,” Steve jokes.

Steve, who grew up in Newton, Iowa, and Marsha, who is from Algona, Iowa, appreciate the training they received and connections they formed in the program.

“The program was very collegial and a great learning experience,” Steve says. “We really benefited from being on campus with a prestigious medical center. We learned from the leadership team at University of Iowa Health Care who were living what they were teaching every day.”

“Neither of us had much experience in health care prior to joining the program, so it was a tremendous help in elevating our general understanding of how health care was organized, delivered, and financed,” adds Marsha, who also earned an MBA from the Tippie College of Business.  

They both completed fellowships at Memorial Health System in South Bend, Indiana, where they also began their careers after marrying. Five years later, they moved to Chicago, where, in addition to raising three children, they both progressed into careers that were, at the time, non-traditional paths.  Steve went into consulting and Marsha into physician group management. Their choices turned out to be excellent fits, as Steve recently retired as a partner at Deloitte Consulting after a 30-year career with the firm. Marsha retired in 2018 as Executive Vice President of NorthShore Medical Group, now Endeavor Health.

The Birchards have consistently supported the Department of Health Management and Policy over the years by serving terms on the HMP alumni board, mentoring students and fellows, funding scholarships, and, most recently, establishing an endowed seminar series. The inaugural Steve Birchard and Marsha Miller-Birchard Seminar in Health Management and Policy took place May 8, 2026, at the College of Public Health.

The lectureship provides a highly respected venue for speakers to present their work, and “it’s helpful for the program to hear from an outside perspective,” Steve says.

The Birchards have also found it meaningful to support scholarships and serve as mentors to students.

“We love working with students,” Steve says. “We know how important the experience is.”

As for advice to students who are facing a rapidly changing health care landscape and new technology such as artificial intelligence, Steve has a few simple words: “Embrace it. Change can be a good thing. Have experience and some background in technology — don’t run from it, but understand it. AI has the potential to have a huge impact on health care.”

“Be open to any and all opportunities,” Marsha says. “Also, stay connected to the program, as it has a committed alumni base that can support you as you navigate your career.”

The Birchards’ strong ties to the department and program are a prime example of this alumni commitment.

“We both have fond memories of our time at Iowa,” says Marsha. “The small program allows you to develop close bonds with both the faculty and your peers.”

“We’re thankful and grateful to the program,” Steve sums up. “It made us excited about health care and passionate about our jobs and the industry.”