Biographies of Board of Directors

Steve Sischka - Chair

Mr. Sischka received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Portland in Oregon and a Master of International Management from Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management in Glendale, Arizona. Since 1980, he has been the Owner of Olsen's Grain, Inc., a five store retail chain located in north central Arizona. He is married to a native of Prescott Arizona, Kathy, and has two children, Kelly and Mark. He is a long time member of the Prescott Frontier Rotary and has also been deeply involved at various times with the Rotary at the district level, Boy Scouts of America, Prescott Center for the Arts, Prescott Chamber of Commerce, and served on the Prescott City Council for eight years. Mr. Sischka has been a member of the Board of Directors at YRMC since 2013 and is proud to have had the chance to vote for the affiliation with Dignity Health/CommonSpirit. He was Frontier Rotarian of the year twice and received the BSA Silver Beaver Award for distinguished service to scouting. He has been a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church since he arrived in Prescott in 1980 and hopes that he has finally achieved “Prescott Local” status in Everybody’s Hometown.

Marnie Uhl - Vice Chair

Marnie is the former President and CEO of the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce.  She has been in Prescott Valley since February  2006 having relocated from the White Mountains where she was the Executive Director and CEO of the Springerville-Eagar Regional Chamber of Commerce for 7.5 years.

 Marnie moved to Arizona in 1998 where she embarked on a second career.  As a Chamber of Commerce Executive, she graduated from the Institute of Organization Management in 2005 and served on its Board of Trustees.   Marnie is a graduate of Project CENTRL, an Arizona Rural Leadership Development program and Prescott Area Leadership.  She has her Accredited Chamber Executive professional designation through the Western Association of Chamber Executives and the Prescott Valley Chamber is an accredited chamber through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. She holds an AA in Administration of Justice from East Los Angeles College.  Marnie received Prescott Area Leadership’s Woman of the Year award in 2017.

Marnie is member of the Yavapai College Foundation board, the PV Early Bird Lions Club and serves on the board for Prescott Center for the Arts.   Marnie supports multiple civic organizations throughout the Quad-cities and is the host for radio and television shows.   In her spare time she has two dogs that keep her busy and loves performing in Community Theater.   Marnie is a two-year breast cancer survivor and is passionate about the YRMC BreastCare Center.

MARYLOU MERCADO ED.D - Secretary

Dr. Marylou Mercado is a Hispanic first-generation community college graduate and recently completed a Doctor of Education in 2018. She currently serves as the Vice President of Workforce and Health Sciences with Yavapai College.

Throughout Dr. Mercado’s journey as a non-traditional student, she has had women in the roles of professors and administrative administrative assistants walk alongside and stand with her through every challenge, offering encouragement so that she could complete her educational goals for quality of life. After spending 28 years in the community college environment, Dr. Mercado believes that education is the empowerment and equalizer of overcoming societal inequalities. Helping students achieve their educational goals and fostering leadership qualities and abilities in women are paramount to her role and responsibilities in higher education. She is passionate about seeing women become all they desire to be by investing time with them, hearing their concerns, understanding their visions and goals, and providing resources so that they may achieve all they are meant to achieve in fulfilling their destiny. For Dr. Mercado, there is no greater joy.

Mike Beatty - Treasurer

Mr. Beatty received a B.Sc. in Anthropology from Northern Arizona University (NAU). Since 1989, he has been the owner/president of Prescott Investor Services, Inc., an international investment advisory firm. He has been active in the community since moving to the Prescott area in 1985 and has served on the Northern Arizona University Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Association Desert Southwest Chapter and the Prescott Sunrise Lions Club, with commitments ranging from member to chairman. He has been awarded the Melvin Jones Fellow, Lions Club International and Outstanding Volunteer, Association of Fundraising Professionals awards.

Erik Contreras, MD - CHief of staff

Dr. Erik Contreras proudly traces his roots to the historic mining towns of Miami and Kearny, Arizona. Born and raised in Gilbert, Arizona—at a time when the town was a quiet suburb of Phoenix dotted with cotton fields and cattle—Dr. Contreras developed a strong connection to his community and a deep appreciation for his heritage.

He earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Arizona State University while actively contributing to his family’s business in Mesa, Arizona. After several years and with a growing family, Dr. Contreras pursued his passion for medicine in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he attended Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara. Following four years of rigorous medical training, he completed a postgraduate program at New York Medical College, broadening his medical expertise.

Eager to return home, Dr. Contreras completed his 3 year residency in Internal Medicine at Maricopa County Hospital, solidifying his commitment to providing exceptional care to the people of Arizona.

Drawn to Prescott's unique charm and sense of community, Dr. Contreras began his medical career with NAZ Hospitalist Group, serving Yavapai Regional Medical Center for seven years. During his tenure, he embraced leadership roles within the hospital and its administration, serving on the Medical Executive Committee as Secretary and Vice Chief of Staff for three years each. Dr. Contreras is excited to add Chief of Staff to his resume, a role that allows him to further serve and support the YRMC community.

Outside of his professional accomplishments, Dr. Contreras is a devoted family man. He has been married for more than 20 years and he and his wife, Lexie, have 3 children. Halle Costa and Crew.
Today, Dr. Contreras also serves as the Medical Director for Legacy Hospice and Aspen Infusion Services, blending compassionate care with innovative medical solutions. As a proud generational Arizonan, he remains dedicated to fostering health and wellness in the Prescott community through his expertise and unwavering commitment to excellence.

Tony Ferrulli

Tony Ferrulli is a business management, real estate, and asset management professional with more than 45 years’ experience.  Mr. Ferrulli’s most recent professional experience includes four years as the Real Estate Manager for the Western Region of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in Irvine, California, during the last Banking crisis of 2008.  This was his second time around with FDIC in this capacity, having spent over sixteen total years. During his career at FDIC he oversaw the sale of over $3.3 billion dollars in real estate assets.

Prior to his position with FDIC, Mr. Ferrulli was the Real Estate and Asset Management Division Manager in Orange County, California. He was responsible for the management of 4.3 million square feet of County-owned and leased facilities and held a major role in negotiations involving the closure, sale, and reuse of multiple federal military properties located in Orange County.

In addition to his public sector experience, Mr. Ferrulli has over 20 years of private sector real estate experience, during which he owned and operated Ferrulli and Associates in both California and Arizona, a real estate firm representing commercial properties. Mr. Ferrulli held a real estate Brokers license in California for over 35 years and currently holds a real estate Brokers license in Arizona.

In January 2012, Mr. Ferrulli retired and moved to Prescott, AZ.  He and his wife are settled and thoroughly enjoy their lives in Prescott. They have made many friends and have become involved in community activities.  Mr. Ferrulli cycled off the Prescott Lakes Homeowner’s Association after serving four years, three of which as Board President, and is also active in the Club at Prescott Lakes.

Rev. Marc McDonald

Engaged in full-time Christian ministry for over 30 years, Fr. Marc McDonald brings a spiritual element to our Board of Directors, which supports the larger ministry and mission of CommonSpirit Health. Fr. McDonald was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, yet has lived all over the country. He spent most of his ministry years in Kansas and Arizona (in Prescott from 1994-96, plus Bullhead City, Glendale, and Flagstaff), serving in Nazarene, United Methodist and Episcopal Churches. Fr. McDonald’s father was the Senior Pastor of the Prescott Church of the Nazarene for 18 years (1992 - 2010) and in many ways returning to Prescott has been a little like coming home for his son.

He married Linda, a life-long Kansan, in 1993, and in 2004, they were blessed with their daughter, Sarah, who is currently an undergraduate student at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas.

Fr. McDonald received a BA in Religious Studies from MidAmerica Nazarene University (Olathe, KS) and a Master of Divinity from Phillips Theological Seminary (Tulsa, OK). Fr. McDonald previously served as a staff-chaplain at Flagstaff Medical Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. He received a call to be the full-time Rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in September of 2023.

Fr. McDonald was the past President of the Lyon County Ministerial Alliance (Kansas). At the Diocesan level, Fr. McDonald served the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas as Ecumenical Officer. He has also served on the Council of Trustees, the Commission on Ministry, and as Chaplain to Emporia State Universities Canterbury Campus Ministry. Fr. McDonald has a passion for social justice and integrating a holistic healing approach addressing patients (or congregants) unique spiritual and/or emotional needs.

In his spare time, Fr. McDonald enjoys spending time with his family, playing with their Havanese rescue pup, Dezi, collecting religious icons / crosses, traveling, movies/ theatre, listening (singing) to good music and studying history, theology, and spirituality.

Travis Messina, MBA

Travis Messina is an executive leader with broad US domestic and International experience in identifying strategic solutions to complex business challenges. He is an innovative entrepreneur recognized for developing global business platforms, leading organizational change and operational improvements. As an industry thought leader he is focused on the global interconnectivity of healthcare and the development of strategies and business platforms to address the scarcity of resources; targeting improved levels of health and wellness for communities.

With experience in many global regions outside the US including India, MENA, Europe, and Latin America, Travis appreciates the nuances of different healthcare delivery systems, while understanding that culture plays a major factor in determining the success of fundamental change. He has extensive experience in the development of entrepreneurial businesses, new healthcare delivery networks and innovative facility solutions that operate successfully and sustainably.

Currently Travis is the System SVP for CommonSpirit leading the National Real Estate Services platform; a fully integrated real estate services program employing more than 1,500 professionals delivering, facility management, energy and infrastructure, planning design & construction, real estate strategy & development, and real estate administrative services.

Travis has a Global Strategy MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and BS degree in Construction Engineering from Colorado State University, along with a certificate of Strategic Leadership from the Center of Creative Leadership, and a Senior Leadership Development certificate from INSEAD.

Brian Tiffany, MD, PhD, FACEP

Dr. Tiffany is a graduate of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He completed an Emergency Medicine residency at Detroit Medical Center, where he served as Chief Resident. Following residency, he did a research fellowship, completed a PhD in Neurophysiology from Wayne State University, and achieved Board Certification in both Emergency Medicine and Undersea/Hyperbaric Medicine. He served on the residency faculty at Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center, University of South Florida/Tampa General Hospital, and at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix. He was appointed Academic Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Maricopa Medical Center in 2000, a position he held until 2003.

Dr. Tiffany was one of the founding members of Premier Emergency Medical Specialists, which has provided Emergency Medical services to Dignity Health hospitals in the Phoenix area since 2003. While practicing full-time clinical emergency medicine, he has remained active in teaching and research throughout his career. He has over 30 peer-reviewed publications, concentrating on his primary interests of evaluation of chest pain and acute coronary syndrome in the Emergency Department setting, and co-edited the McGraw Hill ‘Cardiac Emergencies’ textbook in 2006. He served as Chairman of the Dignity Health East Valley Regional IRB from 2006 to 2022. He has been actively involved in medical staff leadership, serving in multiple different roles.

In 2019, Dr. Tiffany moved to part-time clinical practice and became the Chief Medical Officer for the Dignity Health Arizona General Hospital system. He was appointed as the Chief Physician Executive for the Southwest Division of CommonSpirit Health in December 2021, and became Chief Medical Officer for the CommonSpirit Health Central Region in October 2023. He also co-chairs the CommonSpirit Health National Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. He remains active in clinical research, serving as an Emergency Medicine resident research mentor and principal investigator for diagnostic and therapeutic trials for Covid-19, traumatic brain injury, and cardiac biomarkers.

Anthony Torres, MD, FACP
President and Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Anthony V. Torres is the President & Chief Executive Officer of Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (DHYRMC) as of July 10, 2022  He was formerly the Chief Medical Officer at  of Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center from July 1, 2016 through July 9, 2022.  Prior to becoming the Chief Medical Officer at YRMC, Dr. Torres was the Medical Director of Yavapai Regional Medical Center PhysicianCare from October 2013 through December 2016. 

Dr. Torres was a member of the Medical Staff at DHYRMC from 2006-2023 and practiced in the PhysicianCare Internal Medicine clinic from 2009-2015. Prior to joining PhysicianCare, Dr. Torres was in group practice in Walnut Creek, CA from 1993-2006. As the President & CEO of DHYRMC, Dr. Torres is currently an Honorary member of the DHYRMC Medical Staff.

Dr. Torres received his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California in 1979. He graduated from Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara in 1987 with his medical degree and completed his Residency/Internship at New York Medical College, St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center, New York, NY in 1991 and was Chief Resident from 1991-1992. Dr. Torres completed his Sports Medicine Fellowship training from Hunter S.P.O.R.T.S Medicine Center, Fairview Heights, IL in 1993. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.

Dr. Torres currently serves on the Prescott Chamber of Commerce Board.