get to know our speakers

Heidi Berthoud is an experienced leader who began her public health and social service career at a large non-profit county hospital supporting training teams in the nursing education department. She received her master’s degree in public health from the University of Washington and concurrently completed a Global Health master’s certificate. 

Heidi has more than 20 years of knowledge and experience in health care research, evaluation, public health initiatives, qualitative data collection and analysis, and patient advocacy. Her experience includes working with government, academia, and non-profit organizations and she has been invited to work with Indigenous communities developing and delivering surveys and evaluations. 

She is the founder and principal consultant at Heidi Berthoud Consulting, LLC where she works with Public Health departments and health and social service nonprofit organizations conducting community health needs assessments, program evaluations, and helping teams collect data they can use to improve their communities. She is passionate about reproductive health, reproductive justice, and making public health data accessible to everyone.

Rana Clarke has been a Registered Nurse for over 30 years specializing in critical care, trauma and cardiovascular surgery. Through the intensity and complexity of critical care nursing she has found a new focus and passion for end-of-life care. Rana has worked with pioneers in the field, the founder of No One Dies Alone (NODA) and The Sacred Dying Foundation. Rana collaborated with Sacred Dying developing an innovative web-based educational tool for the training of health care providers to care for patients as they go through the natural dying process.  Rana traveled to Kenya in 2013 and fell in love with the natural beauty, traditional cultures and the Maasai people. Rana worked with the local villages for 6 years to develop a women’s health initiative to put an end to female genital mutilation. Rana is currently the Executive Director of Jamie’s Place, an Adult Family Home in Winthrop, Wa. where she is working with local agencies to improve access to resources and barriers to care. 

Nicole Eddins, Senior Director of Performance Excellence at Mason Health and a licensed pharmacist (UW, class of 05’, go Huskies!) provides oversight of the Quality Department and Program at Mason Health in Shelton, WA. This responsibility includes ensuring regulatory compliance and continuous quality improvement using Kaizen/Lean tools and a Baldrige framework. Baldrige principles promote using innovation to solve complex problems. As is just about any health care setting, particularly rural, we struggle with staffing. Our partnership with Shelton High School and the Health Science Academy Scholarship program is an innovative approach to not only address staffing needs, but also embodies our Mason Health Mission statement of: United Community, Empowered People, Exceptional Health.

Eamonn P.S. Roach was born and raised in Pasco, WA and has a large extended family in the area, calling Pasco home even when he left for school, work, or travel. Eamonn attended Seattle University and during his junior year he studied abroad in Puebla, Mexico. He graduated in 2007, majoring in International Studies & Politics with a minor in Spanish. After graduation, he lived for a year in Hanzhou, China to study Mandarin Chinese. Eamonn then returned to the United States and attended Gonzaga University School of Law. Eamonn presently provides services in all areas of Immigration Law and worked with his father, Tom Roach, on both family and employment-based cases prior to his father’s recent retirement. He is a member of the Washington State Bar, and also speaks Spanish.

Kattie has been a with the Tacoma Fire Department for 18 years. In 2014 she went to paramedic school and since then has been riding a Medic Unit in one of Tacoma’s busiest response zones. She has a passion for teaching. She was the Program Director for Bates Technical College’s EMT Program before stepping down in 2021 to invest more in the education, training and development of her department. She has taught every recruit academy EMT class for the past 10 years and is a member of Tacoma’s Paramedic School Instructor Cadre. Recently Kattie accepted the position of Department SEI. Kattie joined the Peer Support Team in 2018 and is a member of Tacoma’s Mental Health Task Force-a triage program designed to streamline members in crisis to the resources they need.A former collegiate rower, Kattie enjoys spending her free time on the water and spending time with her pug Greta Sue.

Laura Grubb, RHIA, Compliance Officer; in this senior leadership role she also directs the organization as the Privacy Officer, Risk Manager and Medical Staff Quality Program Coordinator. Mrs. Grubb has been with Mason Health since 1990. She is a graduate of the College of Saint Scholastica with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Information Administration. She also served as the Director of Health Information Management until taking this current position in 2018. Mrs. Grubb has over 43 years’ experience in the health care field and is a member of the HCCA-SCCE, AHIMA, and WSHIMA. 

Laura’s volunteerism includes being an active member of her church outreach, American Cancer Society, Tacoma Community College Health Information Management BAS Program Board, Washington Rural Health Collaborative, and Washington Hospital Services.

Dawn Felt is the Interim EMS Program Manager for DOH, she is also a subject matter expert for EMS who oversees and provides guidance related to EMS provider certification, education, and training for Washington. She leads the Prehospital Technical Advisory Committee and oversees the State EMS Education and Certification workgroup and EMS Protocol Workgroup. She engaged nationally though workgroups with the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT). 

Dawn started her EMS career in the early 90’s as a volunteer FF/EMT for a rural department in Eastern Washington. She continues to maintain state and national Paramedic certifications for more than 24 years, and volunteers with a local rural fire department. Dawn holds an MPA from the University of Washington and a BS in Paramedicine from Central Washington University. 

Tara Hill Matthews, the Dementia Resource Catalyst at Aging & Long Term Care of Eastern Washington, has been a healthcare trainer for almost 10 years. Having both worked in dementia care and watched family members experience dementia, she is passionate about reducing the stigma around dementia, connecting families to resources and advocating for early diagnosis. Tara is a proud member of the Spokane Area Dementia Friendly Community and offers no-cost dementia trainings to community groups and professionals. She enjoys playing the saxophone and clarinet, baking in an experimental (not always successful) way, and hiking.

Tori is coming to Summit Pacific with more than 42 years of healthcare experience. She began in 1982 as a Certified Nurse’s Aide. Tori has extensive experience in hospital and nursing operations in both critical access hospitals and large health systems. In her past roles, she worked to improve quality and safety, emergency preparedness, community, and population health and service line development. She believes the nursing profession is one of the most rewarding professions and appreciates what nursing brings to the organization as a whole.​

She is a lifelong learner with a Bachelor’s in Education, from Central Washington University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, from Washington State University. Tori holds a Master’s in Business Administration with Healthcare Administration as a focus from Western Governors University. With her experiences, Tori has realized that community nursing, specifically rural nursing, is her passion and focus. She looks forward to continuing her career in rural medicine where the community benefits in real and tangible ways. She is inspired by Summit’s focus on wellness and community engagement.​

Tori enjoys golf and spending time with friends and family. They’re also active in their church and community boards, including Ronald McDonald House and United Way.

Roxanne joined Summit Pacific in 2022 with more than 30 years of Health and Wellness Teaching and Nursing experience, with a background that spans 20 years in the U.S. Army as a Russian Linguist and Army Nurse Corps Officer.  She began in her military service in 1989 as an enlisted Soldier and served 4 years active duty. Upon discharge, she opened a gym in the Tidewater area of Virginia teaching Yoga, Pilates, Aerobics, Kickboxing, Spin and is a certified Master Personal Trainer.  In 2007, she completed a BSN and re-joined the Army as Nurse Corps Officer. She has continually endeavored to bridge the gap between modern healthcare and wellness activities and education-even teaching fitness classes while deployed in the combat theater. ​

Her experience encompasses 3 combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan working in a detainee center, trauma bay, and combat medical research. Throughout her military career she has continued to educate Soldiers and their families the importance of healthy living through fitness and nursing. Summit Pacific's commitment to wellness and preventative health programs align with Roxanne's experience and passion for wellness programs that enhance patient health rather than focusing on only treatment of illness. She strongly supports Summit Pacific’s goal to continue to build the healthiest community in the nation and to bring education to the forefront. ​

She has a proven track record of numerous board certifications, Medical/Surgical, Telemetry, Emergency Department, ICU, Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Combat Trauma, Combat Medical Research, and clinical Placement and Education.​

Roxanne attended the Old Dominion University for undergraduate studies in Exercise Science and subsequently a bachelor’s in nursing and Grand Canyon University where she completed her Master of Science in Nursing in Leadership in Health Care Systems. She continues to teach fitness classes at Summit Pacific Wellness Center.​

Roxanne is committed to community and staff wellness and education and participates in the many local activities that abound in Grays Harbor. ​

As a Pacific Northwest native, Roxanne finally returned home to be near her elderly parents and enjoys the rural lifestyle on a 40-acre farm with her husband and daughter where they enoy raising chickens, quail, sheep, honeybees, goats, and toe horses. 

Alyssa M. Warburton is a Master of Social Work (MSW) and Veteran Suicide Prevention Peer Specialist at the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs. Warburton received her MSW from the University of Southern California and specializes in Adult Mental Health and Wellness with an emphasis on Military Populations. She currently oversees Veteran suicide prevention efforts in Eastern Washington and is dedicated to making a meaningful impact in this critical field by investing time in military and veteran suicide prevention research, program implementation, and establishing strong community connections for rural Veterans. Warburton served in the enlisted Marine Corps from 2011-2016, with one tour of duty in Afghanistan. She is personally and professionally committed to suicide prevention because of her own lived experiences and losses. Outside of work, Warburton has two children who continually inspire her to grow and be a force of positive change. 

Connie Chapman serves as the Suicide Prevention Program Manager. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in theater from Saint Martin’s University (1995) and a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington (2005). She has been a Certified Case Manager for eight years. Throughout her career, Connie has been dedicated to serving underserved populations in non-profits, healthcare and under State contracts. Her military service spans two decades, starting with active-duty Army from 1987 to 1992, followed by service in the Army Reserves until 1995. She then joined the National Guard and advanced through the enlisted ranks, until 2003 when she was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. Connie retired from her Army service in 2009, holding the rank of Captain. Both on personal and professional levels, Connie is deeply committed to suicide prevention, driven by her own experiences and losses. She is dedicated to making a meaningful impact in this critical field.

 Dawn Felt is a subject matter expert for EMS who oversees and provides guidance related to EMS provider certification, education, and training for Washington. She leads the State EMS Education and Certification workgroup and EMS Protocol Workgroup. She engaged nationally though workgroups with the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT).  Dawn started her EMS career in the early 90’ with as a volunteer FF/EMT for a rural department in Eastern Washington. She continues to maintain state and national Paramedic certifications for more than 24 years, and volunteers with a local rural fire department. Dawn holds an MPA from the University of Washington and a BS in Paramedicine from Central Washington University.   

Fire Chief Beau Bakken has served the citizens of North Mason County (Washington State) for 27 years. The Fire Authority provides fire protection, ALS and BLS medical treatment and transport for an area of 132 square miles. The Authority employs 25 career personnel and retains the services of over 80 volunteers. Beau began with the Fire Authority as a student volunteer firefighter and after attending paramedic training was hired by the Fire Authority in 1999 as a Firefighter/Paramedic. Since that time, he has moved through the ranks, obtaining the rank of both Lieutenant and Captain. He was appointed as the District’s Fire Chief in 2007. He currently serves as President of the Mason County Fire Chief’s Association and Mason County Opioid Stakeholder Group. He previously served as Board chair for the 300 bed St. Michael Medical Center in Silverdale, Washington. In 2022 he worked to form Washington State’s first Fire/EMS base Mobile Integrated Health Program, which employes a Physician Associate, a Psychiatric Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, and an Emergency Prevention Specialist to improve patient outcomes and reduce community risk. 

Beau has obtained an Associate degree from Bellevue College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Service Administration from Eastern Oregon University, and a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington. He has also completed the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer program. In his off hours, Beau teaches Fire Protection Management at Eastern Oregon University and fly fishes across the western United States. Beau, his wife Brittney, their daughter Ensley (born 2012), and son Rowan (born 2014) live out on Washington State’s Hood Canal.

Colleen McCarty, MPH, is a Program Manager at the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Her work focuses on school-clinic partnerships and leading family engagement at the Chapter. Colleen has helped bring together school nurses, pediatric and family practice providers, and public health staff in a number of Washington counties to work together to improve coordination on child and family health topics. She contributes to WCAAP’s efforts to spread effective, scalable health interventions and programs across Washington State. 

Colleen received her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Washington and has previously worked at Seattle Children’s Hospital, the University of Washington Department of Pediatrics, and Neighborcare Health. 

 Jessica started her career as a caregiver in 2004; she was working on her pre-requites for nursing. As life would have, a child was born, and those dreams had to go on the back burner. Jessica continued her path in the caregiving world for many years. She had the opportunity to continue to grow her skill sets and education; from 2004-2011, she worked in two hospitals and one long-term care home. During this time, she was at a loss for what was happening in the long-term care world. In 2011 she found herself able to work at one of the only Greenhouse homes in WA State! She instantly fell in LOVE with the model! This model is what is missing in our long-term care settings. The elders were able to guide and direct their care! Jessica continued to work as a caregiver for five years and then was allowed to advance her career through management.

Jessica went back to school for a couple of years when she was allowed to expand her skills and education even more and become the Administrator of Jamie’s Place! This was indeed an honor for her to run the home she dearly loved. Jessica has been in the administrative role now for three years! Jessica is now the Associate Director of Jamie's Place. She continues to grow in the position and expand her knowledge. Jessica has four children and currently living in Winthrop, WA. Jessica's faith is the head of all she does and continues to strengthen her daily! 

Gretchen Maliska, Director of Career Connected Learning for the Shelton School District, provides leadership and vision for career connected learning into all phases of 7th-12th grade instructional programming. Students leave the district as high school graduates with industry recognized credentials in vocational disciplines (such as Natural Resources, Health Sciences, Manufacturing, and Business & Marketing), experiences in the field, and opportunities for post-secondary education or direct to career success.

Supporting a graduation pathway for everyone in a K-12 system where students can discover passions and talents, they can later use in the workforce has been lifelong career for Gretchen.  As a mother of five boys, with her last graduating high school this June, she has devoted herself to giving back to students as an active community volunteer and educational leader for more than 25 years. Gretchen believes in celebrating and honoring differences and addressing the individual needs of every child to help them achieve success. She is dedicated to the success of all students in our district and understands that partnerships with families, staff, and community are crucial in making this happen.

Dr. Gino Aisenberg is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Washington. He co-directs the Latino Center for Health, an interdisciplinary research center focused on improving the health and well-being of Latinx individuals, families, and communities in Washington State. Key to the Center’s success is its authentic partnerships with community stakeholders to translate research into culturally responsive practices and health policies that promote impactful improvements in physical and mental health for urban and rural Latinx populations. 

Along with Dr. Morales, co-director of the Latino Center for Health, Dr. Aisenberg has been engaged in efforts to promote workforce development of Latinx professionals across the health sciences, particularly in rural communities. Dr. Aisenberg has developed an innovative training and curriculum program, Nueva Vista, in partnership the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic and Heritage University. This program trains bachelor-level staff and paraprofessionals to deliver a brief 8-session evidence-based, manualized CBT depression intervention for Latinx adults. This culturally tailored CBT treatment is delivered by telephone. This work is becoming a model for workforce development of Latinx behavioral health practitioners. Currently, it has been extended to train and supervise bachelor-level staff and promotoras of 3 community providing organizations to deliver this telephone-based intervention for depression.

John Nokes is the Rural EMS Project Coordinator at the department. John works with rural EMS agencies to improve sustainability.  This work is funded though the FLEX EMS supplemental grant.  John has over 20 years of experience working with urban and rural EMS Systems starting in Stevens County in 1997.  During his career as a paramedic, John was a Training Captain, in charge of all aspects of training from on-boarding to continuing education.  John has spent many years in charge of QA/QI committee within his agency.  In addition to working in EMS, John volunteers his time with the Stevens County Sheriff’s Dive Team, both as a member and as an instructor to keep members current on required education. 

Bethany joined ALTCEW this year as part of the leadership team focusing on Planning and Development. Bethany is a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest and is an honors graduate from the University of Oregon with a BA degree in Applied Cultural Anthropology with studies in social & health services and archeology. Bethany is also a student in the Gonzaga Leadership Studies Program for 2022. Bethany served as president of the Washington Rural Health Association for 4 years and was the recipient of the 2021 Rural Health Innovation Award for outstanding service in Rural EMS Health Initiatives. She has 20 years of experience working with rural and diverse communities for improving health care access, while advocating for better health outcomes through strategic partnerships throughout Washington State. She is an accomplished grant writer, public speaker, and advocate for rural EMS. Bethany was offered the state’s first managed care organization Tribal Liaison position while working at Amerigroup in 2017. She has served on multiple boards including working with the Children's Alliance Public Policy Council, SRHD Community Health Board, Spokane Action Neighborhood Program Planning Board, Washington Rural Health Association, WA State Governor’s Tribal Leadership Council, Accountable Communities of Health, and the EMS E. WA Trauma Council. Her passion is to serve her community as an advocate for the, underserved, rural, aging, and disabled populations. Bethany has a blended family with 4 beautiful daughters with three of them in the health care industry, and one big fluffy cat. Her and her husband live outside of Elk, WA and enjoy hiking, local hockey games and traveling. Bethany is a current Lieutenant Resource Officer / FF and NREMT with Pend Oreille County Fire District #2. She volunteers 2 weekends a month and assists with their grant work and community outreach. 

 Leo Sergio Morales is a Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean with the Office for Healthcare Equity and Affiliate Professor of Public Health and Social Work at the University of Washington (UW).  He also serves as Co-Director of the Latino Center for Health, a multidisciplinary state-funded research center at UW. Dr. Morales received his medical degree and Master’s degree in public health from the University of Washington, and his doctorate in policy analysis from the Rand Graduate School.  He completed a residency in primary care internal medicine at the San Francisco General Hospital/UCSF and a NRSA general internal medicine fellowship at UCLA. Dr. Morales’s research focuses on Latino Health, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in health and the measurement of patient-reported outcomes in diverse communities.  Dr. Morales is also an attending physician at the Latinx Diabetes Clinic at the UW Medicine Diabetes Institute.

Dr. Carmen Gonzalez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Washington, and Co-Director of the UW Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity (CCDE). Her research and community work is focused on promoting digital and health equity in BIPOC communities.

Mallory has worked at Jamie’s Place for a number of years. Her roles have included shahbaz, house manager, and most recently our social media manager, as well as re-designing and updating our website. Mallory is a second-generation end-of-life specialist, watching and learning from her mother as she grew up, her mother gave her the passion to help care for elders in the final years of their life, and pursue a career in healthcare for the last decade. Mallory recently has become a Death Doula and works with a multitude of organizations in the community to help serve our elders and find more care and support for those in need. She lives in the Methow Valley with her Husband, two dogs, cate and chickens. She follows her passion for nature into the woods, which is where you are most likely to stumble upon her, with twigs and leaves in her hair, and a smile on her face.

Merry-Ann Keane is Chief Executive Officer of Newport Hospital and Health Services (NHHS). She is a 33-year registered nurse, holds a Master of Science in nursing, Bachelor of Science in nursing, Registered Nurse Certification in Maternal Newborn Nursing, Nurse Executive Board Certification, perinatal and neonatal nursing specialty certifications, and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).  Keane is truly passionate about rural healthcare and embraces a solid foundation of servant leadership in her CEO role. She has taught at the university level and retains all of her nursing credentials so that she is ready to step in whenever needed. Additionally, Keane serves as President of NHHS Foundation and is an active volunteer for Foundation and community events. Keane and her husband of 34 years (Liam) have 2 grown children and one grandchild who reside out of the area. While not caring for her hospital District, and community, Keane loves to travel, bake, quilt, and knit.

Tricia Sinek has had a long career in healthcare. Currently, she is the Strategic Projects Coordinator for Kittitas Valley Healthcare, KVH. In this role, she assesses new programs for consideration, helps to develop and onboard new specialty services, she sources and integrates new partners for KVH and evaluates current programs for improvement - helping to position programs for future growth and expanded services to the Kittitas Valley community. 

For most of her career in healthcare Tricia she has worked in the oncology setting, spanning the clinical care of cancer patients, to community outreach programming - with an emphasis on reducing cancer disparities in underserved groups, managed a large cancer program in Central Washington State and performed over 1,000 free community presentations on cancer risk reduction and healthy lifestyles. 

Tricia lives in Yakima on a farm and she enjoys the sunshine and beauty of the four seasons in Eastern Washington. 

I have been a community health worker for the small town of Grangeville, Idaho (population 3,141) and the communities of Whitebird (pop. 91) and Elk City (pop. 170) for the past five years. I am just one of a team of five community health workers who serve several small towns and communities in Idaho, Clearwater, and Lewis counties. I was born and raised in Grangeville, left after completing my degree at the University of Idaho, and returned to the area in 2013. I have worked in both healthcare and educational settings and have seen the positive changes that individuals can make when provided with preventative care and education.

I have worked in the field of Early Childhood Education (ECE) for over forty years which has included direct services, administration, and Director of Early Childhood Program at Wenatchee Valley College (WVC).  

I attended Western Washington University and Pacific Oaks College where I received degrees in Human Services and Human Development with specialization in Early Childhood Leadership and Administration. I retired as director of Early Childhood Education at Wenatchee Valley College in June of 2019. 

During my retirement I continued to teach as ECE adjunct faculty at WVC. I serve as a board member at Chelan/Douglas Child Services Association (CDCSA), the North Central Washington Regional Libraries (NCRL), Communities in Schools (CIS), North Central Early Learning Collaborative (NCELC), Thriving Together (formally NCACH) and the leadership council for the Chelan/Douglas Coalition for Health Improvement (CDCHI). 

In November of 2022 I was approach by Wenatchee Valley College administration and ask if I would be willing to be the interim Director of the new Central Washington Area Health Education Center (CWAHEC). My work with families, and my participation on the boards of the Thriving Together (NCACH) and the CDCHI has made me realize how important it is to ensure equitable access to Health and Wellness services. 

The vision of the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) is to improve the health of underserved and vulnerable populations by strengthening the health workforce, developing diversity in the health care workforce, and connecting skilled professionals to communities in need are important elements to providing access. The vision of the CWAHEC aligns with my personal community service goals and I look forward to using my knowledge of program development and my organizational and leadership skills to support the development of the of the Central Washington AHEC.

Katie Jo Raebel has more than 20 years of experience in audit and accounting services, focused exclusively on healthcare industry clients. She specializes in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement issues. Katie Jo is known nationwide for her knowledge of rural health clinic certification and reimbursement issues. In addition, she helps organizations determine the best certification options to experience the most beneficial gain from Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.

Katie Jo is a regular speaker at industry events and conferences including the Rural Health Clinic Association of Washington, the Oregon Rural Health Conference and the National Association of Rural Health Clinics Conference. She also is a featured speaker at Wipfli’s annual cost report and reimbursement seminar.

Bob taught and practiced landscape architecture in Canada and the United States. An associate

professor at WSU Spokane’s Interdisciplinary Design Institute for 19 years, he is a registered landscape

architect in Washington and Massachusetts. His Bachelor and Masters Landscape Architecture degrees

were earned at UMass, Amherst. His Masters and PhD degrees in Social Geography were earned at Clark

University in Worcester, MA. He consults under Land and Life®LLC in Spokane, Washington and is

currently on the Governor’s Committee on Aging, the Aging and Long-term Care of Eastern Washington

Program Committee, and Spokane’s Design Review Board. He edited Recreating Neighborhoods for

Successful Aging (2009) and recently published Landscape Architecture as Storytelling.

For almost 50 years Bob has worked to understand how the built environment – interiors, architecture,

and landscape architecture – can positively influence the quality of life for those living with physical and

cognitive disabilities and their care partners.

Lori Heiner is a Nursing Consultant with the Dept of Health- In Home Services Division. Lori comes with a wealth of knowledge about regulatory processes as she has over 24 years providing regulatory consultation and oversight for home care, home health, hospice, rural health clinics, skilled care, assisted living facilities and adult family homes. Lori had a break in state service where she worked with Washington Health Care Association presenting and providing training for health care professionals in residential care settings. Lori’s clinical care expertise comes from working at the Mann Grandstaff VA Medical Center in behavioral health. 

Lori earned a master’s in nursing at WSU and currently serves as a nurse in the Navy Reserves. 

Ms. Jenny Shin is a Program Project Manager for King County Public Health’s Emergency Medical Services in Seattle, Washington. She has a background in Public Health, double majoring in Population Health & Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Case Western Reserve University. Throughout her career she has contributed to research, presentations, and publications on Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation. She serves as a faculty member of the Resuscitation Academy. In her current position, she conducts grant funded research and is the Washington and Alaska CARES (Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival) coordinator. Beyond her official responsibilities, she serves as a DEI representative, facilitating collaboration between the EMS division, the King County Fire Chiefs Association, and the Department of Public Health. Jenny is committed to creating an EMS workforce that reflects the community it serves. She oversees an EMT Scholarship program aimed at addressing financial barriers and representation, initiated the Future Women in EMS and Fire workshop, co-created a KC DEI Network, and continues to seek avenues for outreach, resources, and access into the Fire/EMS workforce.

Patricia (Pat) Lange is the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Director for SW Washington. She is committed to equity and continuous learning in the workforce. As an adult who has spent much of her career in both education and workforce development, Pat has served students and clients from diverse economic, cultural, and social backgrounds. Alongside these individuals, Pat has worked to ensure each client had the resources and information needed to achieve their own definition of success. Pat completed an IAS Bachelor in American & Cultural Studies at the University of Washington and her master’s in organizational leadership at Brandman University. She had the opportunity to build her career thanks to the many organizations who realized her potential including Tacoma Public Schools, Clover Park Technical College, Educational Service District 113, and her current site, Washington Association for Community Health. She is dedicated to building partnerships, educating health care organizations, and introducing our next generation to the field of health sciences.

EMT Danielle Bertschi serves as the Fire Training Captain and Community Health Programs Manager for Kittitas County Fire Protection District 6, covering the areas of Ronald and Lake Cle Elum. KCFPD6’s Community Medicine Program covers most of Upper Kittitas County, in partnership with Upper Kittitas Medic One. As the Community Health Programs Manager, Captain Bertschi oversees water safety and the life jacket program, is a certified car seat technician, teaches first aid/CPR classes, and is an EMT Evaluator. With over ten years of firefighting and EMT, Captain Bertschi believes in the power of prevention and hope, no matter one’s background and history.

  Ingrid Henden, Contracts Manager/TIC Trainer, has been at the Olympic Area Agency on Aging since 2014 and worked at the Kitsap County Division of Aging and Long Term Care for 12 years prior to moving to O3A. She has over 20 years experience in the aging network serving rural communities, with 18 years managing and monitoring contracts providing direct services to clients in the home including homecare, waiver services, health homes, caregiver support, and Older Americans Act senior nutrition, mental health, and legal services. In June 2019 Ingrid was certified as a Trauma Informed Care trainer by Wellpoint Care Network (formerly SaintA), and is currently training O3A staff. Ingrid received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Seattle Pacific University.

Audi Martinez is the Health Promotion Supervisor for the Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) in Ellensburg, Washington. She has dedicated her professional career to serving her community, first as a Health Services Manager for a local Kittitas County Head Start program and for the last 5 years working in health promotion at KCPHD. As a Health Promotion Supervisor, Audi oversees 7 grants that include programming for maternal, child, and family health, access to medical, oral, and behavioral health care services, and chronic disease, injury, and violence prevention. She has seen the devastation that Covid-19 has had on rural underserved populations, and that is how her work with the Covid-19 rural equity grant got started.

Brenda Senger PhD, MA, RN is an Associate Professor of Nursing in the School of Health Science at Gonzaga University.  Brenda is currently the program director for the Doctor in Nursing Practice, Nursing Leadership in Healthcare, and RN-MSN programs. She received her doctoral degree in nursing research from Washington State University and master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University.  She has been a licensed registered nurse for 38 years.  Brenda has recently led the Washington Center for Nursing Education Rural Gaps Workgroup to help brainstorm ways to bring distant nursing education to remote and rural areas in Washington State. She was raised in rural Idaho and currently lives in Spokane WA.

Alyssa Burgess is the Director of Career Pathways at Washington Association for Community Health. Over the past 5 years she has worked to increase the value, expansion, and sustainability of their InReach Career Pathways programs. She works with her team to ensure InReach produces high-quality students and reduces the workforce shortage in primary healthcare. Alyssa brings a wealth of knowledge to the table about healthcare apprenticeships, and she has worked with several other PCA’s to help them establish similar HPET programs. 

Brenda Senger PhD, MA, RN is an Associate Professor of Nursing in the School of Health Science at Gonzaga University.  Brenda is currently the program director for the Doctor in Nursing Practice, Nursing Leadership in Healthcare, and RN-MSN programs. She received her doctoral degree in nursing research from Washington State University and master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University.  She has been a licensed registered nurse for 38 years.  Brenda has recently led the Washington Center for Nursing Education Rural Gaps Workgroup to help brainstorm ways to bring distant nursing education to remote and rural areas in Washington State. She was raised in rural Idaho and currently lives in Spokane WA.

Jenna McDonald is the acting director for the Rural Nursing Education Program and is also the Director for the Eastern Washington Area Health Education Center.  She has been involved in workforce development for the past five years and before that worked with rural local government, managing city services for 20 years.  She has lived in rural Whitman County for 30 years with her husband and three boys. 

As a 25-year resident of Spokane, I have worked within the community to effect change for our marginalized and vulnerable populations. Starting with Youth Outreach, I eventually moved into homeless services with Catholic Charities, where I managed several programs. Then I was the state lead Community Health Worker for United Health. This ignited my passion to help our aging and disabled populations. Now, I am the Community Living Connections Director for Aging and Long Term Care of EA WA, the first avenue for people needing services to remain independent and safely home for as long as possible. In addition, I am also a part of the Homeless Coalition, the CHW state and local coalitions, Co-Chair for Smile Spokane and Chair for the annual Spokane Homeless Connect. 

Eric Volk is a partner in Wipfli’s Spokane office. He specializes in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and audits. Eric provides cost reporting, audit and consulting services to numerous providers in the region. This has enabled him to develop a solid understanding of the issues that concern the healthcare industry.

Rev. Corey Laughary is a pastor, chaplain, bus driver and coach.  He learned QPR Suicide Intervention in the 1990’s working for a crisis hotline. Since then he’s used QPR to help many as a certified QPR instructor. He also is a certified Mental Health First Aid and Youth MHFA Instructor. He leads trainings in suicide prevention, post traumatic responses, real self-care and more.

Annie Pillers is a county coroner, an EMT, a hospice volunteer, and grief support facilitator. She has been privileged to walk beside others in their grief of goodbye, their gentle steps forward, and to witness their inherent renewal of self. 

Rebecca is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, Oregon.  She has been practicing Social Work in the medical and mental health settings since 2013, after earning her MSW from the University of Southern California.  Care Management Supervisor, she champions initiatives related to trauma-informed care and health equity, works closely with organizational leadership to support the psychosocial needs of her rural community, and provides clinical supervision for social work students and clinical social work associates. She is passionate about trauma-informed care, building resilience, and being a part of solutions focused on preventing and interrupting generational and systemic traumas.

Allison has been practicing clinical Social Work in healthcare across the continuum since obtaining her Master's in 2002. She has had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings, such as home health & hospice, maternal fetal medicine, children's pulmonology, primary care and specialty clinics and Emergency and acute care. The majority of her experience has been in rural communities and her current role as the Director of Behavioral Health & Care Management provides her the great opportunity of supporting a team of Clinical Social Workers and RN Care Managers with discharge planning, utilization review, and medical social work practice along with developing and growing behavioral health support across the continuum of the organization. She believes strongly in quality and process improvement as well as utilizing data to identify the needs of the community to create innovative programs. She also has a strong foundation in medical ethics, Clinical Social Work supervision, and is always excited to provide direct patient care when the need arises.

Allison has been practicing clinical Social Work in healthcare across the continuum since obtaining her Master's in 2002. She has had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings, such as home health & hospice, maternal fetal medicine, children's pulmonology, primary care and specialty clinics and Emergency and acute care. The majority of her experience has been in rural communities and her current role as the Director of Behavioral Health & Care Management provides her the great opportunity of supporting a team of Clinical Social Workers and RN Care Managers with discharge planning, utilization review, and medical social work practice along with developing and growing behavioral health support across the continuum of the organization. She believes strongly in quality and process improvement as well as utilizing data to identify the needs of the community to create innovative programs. She also has a strong foundation in medical ethics, Clinical Social Work supervision, and is always excited to provide direct patient care when the need arises.

Jamie Teuteberg, MS is the Director of Healthy Aging Initiatives at the Washington State Health Care Authority where she supports the agency’s activities and clinical policy efforts for high needs populations across the life course. She has over 10 years of public health experience focusing on life course, aging, and prevention work. Since 2018, Jamie has spent the majority of her time as the dedicated staff from the Health Care Authority working with the Dementia Action Collaborative. Jamie was a Health and Aging Policy Fellow in 2021-2023 with placements at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) working on the 6th goal of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act. During the Health and Aging Policy Fellowship she also worked with the CDC on the newly published Health Brain Initiative: State and Local Road Map for Public Health, 2023-2027. In May 2023, Jamie was part of the Washington state delegation that traveled to Sweden exchanging best practices and knowledge regarding dementia and aging policies and practices.

Anna has worked in healthcare since 2007, first entering the field through the military as a Combat Medic where she gained experience in leadership, operations, and clinical care. Anna completed her Master of Healthcare Administration in 2018 and subsequently relocated to Houston, TX for a post-graduate fellowship. Upon completion of her fellowship, she oversaw surgical outpatient clinics and operatories before relocating to Washington to join Summit Pacific Medical Center where she currently serves as the Director of Ambulatory Services. Anna enjoys spending free time with her husband and two dogs. 

Rain’s North Star and perpetual sense of urgency is preventing harm to all people and the earth and promoting systemic wellbeing. She is motivated by the innate goodness of things, her family and a lot of tea.  

As the Founder of Elemental Advisors, Rain supports leaders at all levels to make meaningful change in their part of the world. Previously serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Clinton Health Matters Initiative at the Clinton Foundation, where she was the key advisor and spokesperson for President Clinton on comprehensive health and wellbeing, Rain led the largest domestic effort to improve the wellbeing of all citizens. There, she led the cultivation of more than $200 million in strategic investments from Fortune 500 companies and NGOs; helped secure the Clinton Foundation’s landmark agreement to improve nutrition and beverage offerings with McDonald’s in 80 percent of the global marketplace; led the country’s first effort to create a predictable and affordable supply of Naloxone; and annually produced the Health Matters Summit featuring the country’s most influential health leaders. Prior to that as Senior Vice President of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Rain was instrumental in building the organization from a blueprint to an award-winning, high-impact non-profit with a presence in 50 states, improving the lives of over six million children and the environments of over 30,000 schools. Rain holds a Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of International Relations from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship. Rain focuses her time on addressing substance use and mental health as a co-founder of The Beautiful Boy Fund, a trustee of the Harlem Family Institute, and formerly of Facing Addiction. She has served on global advisory boards for AstraZeneca, Nestle, McDonalds, PepsiCo, Coca Cola, Glaxo Smith Kline and more. Previous work includes roles in policy, politics, academia and international relations - all of which have provided her with a deep bench of dynamic social impact colleagues around the globe.

Brett Antczak, MHA, CMPE, ACHE is a leader in healthcare process transformation and the current CEO of Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center in Odessa, WA. In a career spanning more than two decades, Brett has led clinics, critical access hospitals and large health systems where his talent for change management led to large increases in both productivity and profitability. He brings deep practical experience and education in administration, finance, employment law, team building, planning, and regulatory and compliance knowledge.

Brett earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah, his masters of healthcare administration from University of Des Moines. Believing that healthcare should be accessible and available where people live, much of Brett’s career has been focused on growing smaller, rural critical access hospitals. His management philosophy includes empowering and caring for every individual on his team.

Brett’s children are spread out pursuing their careers and schooling. Aly (dghtr) and her husband Dylan live in Iowa City, IA and are nurses at the University of Iowa Hospital. Oldest son Andrew and his fiancée graduated from school this past December and have recently moved to Tucson, AZ for new job opportunities, and his youngest son “lil” Brett is in school in Iowa City pursuing a degree in accounting/finance. Brett enjoys traveling, playing piano/organ as well as many outdoor recreational opportunities such as hiking, camping, mountain biking, snowmobiling and snowboarding.

Leah is going on her 9th year as a CHW with St. Mary’s Health and Clearwater Valley Health. She is the lead CHW for both facilities and supervises a team of 4. The program has provided opportunities to step out of her comfort zone by leading, presenting and instructing CHW courses. She enjoys the challenges and changes the program has to offer. It is exciting to watch the growth of the CHW program, state wide.

Jordan was born and raised in Wenatchee, and currently works as the coordinator for Central Washington Area Health Education Center (CWAHEC) hosted by Wenatchee Valley College. His work in healthcare began when he worked as a home care aide to support his undergrad education. He accidentally discovered his passion in community psychology doing coursework at University of Washington Bothell. After a gap year, he moved to New York’s Capital Region to do his master’s, initially planning on becoming a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. However, it was further coursework in CP where he found his passion in community work and outreach instead. Even though he enjoyed the adventure of living on the East Coast, he realized during his very first semester that he wanted to return to the Pacific Northwest upon graduation. While deciding what to do for the next phase of life, he learned about the work being done to advance rural healthcare with Area Health Education Centers. All roads lead home and he returned to Wenatchee in September of 2023 to help get CWAHEC off the ground.

Andrea Parker is the Director of Medicare Case Management for Molina Healthcare and oversees case management activities for ID, UT and WA.  She has been with Molina for 11 years, starting as a Case Manager on the WA Medicaid team in 2012.  Andrea obtained her Masters in Social Work from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois.  Prior to Molina, Andrea worked at the Northshore Senior Center in their adult day health program supporting clients and their families.

With the Washington State Department of Health Rural Health Workforce team, I work to support rural health facilities in expanding their workforce through providing resources and best practices of grow your own programs.  

Carol is currently the CNO at Mid Valley Hospital, Omak, WA as well as a practicing Certified Nurse Midwife.  Carol's 30-year nursing career began as an Officer in the United States Army after receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgia Southern University in 1994 and received her Master’s in Nursing from the University of Washington in 2011. Her personalized approach has been developed across a wide variety of settings and most recently was part of a Collaborative Midwifery/OB/GYN group at Providence in Everett, WA for the past 10 years. That Midwifery group was recognized nationally for having the lowest cesarean rate for nine years in a row. Carol has utilized her experience and specialized skills to train a variety of healthcare providers. She was awarded Preceptor of the Year in 2019 from University of Washington.

Across the United States, women in rural communities face unique challenges in finding, not only health care but specialized health care. In her current role as CNO and CNM, Carol is working to improve access and the experience of women seeking healthcare.  She is also utilizing her experience as a nurse in varied settings to create and utilize innovative recruitment and retention measures of the rural healthcare nurse.

As the J-1 Visa Waiver Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Health’s Rural Health Office, I help coordinate the placement of international medical graduates in underserved areas of the state and work to support rural health facilities with growing their own workforce.

Sarah Foley has worked as a social worker for 15 years. In 2009, she graduated with her Master’s in Social Work. Sarah started her work in the domestic violence field and since has worked in higher education, mental health services, and most recently at the Fire Department. In 2017 Sarah started at the Spokane Fire Department managing the CARES Team, a social work program embedded within the Fire Department. Working with the fire department has allowed Sarah the opportunity to work with some of the community’s most vulnerable populations. She supervises a team of Social Work students and has supervised over 100 students as an Agency Field Instructor. She has gained experience working with older adults through my work at the Fire Department and doing home visits has provide valuable insight in the unique barriers older adults encounter when trying to find support and services. 

Joana Luban Clere, MPH, CIC is currently working as an Infection Preventionist at PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center. She oversees and leads the implementation of infection prevention work in ambulatory, acute care, long-term care, home health and hospice both in Ketchikan and Prince of Wales. She is trained to prevent the spread of diseases, practice standard precautions, understand disease processes and epidemiology, educate staff/patients, and work with a team of multidisciplinary healthcare professionals to implement patient safety initiatives. She is also a health equity advocate and a researcher. She is also an ultrarunner, so in her spare time, you can find her on the trails or on the mountains.

Kim works for Better Health Together as the Community Based Worker (CBW) workforce development program manager. She supports both the HRSA Community Health Worker training program and Eastern WA CHW Network. The continuous support for a skilled, diverse CHW workforce has remained a passion since taking the CHW training in 2016. Kim has worked at a local, regional, state, and national level to advocate for CHWs. 

Janessa Graves is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Washington (UW). She holds an MPH in environmental and occupational health sciences and a PhD in health services research from the UW School of Public Health. Dr. Graves is recognized for her expertise in rural health, injury research, occupational health services research, and community engagement.

Debby Dodds is a partner and Head of Caregiver Engagement at Generation Connect, an AgeTech dementia startup and Small Business Innovation Research Grant awardee through the National Institutes of Health. She has a Masters of Aging Services from the University of Massachusetts, Boston where she is an advisor to and teaches Aging and Technology in the program. She was an employed, unpaid family dementia caregiver for a decade. She is an early pioneer in the use of mobile devices for personalized engagement with people that are living with dementia.  She is passionate about helping other care professionals leverage everyday technology to provide more personalized care.

Leslie F. Graham, MSW, LICSW, is a licensed pediatric social worker at the Kent-Des Moines UW Primary Care Clinic, a UW instructor of Social Work, and a Program Manager with the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Leslie assists families with their concerns about parenting, school, behavioral and mental health, and adolescent trials and tribulations. She connects her patients with the resources and help they may need. She is dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for families and their children. Through her years of experience in adolescent counseling, trauma and children/family advocacy, she understands the importance of listening to her patients’ concerns and working collaboratively on goals to improve their health, wellness and overall life satisfaction.

Leslie earned her MSW at the University of Washington. Her clinical interests include adolescent behavioral/mental health issues, trauma and rehabilitation.

My name is Ali Desautel, I currently work as Tribal Liaison for United Healthcare. I am a Colville Tribal Member from the Sinixt Band. I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Eastern Washington University. I started my administrative career as Clinic Business Manager for the NATIVE Project, an urban Indian Health Program in Spokane, WA. I then moved on to Lake Roosevelt Community Health Centers (LRCHC), where I served as Executive Director for 7 years. LRCHC is located on the Colville Reservation and are my tribal HRSA grantee Community Health Centers. I then moved on to work as the Tribal Health Administrator for the Kalispel Tribe where I worked for 5 years overseeing not only the 638 clinic but Behavioral Health as well. Throughout my 17+ years as a tribal health administrator, I served on several boards including the American Indian Health Commission, the Northwest Portland Indian Health Board, the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations board, the Better Health Together (our local Accountable Communities of Health) Board, the Governor’s Indian Health Council, the Indian Policy Advisory Committee, the Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Centers board and my local Inchelium Language and Culture Association board.

Krista Rietberg, MPH, CIC, is an Infection Preventionist and Epidemiologist at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA. She has been an epidemiologist for over 20 years and an infection preventionist for 6 years. 

Krista is passionate about Public Health and Infection Control. Her favorite virus is measles and favorite bacteria is shigella. In my presentation today, I will be sharing lessons learned implementing a Candida auris and Extremely Drug Resistant Organism Screening Program at Harborview Medical Center.