When Dr. Krista Skorupa enters a room, she carries the calm assurance of someone who knows how to listen – to patients, colleagues, and an entire community.
A trusted family physician turned Essentia Health’s East Market President, she’s as comfortable in a clinic as she is in the boardroom. Dr. Skorupa’s journey is one of purpose and persistence: blending compassion with strategy, and proving that leadership, at its core, is just another form of care.
“I’ve always enjoyed educating others,” Dr. Skorupa noted of her highly unique career path. “While I love being a physician, I also love teaching and mentoring others. Over the years, I fell in love with leadership and realized it would give me the opportunity to make an even bigger difference.”
Youth
Dr. Skorupa’s upbringing was packed with adventure. As the eldest of three children born to JoAnn Weber, a nurse, and Keith Weber, a 3M employee, she became comfortable with change and movement at an early age.
“I was born in New Ulm, Minnesota, but we moved a lot due to my dad’s career,” she explained. “3M moved us around every three years. We moved across Minnesota and South Dakota, but eventually wound up in Europe. I graduated from high school at the International School of Brussels, in Belgium.”
As a child and teen, she had two passions: sports and musical theater. She was the captain of her volleyball team, played softball, and loved to act and sing.
She worked in the hospitality business in her youth and found that she loved being of service to others. She was also inspired by her mother’s career in medicine and decided to become a doctor.
Education and Career
First, Dr. Skorupa earned her bachelor’s degree – she double-majored in biology and psychology at Duke University. Next, she attended the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill for her medical degree. “UNC was a good choice for primary care,” she explained.
Later, she returned to Minnesota and entered her residency at the University of Minnesota’s St. John’s campus in Maplewood. After graduation, her career took off immediately.
First, she was an adjunct professor at the U of M’s St. John’s campus, where she was previously a student. Then, she was hired at Stillwater Medical Group, a private practice. She taught and practiced medicine concurrently for many years.
She was working for HealthEast, which eventually merged with Fairview Health Services, when she pivoted to leadership. “At that time, I was doing less patient care and more administrative duties,” she explained. “I fell in love with leadership and the opportunity to make a bigger difference.” She also went on to complete her MBA at the University of St. Thomas.
Skorupa met Dr. David Herman, President and CEO of Essentia Health, when she was attending an event for the Minnesota Hospital Association. Ultimately, she was recruited and moved to Duluth in 2021.
She served as Essentia’s Senior Division Chair of Regional Practices for three years. She was promoted to East Market President in 2023.
She explained a bit about her role. “While every day is different, I support Essentia’s operations and the practice of medicine.
“My goal is to ensure a great patient experience,” she added. “I partner with the rest of the leadership team and have formed relationships with a variety of community leaders to drive the strategies to deliver excellent healthcare.”
On occasion, Dr. Skorupa still sees patients. But most of her work is now focused on leadership.
Extracurriculars
In addition to her very full career, Dr. Skorupa serves on the Board of Directors for Downtown Duluth. She also participates in several internal boards and committees at Essentia.
Several years ago, Dr. Skorupa earned her Certified Physician Executive credential (CPE) through the American Association of Physician Leaders (AAPL). “It’s sort of like a mini-MBA,” she explained.
Along with other members of Essentia’s leadership team, she volunteers her time at One Roof Housing and Second Harvest Northland.
Personal
Dr. Skorupa and her husband, Scott, live in Duluth’s Congdon neighborhood. The couple met while attending Duke University. Scott is a biomedical engineer for Verve Medical.
They have a much-loved Golden Retriever, Rosie. Together, the trio enjoys exploring Duluth’s trails and the Lakewalk. They also enjoy cheering for Duke basketball.
The couple also loves to golf, and Krista enjoys cooking and baking. Her specialties include cookies and pies, and particularly, a Dutch apple pie, using a beloved family recipe. “It’s just the two of us, so I always share my treats with the neighbors,” she added with a grin.
Duluth
When the Skorupas relocated to Duluth in 2021, it was smack-dab in the middle of a brutal polar vortex. But since the drama of their arrival, they’ve settled in and have come to absolutely love Duluth.
“Duluth is a big, small town,” Dr. Skorupa noted. “People really show up for each other here. We appreciate the balance of the outdoors, blended with the opportunity to come together with others for the health and well-being of the entire community.
“We really love hosting family and friends here, too. Our loved ones enjoy using our home as a launch pad to explore Duluth.
“And, we really love the 148th,” she added. “Scott’s dad was in the Air Force for 30 years. So, we are always watching the planes overhead, and make sure to catch the air show every year.”
Rewarding
Dr. Skorupa has found an “adopted hometown” in Duluth and feels deeply blessed to have settled down here, doing the work she loves. Whether she’s guiding a patient through a diagnosis or steering a team through change, her approach remains the same: lead with heart, listen deeply, and never lose sight of the people behind the medicine.
“Working in leadership is, at its heart, a privilege,” she noted. “It’s standing shoulder-to-shoulder with extraordinary people in pursuit of doing things that truly matter.
“None of us could do this individually,” she added. “It excites me to see people accomplishing great things – together.”
