The Consortium for Healthcare Education and Training (CHET) is a statewide organization advancing initiatives to support the development of a competent, engaged rural healthcare workforce. Funded by both private and public grants, CHET serves as a collaborative support organization for Maine-based partners and programs working to expand clinical education opportunities across rural Maine.
CHET was founded in 2025 as a joint effort by the Building-ME Network and the Maine Rural GME Education (MERGE) Collaborative. These founding programs are continuing their efforts toward the development of new and expanded access to rural healthcare clinical training programs. CHET is eager to incorporate new partners into a shared mission to advance the expansion, quality, and sustainability of healthcare training in rural Maine.
To advance the expansion, quality, and sustainability of healthcare training and education for healthcare trainees in rural and underserved communities of Maine to support the development of a competent healthcare workforce.
What we do:
EdD, MPH
Dr. Kneka Smith serves as the Vice President for Academic Affairs at MaineHealth with focus in medical education, research, and innovation. She has over two decades of health professions education and leadership experience in healthcare and higher education with medical, dental and advanced practice provider students. In 2023, Dr. Smith established the Building-ME Network, a partnership focusing on healthcare education and training in rural Maine and serves as the Principal Investigator. This grant funded initiative was established to support the spectrum of healthcare learners and educators from “phlebotomist to physician” by connecting learning programs with rural clinical sites across the state of Maine
MD, MSEd
Dr. Varaklis, in her role as DIO, oversees the graduate medical education (GME) for 38 residency and fellowship programs at MaineHealth, supporting more than 360 GME trainees. In addition to her work as DIO, Dr. Varaklis also serves as principal investigator for the Maine Rural Graduate Medical Education (MERGE) Collaborative, a state-wide effort across all ACGME Sponsoring Institutions to create more learning opportunities in Maine’s rural spaces, including focus on rural obstetrics training for Ob/Gyn and FM residents. Dr. Varaklis is from rural Ontario and has more than 30 years experience as a post-graduate medical educator.
Our Executive Council is composed of stakeholders representing the full spectrum of Maine’s healthcare and educational entities, as well as geographical locations across rural Maine communities.
MD, MPH, MBA
St. Joseph Healthcare/Covenant Health
PhD
Associate Program Director – Central Maine Medical Center Family Medicine Residency
MD, FAAFP
Director of Clinical Education, Northern Light Health
M.Sc
VP Workforce Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Maine Hospital Association
MPH
Director, Maine Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
Senior Program Officer, Maine Health Access Foundation
Director of Strategic Planning Management
Maine Community College System
PhD
Vice Chancellor, U Maine System
MSW
Director of Training and Technical Assistance, Maine Primary Care Association
Founder and President, 3iHoME
PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Maine
MBA
Operations Manager
PhD
Program Manager - CHET Research and Education
MPH
Program Manager - The MERGE Collaborative
MS
Program Manager - Building ME Network