The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) celebrated its 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 healthcare leaders from across the state.
The American Hospital Association (AHA) earlier this year presented three AHA awards to SDAHO members, which were again recognized during the 2024 SDAHO Annual Convention Award Luncheon.
AHA GRASSROOTS CHAMPION AWARD | Paulette Davidson, Monument Health
The Grassroots Champion Award for 2024 is Paulette Davidson, CEO, Monument Health. The Grassroots Champion Award is presented to an individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership in generating grassroots and community activity, in support of a hospital’s mission. This individual effectively educates elected officials and does an outstanding job in broadening the base of community support for the hospital.
AHA POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE’S MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD | Bill Gassen, Sanford Health & Curt Hohman, Avera Health
ACHE | REGENTS AWARD FOR EARLY CAREERIST – Jimmy Seward, Monument Health
The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Regents Award for Early Careerist is Jimmy Seward with Monument Health. Jimmy currently serves as the Ambulatory Director for Monument Health Sturgis. Jimmy received his medical imaging training through Womack Army Medical Center Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, while serving in the U.S. Army.
After completing active-duty service Jimmy returned home to South Dakota and began employment with Regional Health, now Monument Health. Jimmy received a Bachelor of Science in Medical Imaging from Mercy College of Ohio and a master’s degree in business administration with emphasis on finance and leadership from the University of Iowa.
ACHE | SENIOR LEVEL HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVE REGENTS AWARD | Paulette Davidson, Monument Health
This year’s Senior Level Healthcare Executive Regents Award from ACHE is Paulette Davidson, President/CEO, Monument Health headquartered in Rapid City, South Dakota. With over 30 years of experience working in hospitals and physician practice environments, Paulette is a respected leader with a reputation for building great healthcare teams. Prior to joining Regional Health (now Monument Health), she was with Nebraska Medicine, an academic health system where she held the role of System Chief Human Capital and Patient Experience Officer. Prior to that, Davidson was CEO for their Bellevue Medical Center.
Davidson is a Fellow in the College of American Health Care Executives (FACHE) and a certified member of the American College of Medical Practice Executives (CMPE). She has a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) from the University of Notre Dame – Mendoza College of Business in South Bend, Indiana, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin at Kenosha.
LifeSource | EXCELLENCE IN PARTNERSHIP AWARD | SDAHO
LifeSource Presented SDAHO with this year’s Excellence in Partnership Award. This past year SDAHO supported donation education, in addition continued messaging through the association’s webpage and social media engagement throughout the year. SDAHO is committed to raising awareness about organ, eye and tissue donations with members. SDAHO’s outstanding leadership has helped South Dakota to lead the way with donor designation, which is currently at 61%, way above the national average.
LifeSource | EXCELLENCE IN HOSPITAL PARTNERSHIP | Avera St. Lukes Hospital
LifeSource recognized Avera St. Lukes Hospital in Aberdeen with the Excellence in Hospital Partnership Award. Currently there are more than 104,000 people waiting for a life-saving transplant in the United States. Avera St. Lukes Hospital has made a tremendous impact in LifeSource’s mission, a hospital which has helped create extraordinary moments for their patients and their families in times of extreme loss. These extraordinary moments help grieving families continue their loved one’s story through the miracle of organ donation and transplantation. This year’s award recipient fosters a community of hope and proves that it’s not the size of the hospital that makes the biggest impact, but the size of the love and compassion of the people within its walls that makes all the difference. Accepting the award on behalf of Avera St. Lukes were Kelly Fischer and Jenn Kludt.
SDAHQ | QUALITY PROFESSONAL OF THE YEAR | Heather Brewster, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System
The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Quality presented the Quality professional of the year to Heather Brewster, Director of Quality and Risk Management at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System in Watertown, South Dakota. Heather is the Director of Quality and Risk Management at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System, where she has served with dedication for the past seven years. With a solid foundation built from over a decade of experience as a bedside nurse in the Critical Care Unit, Heather brings a wealth of clinical insight to her leadership role.
A 2006 nursing school graduate, Heather holds the Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) credential, reflecting her commitment to excellence in healthcare. Her passion for Prairie Lakes Healthcare System goes beyond professional duty; she views her colleagues as family and is deeply aligned with the organization’s mission to positively impact the health of the patients and communities they serve.
SDHFMA | WILLIAM G FOLLMER BRONZE AWARD
This award is a prestigious honor granted to individuals who have accumulated 25 member points through their dedicated volunteer commitments over the years. Named after William G. Follmer, the visionary founder of the American Association of Hospital Accountants (AAHA), now known as the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). This award celebrates exceptional service and contributions to the field of healthcare financial management. There are five recipients for this award in 2024:
- Shelby Hogue, Director of Corporate Accounting, Sanford Health. Prior to joining Sanford, Shelby worked at Eide Bailly as an auditor. Shelby is an active CPA and graduated from South Dakota State University with a bachelor’s in business economics and the University of South Dakota with a master’s in accounting. Shelby has been involved with the SD HFMA communications committee since 2020, and currently serves as a board member.
- Megan Brooks, Senior Associate of Healthcare Consulting, Eide Bailly. Megan began her career in 2017 as a Tax accountant with Eide Bailly. She transitioned into the private accounting sector with a 3D printer manufacturer in 2018 through 2021. After moving back to the Sioux Falls area in 2021, Megan entered the healthcare industry as a Corporate Accounting Manager with Sanford Health. In 2023, she rejoined Eide Bailly and currently work as a Healthcare Consulting Manager.
Megan is a CPA with a bachelor’s degree in professional accountancy from Black Hills State University. She joined SD HFMA in 2021 and has since become a board member, certifications committee chair, and communications committee co-chair. Megan has earned CHFP and CSPR certifications through HFMA and is working to obtain the CHCRS certification this year. Megan and her husband live in Sioux Falls. - Kelly Klein, CPA, Income Partner, Casey Peterson, Ltd. Kelly is a CPA with 15 years of public accounting experience. She earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting from the University of South Dakota. Kelly began her accounting career at Casey Peterson, Ltd out of Rapid City, SD, and is currently an Income Partner there. Kelly is very active in the SD HFMA Chapter, serving as the SD HFMA Treasurer for several years. She specializes in healthcare audit services and rural healthcare Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. In her spare time, she enjoys doing everything outdoors in the Black Hills.
- Chad Breidenbach, Sales Manager, Hauge Group. Chad has a B.S. in Health Administration from the University of South Dakota and an M.S. in Information Systems from Dakota State University. His professional experience includes work in health insurance claims processing and contract administration, client relations for a long-term care pharmacy provider, and long-term care administration. Chad began his tenure with The Hauge Group in 2016 as an account representative. In 2018, he was promoted to Sales Manager, overseeing business development efforts in the Upper Midwest and other areas of the country. During this time, he has had the pleasure of meeting a wide range of dedicated health care finance professionals. Chad has enjoyed his time in HFMA and has had the opportunity to work with many great people through his participation in HFMA in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa. He currently sits as the Sponsorship Chair for the South Dakota HFMA chapter.
- Brittany Roth, Director of Managed Care, Phelps Health. Brittany has worked in the health care industry for more than 9 years. She started her career at Sanford Health, where over the course of 7 years, she made positive impacts in various revenue cycle and finance areas for both their health services division and health plan. In 2022, Brittany accepted a new position at Phelps Health, a health system located in Missouri, as a fully remote Director. She manages all managed care payer and client service agreements for the enterprise, as well as leading the Provider Enrollment Team.
Brittany has been an HFMA member for about 4 years, participating in both the South Dakota and Greater Heartland chapters. She is the current President-Elect for the SD HFMA chapter, leads the Student Engagement Committee, and sits on the Public Relations and Programming Committees. Brittany holds a BASc in Technical Leadership with an emphasis in Healthcare Leadership & Management from the University of South Dakota. She holds several certifications, including CHFP, CSMC, CSPR, CRCR, and PESC. Outside of her health care volunteerism, Brittany also volunteers with Junior Achievement, Catholic Religious Education, Missouri Hospital Association Insurance Advisory Board, the University of South Dakota Dept. of Public Health and Health Sciences Advisory Board, and Centerville Care and Rehab.
SDHFMA | ROBERT H. REEVES SILVER AWARD
The Robert H. Reeves Silver Award is a distinguished accolade presented to individuals who have earned 50 member points through sustained volunteer commitments over the years. Named in honor of Robert H. Reeves, an organizing member of the American Association of Hospital Accountants (AAHA), now known as the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), this award recognizes exceptional dedication and service. Two individuals are recipients this year:
- Cory Van Mannen, CPA, Eide Bailly, LLP Partner. Cory Van Maanen is also the current President for the South Dakota chapter of HFMA. He graduated from the University of Sioux Falls in 2010 with his degree in accounting. With more than a decade of public accounting experience, Cory specializes in health care financial statement audit and consulting services. He serves as a member of Eide Bailly’s health care industry technical issues committee. He has worked with a variety of healthcare organizations (PPS, CAH, physician practices, clinics, and senior living communities) in the surrounding states, including organizations in South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wyoming.
- Amber Langner, CPA, CHFP, Senior Vice President of Treasury, Sanford Health. As Sanford Health’s Senior Vice President of Treasury, Amber oversees cash management, investments, debt, tax, and finance support for Sanford Health Foundations, Research, and Health Plans. She joined Sanford Health in 2015 and assumed leadership of Treasury in 2020 after holding various leadership roles in corporate finance, accounting, and treasury. Prior to this, she worked for five years in public accounting at Eide Bailly. Langner is a Certified Public Accountant with master’s and bachelor’s degrees in economics from South Dakota State University. She has been actively involved with the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), including serving as President of South Dakota HFMA. Additionally, she serves on several boards, including the Harrisburg School District Education Foundation, the Alumni Association of South Dakota State University, and as Chair of the Ness School of Management and Economics Advisory Board.
HIMSS of the Dakotas| LEADERSHIP IN EXCELLENCE AWARD | Erica Knippling, Avera Health
Erica Knippling, System Engineer with Avera Health is the recipient of the 2024 Leadership in Excellence award from the South Dakota Health Information Management Systems Society of the Dakotas Chapter. Erica Knippling is an accomplished IT professional with over two decades of experience, with a focused expertise in health care. She currently serves as a Systems Engineer at Avera Health, where she leverages her extensive background to optimize and secure complex healthcare IT systems.
Throughout her career, Erica has held pivotal roles that have significantly shaped health care IT infrastructures. Her tenure as an IT Site Manager at the FSST Health Center and later as a Clinical Informatics Specialist at Brookings Health System involved leading teams in the design, implementation, and security of electronic medical records (EMR) and network infrastructures.
Erica’s dedication to the field is also reflected in her active involvement with the South Dakota Health Information Management Systems Society (SDHIMSS). Since joining in 2012, she has served in several key positions, including President, President Elect, Past President, and Program Director.
HIMSS of the Dakotas | CHAPTER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD | Dr. Corey Smith, University of North Dakota
Dr. Corey Smith, Assistant Professor University of North Dakota, School of Medicine and Health Sciences is this year’s Chapter Achievement Award recipient.
Dr. Smith is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences where he teaches health informatics and directs the medical informatics core of the NIH-funded North Dakota IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence Program.
Prior to joining the faculty, Dr. Smith held leadership positions in early-stage startups and for 12 years served as the Director of Science and Applied Informatics for the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board in Rapid City, South Dakota. His current research interests are oriented toward finding effective informatics strategies that lead to increased public health capacity to address mental health disparities in rural and medically underserved populations.
Dr. Smith earned the Master of Health Sciences and PhD degrees in psychiatric epidemiology from the Bloomberg Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. He later went on to become a National Library of Medicine postdoctoral fellow in health sciences informatics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Dr. Smith brings over 18 years of experience working across sectors to address the complex challenges associated with the prevention, treatment, and management of chronic disease in rural communities. He is an active member of the American Medical Informatics Association and is on the board of the Dakotas Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.
SDHHRA | HUMAN RESOURCE SPIRIT OF SERVICE AWARD | Stacey Beck, Marshall County Healthcare Center
Receiving the 2024 Human Resource Spirit of Service Award from the South Dakota Healthcare Human Resource Association is Stacey Beck the Assisted Living Supervisor for Spruce Court Assisting Living, operated by the Marshall County Healthcare Center in Britton, South Dakota. Stacey has been part of the Spruce Court Assisted Living staff for the past 28 years, serving as supervisor for 27 of those years.
SDHHRA | HUMAN RESOURCE LEADERSHIP AWARD | Lori Hisel, Pioneer Memorial Hospital and Health Services
Lori Hisel, Director of Human Resources with Pioneer Memorial Hospital and Health Services in Viborg, South Dakota is the 2024 recipient of the Human Resource Leadership Award from the South Dakota Healthcare and Human Resource Association. Lori has worked for Pioneer Memorial Hospital & Health Services in Viborg, SD for 46 years. In addition to serving as the Director of HR, Lori oversees Supply Chain, Emergency Preparedness, Housekeeping, Laundry, Safety and Risk.
Lori lives in Centerville with her husband where they enjoy their 3 children and spouses and 4 grandchildren
SDAHO ENTERPRISES SCHOLARSHIP
In 2024, SDAHO Enterprises created the first ever SDAHO Enterprises Nursing and Allied Health Professionals’ Scholarship. The scholarship supports undergraduate Nursing and Allied Health professional students currently enrolled or accepted into South Dakota Board of Regents institutions. This year 3 students are receiving scholarships, each for $5,000.00 over the course of their college careers. Those students were recognized during this year’s award celebration and include:
- Natalie Smith, Burke South Dakota
- Goldie Whitaker, Custer South Dakota
- Jennifer Meier, Spearfish South Dakota.
NURSE LEADERSHIP RECOGNITION
Retaining South Dakota nurses is an important initiative to SDAHO. Nurse leaders, whether at the bedside or in nursing management, play a vital role in nurse retention by influencing the quality of work, the stability of the work environment and improved patient outcomes.
The SDAHO Nurse Leadership program started in 2019 with growth occurring every year since. The 10-session program, both in-person and virtual, focuses on current and emerging nurse leaders. Participants and presenters from the 2024 Nurse Leadership program were recognized during this year’s award celebration. To view this year’s participants and presenters click here.
Registration for the 2025 Nurse Leadership program opens November 1, 2024.
SDAHO congratulates all recipients recognized during the 98th Annual Convention.
SDAHO’s Distinguished Service Award recipients were recognized in our October 11, 2024, story, which can be viewed here.
