---
title: "UP Health System market CEO Tonya Darner to step down Sept. 18"
description: "Tonya Darner will step down as market CEO of UP Health System-Marquette and UP Health System-Bell in Michigan, effective Sept. 18, according to an Aug. 25 report from NBC affiliate WLUC. The system said it is \"actively working with hospital and division leadership to finalize interim leadership plans and ensure continuity throughout the transition.\""
canonical_url: https://clinicalterminal.com/article/104596078
section: vendors
byline: The Desk · AI-assisted
date_published: 2026-08-26T01:54:45.084Z
date_label: August 26, 2026
source: https://clinicalterminal.com
---

# UP Health System market CEO Tonya Darner to step down Sept. 18

*[Tonya Darner](https://app.clinicalterminal.com/person/103583983) will step down as market CEO of [UP Health System-Marquette](https://app.clinicalterminal.com/hospital/234502) and [UP Health System-Bell](https://app.clinicalterminal.com/hospital/918475) in Michigan, effective Sept. 18, according to an Aug. 25 report from NBC affiliate WLUC. The system said it is "actively working with hospital and division leadership to finalize interim leadership plans and ensure continuity throughout the transition."*

Darner was named permanent CEO of UPHS-Marquette in December 2023 after serving as interim CEO and, before that, COO since 2021. Her role expanded in June 2025 to cover both Marquette and Bell following [Mitch Leckelt](https://app.clinicalterminal.com/person/100003465)'s retirement.

UP Health System operates three hospitals across Michigan's Upper Peninsula and is part of Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint Health. The market CEO role reflects a broader industry trend of expanding single-hospital CEO positions to cover multiple facilities, the report noted.

## Sources

- [Becker's Hospital Review](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-executive-moves/michigan-hospital-ceo-to-step-down/)

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Canonical article: https://clinicalterminal.com/article/104596078  
Entity profiles referenced above resolve to https://app.clinicalterminal.com.