The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) celebrated it’s 98th annual convention September 25-27, 2024, in Rapid City, South Dakota at the Monument Event Center. During the celebration an award luncheon was held to recognize affiliate society awards, in addition to SDAHO’s own Distinguished Service Awards (DSA). Recipients of the DSA Awards are nominated by their peers for their dedication to the healthcare profession and who have or continue to make a difference in the healthcare community.
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL OF 2024 | Travis B. Henderson, MD, FACP, Internal Medicine, Mobridge Regional Hospital and Clinics
The Healthcare Professional of the year was presented to Dr. Travis Henderson of Mobridge Regional Hospital and Clinics. Travis Henderson, MD, FACP, is a general internist practicing at Mobridge Regional Hospital in Mobridge, SD.
After graduating from Mobridge High School, he earned a biology degree from South Dakota State University, and then obtained his medical degree from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine Magna Cum Laude in 1997. Following that, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force and completed the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. His next assignment was Scott Air Force Base, Ill., where he practiced general Internal Medicine and taught medical residents at St Louis University School of Medicine. During this time was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2004, he and his family relocated to Mobridge, SD where he has been practicing since.
Dr. Henderson is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at USD Sanford School of Medicine and teaches 3rd year medical students as a site coordinator for the Frontier and Rural Medicine program. Dr. Henderson is certified in Pediatric Advance Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support and is an Advanced Cardiac Life Support instructor.
He and his wife have four daughters and make their home in Mobridge. He serves the Mobridge United Congregational Church as the Cabinet Moderator and is on the Mobridge-Pollock School Board, and Mobridge Regional Hospital Board of Directors. In his spare time, Dr. Henderson enjoys hunting, camping, and spending time at his daughters’ activities.
STATE LEGISLATOR OF 2024 | State Senator Bryan Breitling (R), Miller, SD (District 23)
Senator Bryan Breitling was elected to the South Dakota legislature in 2020 and has led efforts to support healthcare while serving as Vice-Chair of the Appropriations committee. He has championed increases for nursing homes, and healthcare workforce education investments in western and northeastern South Dakota. He has supported the development of palliative care services and other enhancements to the long-term care system, and changes to the medical cannabis program.
Throughout his time as a lawmaker, Sen. Breitling worked year-round to ensure state resources were used to support healthcare and other state needs. He helped develop the plan to ensure Medicaid Expansion was fully funded when it was implemented. He helped steer the committee toward fair funding practices for providers that rely on Medicaid while balancing other needs for the state budget. He has volunteered for various leadership roles pertaining to healthcare, including co-chairing a summer study to look at the state’s medical cannabis laws.
Outside of the state legislature, Sen. Breitling served as the administrator for Avera Hand County hospital in Miller, SD until recently when he transitioned to Avera hospitals in Dell Rapids and Flandreau.
STATE TRUSTEE OF 2024 | Larry Gabriel, Board of Directors Philip Health Services
Larry Gabriel has served on the Philip Health Services Board of Directors since 1993. His knowledge of the state and support of the facility has never wavered over his 30 years of service.
Larry was the driving force in a fundraising campaign for a new facility to replace the aging acute care hospital. In 2002, this community-wide project received the Outstanding Philanthropic Community Award from the state of South Dakota.
Larry began his government career as a county commissioner in 1974. He would later serve in the South Dakota State House of Representatives, lasting 16 years, with six of those as the House Majority Leader. Larry was also appointed to serve as South Dakota’s Secretary of Agriculture from 2000 to 2007. Larry attended South Dakota State University earning a degree in economics.
Larry was born on a ranch near Philip, South Dakota where his family ranched. Larry still resides on his family’s ranch which still operates today.
Larry has 2 children and 6 grandchildren and when he is not serving others, he loves to travel and has been to all the states in our country, except 7, which he still plans to visit.
QUALITY CHAMPION OF 2024 | Stacey Erickson, Vice President of Quality Nursing Service Line Administrator, Avera Health
For nearly three decades, quality has been a major facet of Stacey Erickson’s career, first as a nurse, then as a Director of Nursing, both in system-wide quality leadership roles. Today as Vice President of Quality for the entire Avera system, a role she’s held since 2015, Stacey oversees infection prevention, accreditation, patient experience, clinical documentation improvement, and utilization review, seeing them all as important contributors to an overall safe and positive patient journey. Stacey is responsible for the system oversight of federal reimbursement programs related to the quality of patient care and leading system strategic initiatives to permeate all Avera patient care locations, resulting in positive patient outcomes.
During her tenure, in both 2019 and 2021, Avera was named to the prestigious 15 Top Health Systems list by IBM Watson Health, and Avera McKennan as one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals (2021). This list recognized excellence in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency and patient experience. In addition, numerous Avera hospitals and long-term care centers have been named 5-Star facilities by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on a year-by-year basis.
Stacey holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing from SDSU and later earned an MBA from the University of St. Mary with an emphasis in leadership and organization health.
STATE OFFICIAL OF 2024 | Mary S. Carpenter, MD FAAFP, State of South Dakota (Retired June 2024)
The State Official for 2024 was presented to Dr. Mary S. Carpenter, with the State of South Dakota. Before retiring in June of 2024, Dr. Carpenter served the State of South Dakota for more than a decade, with her titles including Medical Director for the South Dakota Medicaid Program, Medical Director for the South Dakota Correctional Health Program for inmates in the custody of the state, and Medical Director for the SD Department of Health.
While serving in these behind-the-scenes roles, Dr. Carpenter was always looking to improve processes and policies to help people get access to healthcare, including with the hospital systems. Serving the inmate population can be especially challenging for several reasons. No matter the circumstances that brought an inmate into custody of the state of South Dakota, Dr. Carpenter advocated for the best care possible to improve the health of individual inmates and the broader inmate population
Mary served in various ways to develop solutions to public health issues. She was a key part of the state’s response to covid-19. Dr. Carpenter was a member of the First Lady’s task force on infant mortality in 2011 and part of the working group that set up the state’s infant, child, maternal and violent death mortality review processes.
Dr. Carpenter attended the University of South Dakota School of Medicine, with residencies and postdoctoral work with Tulsa Medical College in Tulsa Oklahoma. She attended Armour High School and today calls Winner, South Dakota Home. She enjoys spending time with her 11 grandchildren, needlework, reading and traveling.
HEALTHCARE HERO OF 2024 | Dr. Stephen Tamang, Director of Addiction Medicine and Community Health Services, Monument Health
Dr. Tamang is a dual board-certified physician in family medicine and addiction medicine. Since joining monument health in 2014, he has held multiple key roles, including Ambulatory Physician, Urgent Care Physician, Hospitalist, and Director of Addiction Medicine and Community Health Services.
Dr. Tamang has shown great vision and leadership in the creation of the Patient Centered Medical Home and the Addiction Medicine Services at Monument Health and serving the Black Hills area. His vision for serving these at-risk populations in the Black Hills has heightened awareness of need for services in the West River area.
In 2018, Dr. Tamang founded a company, Project Recovery, targeting the opioid crisis, growing it from three to 20 employees and achieving national impact through its acquisition in 2024. Dr. Tamang served as a fractional CEO for Project Recovery while working as a physician for Monument Health. The successful sale of this company in 2024 enabled its mission to expand nationally, enhancing the scope and impact of addiction medicine services.
Dr. Tamang received multiple accolades for his professional excellence, such as the Clinical Excellence Award (2023) and the Distinguished Clinician Award (2024) from Monument Health, reflecting his peer-recognized contributions to medical practice and management.
Outside of work Dr. Tamang is passionate about chess and actively competes in tournaments across the state. He also serves on the board of the Cornerstone Rescue Mission, in addition to serving as President for Journey On! A Rapid City group works to make a positive impact in the community.
HEALTHCARE JOURNALIST OF 2024 | Alex Strauss, Editor and Co-CEO, Midwest Medical Edition
Healthcare journalist Alex Strauss has been covering and promoting healthcare in the South Dakota region for more than 25 years.
As a fledgling Sioux Falls TV reporter in 1990, she launched her station’s first regular healthcare segment and produced multiple award-winning pieces before pivoting to print journalism.
In 2000, Alex launched the first regional magazine for healthcare professionals in the upper Midwest and is now the co-CEO and Editor at Midwest Medical Edition, also known as MED, which provides healthcare industry news digitally and in print to more than 13,000 subscribers across five states. Through MED’s print and digital magazine, eNews Distribution service and social media channels, Strauss has fostered a vibrant community of healthcare professionals in our region with essential resources and services.
Strauss has also written for national and international news outlets including NewsLink, MSNBC, Cancer Monthly, NPR, the BBC, and the Guardian but is proudest of the work she has done to support the health of South Dakotans and the work of South Dakota healthcare professionals.
With a lifelong career in healthcare journalism, Strauss continues to demonstrate unwavering dedication to covering health and medical news across South Dakota and the surrounding states.
Strauss is the daughter of a pediatrician and holds an MA in Broadcast Journalism from American University.
In her off time, Alex enjoys practicing agility with her dog Tegan, hiking outdoors, and trying new recipes from around the world.
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF 2024 | KaSara Sutton, Director of Nursing and Clinical Services, Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center
KaSara started with Sanford Aberdeen in 2013 as a Patient Care Technician.
KaSara has made multiple contributions to the professional advancement of nurses, the nursing profession, and improvement of the general welfare of nurses. KaSara goes above and beyond to ensure that staff and patients feel respected and that their best interest always come first.
KaSara continues to bring forward new ideas to improve care, efficiency, and satisfaction. She has grown into her Director of Nursing role and continues to learn and grow each and every day. She has led her teams through Remote RT go live, Omnicell go live, onboarding of international nurses, onboarding of a very large group of new graduate RN’s.
KaSara graduated from SDSU with a BSN, and later went on and obtained a master’s in nursing education and clinical Nurse Leadership. Kasara has built a leadership team beneath her and continues to assist them in being successful in their roles. There is no challenge too large for Kasara to tackle and overcome successfully. She does so with poise and confidence which makes her thoughts and opinions well respected.
Kasara serves on the Safe Harbor Board of Directors, the SDONL District 2 Chair, and is active on the SDNA District level. She advocates for what is best for the profession and the organization.
Outside of work, KaSara is active in the united way, and she enjoys spending time with her family and four dogs, cruising around in her 1974 Volkswagen van named Stevie.
POST-ACUTE CHAMPION OF 2024 | Doug Ekeren, President/CEO Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton Region
Douglas R. Ekeren is the Regional President and CEO of Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in the Yankton region and has been since 2014. Doug has been a visionary leader for the Long-Term Care Strategic Business Unit (SBU) at Avera.
Doug’s leadership of the Long-Term Care SBU for Avera has resulted in continued collaboration with communities, other providers and the wider network of post-acute professionals. This collaboration proved to be invaluable during the public health emergency, and these ties have only continued to strengthen post-pandemic.
Doug is a strategic thinker who considers innovative ways to deliver and promote high quality care delivery, and he’s eager to share those insights and ideas as an advocate and champion for long-term care.
Doug has 36 years of experience in health care leadership. After receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees in health care/hospital administration, Doug began his career as CEO of Pioneer Memorial Hospital at Viborg in 1988. He then joined Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in 1993 and held various vice president positions until being named Regional President and CEO in 2014. In recent years, he also served as top administrator of Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell from 2020 to 2023, in addition to being Avera Sacred Heart’s top leader. For 30 years, Doug held licensure as a nursing home administrator.
Under Doug’s leadership, Avera added an infection prevention specialist specifically focused on long-term care. Doug launched a system-wide approach to standardize policies and best practices, improve quality, and leverage human resources across the system. Other goals included maximizing telemedicine resources and integration of pharmacy services, therapy and technology for long-term care.
Avera operates nursing homes in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. Doug stays up to date on policies and proposed legislation in all these states as well as the federal level.
Doug is a native of Gayville, South Dakota. He received his bachelor’s degree in health services administration from the University of South Dakota and a Masters in Hospital Administration from the University of Minnesota. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Doug currently serves on the boards of Yankton Thrive, Avera Health Plans, Avera@ Home, South Dakota and Montana Make-A-Wish, and the South Dakota Board of Technical Education. He has been married to his wife Karen for 39 years and has 3 adult children and 9 grandchildren.
HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD | Jeff Partridge, South Dakota Board of Regents, Rapid City, SD
Regent Partridge has dedicated his life to service in the community and the state of South Dakota for decades. Most recently, is his work in shaping the vision for the West River Health Sciences Center in Rapid City and working to bring that vision to life. This collaboration between Black Hills State University and South Dakota State University’s nursing program has enabled students who desire to complete their nursing education and training close to their home in Western South Dakota now can do so in a state of the art and high caliber center for learning and education.
Regent Partridge has always worked closely with communities and industry partners to listen to and understand the needs of not only the healthcare community but the broader community at large. His passion for health, wellness, and a heightened quality of life has all contributed to the work he’s done to bring forward additional opportunities Rapid City and the healthcare community. Regent Partridge has truly modeled the quality of servant leadership in the positions of influence he has held.
Regent Partridge served in the South Dakota legislature from 2014 to 2021, representing district 34 in rapid city. During his time there, Regent Partridge was a champion for healthcare, supporting bills to help promote future healthcare professionals. As a member of the South Dakota board of regents, he continues to be an advocate for healthcare and our state’s future workforce. Regent Partridge’s leadership and deep knowledge about the power of partnership helped move many projects from concept to reality.
LARRY VEITZ LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD | Tammy Miller, CEO, Madison Regional Health System
Tammy Miller has worked for Madison Regional Health System for 44 years. Tammy moved to Madison, South Dakota to attend college at Dakota State University, she joined what was then the Madison Community Hospital her sophomore year, earning the role of Administrative Assistant, a position she held for 16 years. After earning her master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Minnesota, she spent a short stint as CEO of the hospital in Dell Rapids but returned to Madison where her career spanned 4 decades as the CEO.
Recently Tammy announced that she will be retiring.
Tammy leaves behind not only a legacy of excellence through her leadership, but she oversaw the construction of a 110,00 square foot hospital built in 2015.
Tammy has served on many boards and service groups throughout her career both at the local, state and national level. Tammy was named as one of the 71 critical access hospital CEOs to know by Becker’s Hospital Review in 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024. Madison Regional Health System has been ranked in the top 20 of all critical access hospitals in the nation three times, in 2014, 2015 and 2022.
Through the years, Tammy has held her staff in high regard praising their dedication for providing top quality care the hospital strives for.
Tammy and her husband Mike have 3 adult children and 7 grandchildren. When away from the office Tammy enjoys spending time with family, and after retirement she and her husband Mike are looking forward to traveling more.
SDAHO created a special celebration video that included Tammy’s staff, friends and family, which can be viewed here.
Congratulations to all the 2024 SDAHO Distinguished Service Award Recipients.
