Executive Leadership

Hilary Marden-Resnik joined UCare in 2010 because of her passion for UCare’s nonprofit mission to improve the health of our members through innovative services and partnerships across communities. She wanted to be a part of what she describes as “the hardest working, people powered health care team in town.”

Marden-Resnik began her career at UCare as Senior Vice President of Administration. She was promoted to SVP/Chief Administrative Officer in 2013, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer in 2021, and in March of 2022 she became UCare’s President and CEO.

Prior to joining UCare, Marden-Resnik was Vice President of Human Resources at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis. She also held positions as Director of Human Resources for HealthEast Care System, Human Resources Manager for Fairview Health Services, and employment and health law attorney for the Gray Plant Mooty law firm.

Marden-Resnik holds an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin, a graduate degree in industrial relations/human resources management from the University of Minnesota, and a Juris Doctor (Summa Cum Laude) from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul. She is a member of the Minnesota Women's Economic Roundtable and Women's Health Care Leadership TRUST. Additionally, she serves as board chair for Achieve Twin Cities, and board member for the Minneapolis Workforce Development Board, the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, the Alliance of Community Health Plans, America’s Health Insurance Plans and Lifespark. In 2007, she was named 40 under 40 by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, and in 2016, she was recognized with a Women in Business Award by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. In 2022, Marden-Resnik was honored as a Notable Leader in Health Care by Twin Cities Business (TCB) Magazine.

Darin McDonald joined UCare in 2021, building on more than 30 years of technology leadership. In addition to in-depth knowledge of health care and product solutions, he is adept at bridging the gap between operational business units and engineering to enable success. McDonald has extensive experience in strategic planning, team development, budgeting and program management.

As Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at UCare, McDonald provides vision and strategic direction for UCare’s technology staff and systems to enable the health plan to efficiently and effectively serve members and business partners. He oversees all areas of program and project management and IT operations including architecture, infrastructure, applications, web, security, quality assurance, data and service as well as UCare’s project management office. McDonald is responsible for establishing and implementing UCare’s technology vision, strategy, and roadmap in alignment with organizational strategies and priorities. Prior to joining UCare, McDonald was CIO for AIM Specialty Health, Chief Administrative Officer at Sentry Data Systems, Corporate Healthcare Strategy Officer at UST Global, and CIO and VP of Operations at Blue Cross subsidiary NASCO. He serves on the Board of Directors of Touchstone Mental Health.

McDonald has a Bachelor in Science in Mathematics with a Minor in Computer Science from North Dakota State University (Fargo, ND).

Since joining UCare in 2018, Daniel Santos has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, as well as Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors. He also oversees the Compliance and Internal Audit departments. Immediately prior to joining UCare, Santos spent six years with Sentara Healthcare, an integrated health system headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, serving as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Sentara’s multi-state health plan division, Optima Health. At Sentara, Santos also served in leadership roles system-wide as an Associate General Counsel, providing counsel to its provider operating companies including its 12 hospitals and 4 medical groups (1,000+ providers). Previously, he practiced health law for law firms (AMLAW 200) in Virginia and Pennsylvania, and served as a Special Operations Officer (Diving & Salvage) in the U.S. Navy.

Santos has received numerous distinctions for his leadership and contributions to the legal and business community, including election as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, selection by Minnesota Lawyer magazine as a recipient of its In-House Counsel Award in the Healthcare Organization category, multiple selections by Super Lawyers magazine as a “Rising Star” lawyer, multiple selections by Virginia Business magazine as one of Virginia’s Legal Elite, and recognition by the Hispanic National Bar Association as a “Top Lawyer Under 40.” In 2022, Santos was honored as a Notable General Counsel by Twin Cities Business (TCB) Magazine. Santos currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Corporate Counsel, Minnesota Chapter, and is a Member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Santos earned his J.D. from the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law, and his B.A. from the University of Virginia.

Ghita Worcester brings more than 35 years of health care management experience to her role as Executive Vice President, Public Affairs and Chief Growth Officer. She provides strategic direction for marketing, business development and strategy, public relations, legislative, regulatory, government programs, and community outreach activities. She oversees the organization’s federal and state health care reform efforts and policy formulation related to national and state health policy issues. Worcester is also instrumental in the development and implementation of UCare’s strategic and operational plans.

Before joining UCare, Worcester served as Director of Policy and Operations for Minneapolis-based University Affiliated Family Physicians (UAFP), the management company that started UCare in 1984. In that role, she directed the development of new HMO products and policies, and helped develop and implement HMO strategic and operational plans. Before that, she worked for 13 years in a community-based family medicine residency program operated by the University of Minnesota Department of Family Practice.

Worcester has significant legislative and public policy experience at both the state and federal level on health care reform, and Medicare and Medicaid policy. She serves as a national expert and speaker in the field of Medicare, Medicaid, and Special Needs dual-eligible programs. In 2015, Worcester was recognized with a Women in Business Award by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal and, in 2018, she was named a Woman of Courage by the Women’s Health Leadership TRUST.

Worcester has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She has served on several community boards and committees, and is currently a member of the Children’s Defense Fund Advisory Board, Portico Healthnet Board and Minnesota Council of Health Plans Board.