Executive Team
Shaun Keef, Chief Executive Officer
Shaun Keef began service as the Chief Executive Officer for Central Peninsula Hospital in July 2022. Shaun has more than 23 years of experience working in both the profit and non-profit side of healthcare as a CFO and CEO for organizations in Kansas, Oklahoma and Alaska. Mr. Keef earned two Bachelors of Science degrees in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University, majoring in both Accounting and Finance. He also completed his pre-medicine requirements, and successfully earned seats at three medical schools before deciding to continue to pursue the healthcare administrative career path. He earned his MBA through Davenport University in Grand Rapids, MI, and is a CPA Candidate, eligible to sit for the CPA Exam. Shaun is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), National Society of Leadership and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
Mike Haggerty, Chief Financial Officer
Mike Haggerty began his career at Central Peninsula Hospital in 1985 in Accounts Payable, with his role quickly expanding to include serving as the organization’s first Network Administrator. He was promoted to Director of the Accounting Department in 1989 and served as Controller from 2003 to December 2020, when he accepted the position of Chief Financial Officer. Prior to his work at CPH, Mike earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, majoring in Finance, from Boise State University. He is member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), a founding member of the Kenai River Rotary Club of Soldotna, and serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank. When he’s not working, Mike enjoys travel and photography.
Karl Hertz, Chief Operating Officer
Karl Hertz joined Central Peninsula Hospital in June 2025 as Chief Operating Officer. He brings more than two decades of leadership experience in rural healthcare settings, having most recently served as Chief Executive Officer at Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center. Prior to his time in Alaska, Karl was COO of Memorial Hospital of Converse County in Douglas, Wyoming, where he led strategic initiatives focused on service line expansion, physician recruitment, and operational efficiency.
Throughout his career, Karl has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving access to care in rural communities and fostering collaborative, patient-centered cultures. His broad operational expertise spans hospital performance improvement, clinical integration, and rural health policy.
Karl and his family recently relocated to Soldotna and are in the process of putting down permanent roots in the community.
Marshall Pearson, Chief Information Officer
Marshall brings over 26 years of healthcare Information Technology (IT) experience across payer/provider and profit/nonprofit organizations. His career began in 1998 on the payer side, supporting Medicaid technology operations for the Alaska Department of Health. In 2003, he transitioned to senior IT leadership roles within HCA Healthcare, making significant contributions at Alaska Regional Hospital, St. David’s Healthcare (a nonprofit joint venture) in Texas, and HealthONE in Colorado. Marshall holds a Bachelor’s degree and an MBA in Technology Management and is a doctoral candidate specializing in IT. He is a Certified Healthcare Chief Information Officer and a Certified Digital Health Executive through the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. As a strategic leader, Marshall helped St. David’s Healthcare earn the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and led digital transformation initiatives, including AI-powered oncology detection and early stroke detection, and telehealth expansions, improving care quality and access. Outside of work, he enjoys flying, sailing, hunting, fishing, and exploring Alaska’s outdoors, reflecting his adventurous spirit. 
Denise Plano, Chief Nursing Officer
Denise Plano joined Central Peninsula Hospital in November 2023, with her most recent experience as Chief Nursing Officer SEARHC Wrangell Medical Center. Denise has held multiple hospital and healthcare roles for the past 30 years with a primary focus on patient safety and quality. As an adjunct professor with the State University of New York for the past 13 years, she has been teaching RN students Nursing Management and Leadership.
Denise graduated from the State University of NY with a Masters in Nursing Administration, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine with Masters of Healthcare Administration, a post degree certification in nursing education from the University of Alaska Anchorage and more recently a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of New Hampshire.
She enjoys all outdoor activities that Alaska has to offer, spending time with her husband and pups.