
The annual Wisconsin Rural Health Conference is the statewide forum designed to highlight public policy and operations issues affecting rural health care, identify how the delivery of and access to rural health care are changing and identify ways in which data, technology and people processes are improving care and access for rural populations.
This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of CEOs, administrators, chief financial officers, controllers, nurse executives, chief medical officers, medical directors, marketing/public relations directors, quality managers, risk managers, public health officials and hospital board of director members of rural health care organizations.
Jun. 8 - Jun. 10, 2026
5:00 PM - 12:00 PM
The Osthoff Resort & Spa
101 Osthoff Avenue
Elkhart Lake, WI 53020
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
1 Long Drive
Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085
Each golfer will be provided with a name tag and 2 drink tickets. Hole prize winners will be announced at the conference on June 9.
Optional activity for conference attendees only.
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
1 Long Drive
Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085
Optional activity for conference attendees only, held at The Osthoff Resort & Spa.
Please join us for this social and networking reception. Light appetizers and hosted bar will be available.
Derek Daly, CEO, Tomah Health
WHA Chair, Council on Rural Health
Healthcare workers face layers of complexity every day, from staffing shortages to rising patient
expectations. Adding to this challenge are the generational differences that shape how patients interpret
professionalism, bedside manner, and trust. For patients, navigating health concerns can feel confusing,
emotional, or even embarrassing—making it vital for providers to approach interactions with both
empathy and generational awareness.
GenHealth equips healthcare professionals with insights into how different generations prefer to
communicate, engage, and build trust in care settings. This session explores not only the patient-provider
relationship but also the dynamics among generationally diverse healthcare teams. Participants will
uncover practical strategies to improve communication, strengthen collaboration, and ease generational
disconnects that can impact both patient satisfaction and staff morale. Attendees will walk away with actionable takeaways to immediately apply in their daily work—helping them enhance the patient experience, build stronger team connections, and ultimately improve healthcare outcomes.
Phil Gwoke
CEO, Generational Expert and Thought Leader
Over the last year, rural health care has been at the center of politics and policy in Madison and Washington. During this fireside chat, Kyle O’Brien and Tim Size team up to share their perspectives on how hospitals have influenced the state and national debates on health care policy, while offering frank perspectives on the state of health care in Wisconsin.
Kyle O'Brien, President & CEO, WHA
Tim Size, Executive Director, RWHC
Moderator: Luke Beirl, President & CEO, Tamarack Health
1A: Pediatric Readiness: Ensuring Rural and Critical Access Hospitals are Prepared
Pediatric readiness is the capacity of an emergency department to provide safe, timely, and high-quality emergency care to children, regardless of where they live. Many children in Wisconsin seek care at rural and critical access hospitals, therefore a strong commitment to pediatric readiness is essential to support these local systems that are often the first point of care for critically ill and injured children. Sustained focus on pediatric readiness strengthens local care delivery, equips front line teams with the resources and processes needed to manage pediatric emergencies and ensures that children receive the right care in the right place at the right time. Continued investment in and collaboration with rural and critical access hospitals is a proven strategy to reduce preventable morbidity and mortality, improve outcomes and advance health equity for Wisconsin’s children. This presentation will describe the core components of pediatric readiness, highlight the ongoing work of the Wisconsin Pediatric Readiness for Community Hospitals Project and identify practical strategies to implement and sustain pediatric ready practices in rural and critical access settings.
Maureen Luetje, DO, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Medical Director of Pediatric Readiness, Associate Medical Director for Trauma, Surgery and Disaster Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin – Children’s Wisconsin
Anna VerKuilen, MPH, Program Manager – Emergency Care, Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin
1B: Multi generational Employee Wellness Programs
This panel will explore how organizations can design and implement multi generational employee wellness programs that meet the unique needs of today’s diverse workforce. Discussion will focus on practical strategies to enhance engagement, support well-being across age groups, and strengthen retention through inclusive wellness initiatives.
Carol Wilson, President & CEO, Empathia
Laura Kuglitsch, Population Health & Wellbeing Advisor, M3 Insurance
Chris DeLapp, Staff and Community Education Manager, Prairie Ridge Health
Moderator: Katie Ott, Director of Benefits Engagement Solutions, Partner, M3 Insurance
1C: 340B Update for Rural Providers
With 340B evolving rapidly, rural hospitals and grantees face unique challenges and opportunities. This session will deliver timely insights tailored to critical access hospitals, sole community hospitals, rural referral centers, and organizations serving rural communities. Anticipated topics include rebate pilot implementation, referred patient compliance, and strategies for responding to manufacturer inquiries. Attendees will gain practical guidance to navigate compliance and optimize program benefits in today’s dynamic environment.
James Junger, Attorney, Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C.
Jon Hoelter, Vice President Federal Affairs and Advocacy, WHA
2A: Empathy Restored Among Healthcare Workers: Rebuilding Connection, Improving Care, Sustaining Well-Being
In today’s healthcare environment, empathy fatigue is a silent crisis. Clinicians are expected to deliver exceptional care while operating under relentless stress, time pressure, and administrative complexity. This presentation offers a pragmatic framework for restoring empathy across clinical teams—without adding one more thing to the to-do list. Participants will leave with tools they can use on their very next shift to reset emotionally, engage meaningfully, and maintain professional boundaries that protect their own well-being. The session combines research, storytelling, and hands-on practice to make empathy tangible and sustainable, even in high-acuity or fast-paced settings.
Hank Drummond PhD RN, Enterprise Chief Nurse Executive, Divisional Senior Vice President Cross Country
2B: Better Health Better Margins The Role of Energy in Rural Healthcare
A panel focused on the opportunities, misconceptions, and unknowns of energy use for rural hospitals and health systems. Healthcare is causing adverse health effects to our communities – an action that contradicts our mission. Learn how to improve the environment while improving your margins. Learn about rural hospitals and clinics that have reaped the benefits of energy sustainability. Understand the opportunities of energy sustainability and energy management to improve margins and the environment.
Kristie McCoic, Vice President of Critical Access Hospitals North Region, Theda Care Medical Center - Shawano
Nathan Franklin, Vice President of External Affairs and Sustainability, Emplify Health
2C: Delivering Care for Rural Women and Babies: The Wisconsin Way
Rural Wisconsin has had 9 labor and delivery unit closures in the last 3 years. It is up to each of us to begin creating change now to preserve the quality and quantity of obstetrical care available in our state. This session will share how rural hospitals in Wisconsin are working collaboratively and internally to preserve access to safe obstetrical care. Panelists will discuss workforce shortages, supportive staffing and provider coverage models, financial challenges, and quality/safety concerns surrounding rural obstetrical care. The tangible initiatives shared will equip and inspire hospital attendees with practical ideas they can use to serve women and babies in their communities successfully, whether they still offer L+D services or are seeing these patients in clinic, the ED, or postpartum.
Marie Barry, Director of Community Economic & Workforce Development, RWHC
Eilidh Pederson, CEO, Western Wisconsin Health
Brianna Juszczak, Director of Acute Care and OB, Mile Bluff Medical Center
3A: Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers: A Panel on Advancing Health Workforce Well Being Across Hospital Settings
Rising patient complexity and an aging population are demographic factors, largely beyond the state’s control, that will continue to increase health care demand and stress on the health care workforce for decades to come. Recognizing the urgency to support and sustain those who care for Wisconsin’s communities, the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW) selected the Health Workforce Well Being Initiative as a landmark investment and awarded WHA the responsibility to lead this transformative statewide effort. This session will highlight the early work, vision and impact of the five-year initiative to strengthen workforce well being across all care settings. Grounded in evidence, national standards and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation (LBF) multi-phase model, this initiative is building a statewide infrastructure to equip hospitals and health systems with tools, resources, training and other strategies to better support clinician well being.
Kick off
Dr. Mike Stadler, Chief Medical Officer & AHW Initiative Champion, AHW
Nadine Allen, Chief Quality Officer & WHA Initiative Sponsor, WHA
Panelists
Sue Anderson, Regional President, SSM Health Wisconsin
Shawn Lerch, CEO, Sauk Prairie Health
Heather Schmidt, DO, Chief Wellness Officer, SSM Health Fond du Lac Integrative Health
Wendy Ledesma, MD, Chief Wellness Officer, Sauk Prairie Health
Moderator: Dr. Stefanie Simmons, Chief Medical Officer, LBF
3B: National Perspectives: Rural Health Transformation Programs
Join us in identifying key commonalities across states, comparing different state operating models for the Rural Health Transformation Programs, with examples of unique state programs.
Greg Bice, Senior Manager, Deloitte
Elise Winter, Senior Manager, Deloitte
3C: Top 10 Rural Hospital Wins for 2026 that can be implemented without draining your finances
In this session, a presentation of practical, low-cost performance improvements that rural hospitals can implement across finance, nursing, HR, operations and clinics will be shared. The conditions that make these strategies effective in small and rural settings will also be explored. Early warning signs of operational or financial fragility that can be mitigated through targeted improvements will be discussed. In addition, an examination of how cross-departmental teams collaborate to achieve measurable gains without major new investments will be provided. Finally, ten evidence-based strategies that rural hospitals across Wisconsin and the U.S. have used to strengthen performance in the past 12–24 months will be shared.
Kris Jacobson, MBA, LNHA,LALD, CEO/Owner, Momentum Healthcare Solutions Group
Matthew Borchardt, MBA, CPA, Atrelis Co
Madison Johnson, CFO, Osceola Medical Center
Join us for a gourmet dinner, while networking with peers and visiting the expansive group of WHA Corporate Members who are in attendance and ready to share their products and services to assist WHA member hospitals with their needs.
Derek Daly, CEO, Tomah Health
Chair, WHA Council on Rural Health
This panel will bring together four prominent rural hospital and health system leaders from across the state. The must-attend session, featuring WHA Board members, will offer candid perspectives on the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping rural health care delivery in Wisconsin. Attendees will hear directly from leaders who are navigating these issues every day and helping guide the future of health care in rural communities.
Matt Heywood, President & CEO, Aspirus
Dan Rohrbach, President & CEO, Southwest Health
John Russell, President & CEO, Prairie Ridge Health
Heather Schimmers, President, Emplify Health
Moderator: Kyle O'Brien, President & CEO, WHA
Our minds have the tendency to habitually focus on what’s wrong and why we’re frustrated instead of where we could be and what it would take to get there. Workplace culture expert Paul Long has discovered a powerful truth: Culture isn’t something you fix—it’s something you create through moment-by-moment choices. Through his principles of deliberate connection, he teaches leaders and teams how to implement “brain pattern interrupts” that shift attention from problems to possibilities. When you become intentional about how you show up, how you connect, and where you focus, you transform your experience—and your organization’s culture.
Hailed by multiple state hospital associations, Paul Long draws from his experience leading thousands to deliver actionable insights that energize teams, fuel engagement, and bring meaning back to work.
Paul Long, Leadership and Culture Expert

Executive Director, RWHC
Tim Size is the founding executive director of the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC). Begun in 1979... See more
Program Manager – Emergency Care, Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin
Anna VerKuilen, MPH is a program manager with the emergency care initiative at the See more
Chief Medical Officer, Sauk Prairie Healthcare
As a physician executive, Dr. Wendy Ledesma is a dynamic catalyst for positive change, an innovator in provider wellness... See more
CEO, Western Wisconsin Health
Eilidh Pederson joined Western Wisconsin Health (WWH) as their CEO in January of 2022. Prior to joining... See more
President & CEO, Aspirus
Matthew “Matt” Heywood joined Aspirus as President and Chief Executive Officer in June 2013. Prior to joining Aspirus... See more
President & CEO, Southwest Health
With over 30 years in leadership roles in rural healthcare organizations, Dan brings Southwest Health a high level of management skills and experience. Yet, those who know him... See more
President & CEO, Prairie Ridge Health
John Russell is the President and CEO of Prairie Ridge Health, a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital in South Central Wisconsin. He is a Certified Public Accountant and... See more
President, Emplify Health
Heather Schimmers is an experienced clinical and administrative leader who serves as President of Emplify Health. She is responsible for... See more
Regional President, SSM Health Wisconsin
Sue is a passionate, collaborative, and experienced health care leader with a strong track record of achieving results in operational excellence and... See more
CEO, Sauk Prairie Healthcare
Shawn Lerch is CEO for Sauk Prairie Healthcare. Originally from Albany, WI, Shawn spent seven years in the Navy before beginning his career in healthcare as a physical therapist assistant... See more
President and CEO, Tamarack Health
Luke Beirl is President and CEO of Tamarack Health. Luke's health care career began in Pharmacy, earning a See more
Director of Benefits Engagement Solutions, Partner, M3 Insurance
Katie Ott is a Partner and Director of Benefits Engagement Solutions at M3 Insurance and a member of See more
Chief Quality Officer & WHA Initiative Sponsor, WHA
Nadine Allen serves as Chief Quality Officer for the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA), providing strategic leadership for statewide quality and patient safety improvement initiatives... See more
Chief Wellness Officer, SSM Health Found du Lac Integrative Health
Dr. Heather Schmidt is a family medicine physician in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with training from See more
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Medical Director of Pediatric Readiness, Associate Medical Director for Trauma, Surgery and Disaster Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin – Children’s Wisconsin
Dr. Maureen Luetje is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of See more
President & CEO
Kyle O’Brien was appointed President and CEO of the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) on July 1, 2025. He joined WHA in December 2012 as Vice President of Government Relations... See more
Attorney, Hall Render
James Junger focuses his practice on pharmacy and health care compliance issues. James assists See more
Vice President, Federal Affairs and Advocacy, WHA
Jon Hoelter has served as the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s Director of Federal & State Relations since See more
Vice President of External Affairs and Sustainability, Emplify Health
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Vice President Critical Access Hospitals North Region, Theda Care Medical Center - Shawano
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Director of Community Economic & Workforce Development, RWHC
Marie Barry currently serves as the Director of Community Economic & Workforce Development at the See more
Director of Acute Care and OB, Mile Bluff Medical Center
See more
Associate Professor of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgeon, Medical College of Wisconsin
Dr. Stadler is an associate professor of otolaryngology – head and neck surgery at the Medical College of See more
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Lorna Breene Heroes' Foundation
Stefanie Simmons, MD is the Chief Medical Officer at the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation and a board-certified See more
Senior Manager, Deloitte Consulting
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Senior Manager, Deloitte Consulting
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CEO and Owner, Momentum Healthcare Solutions Group
Kris Jacobson has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare administration, with a focus on See more
CPA, Atrelis Co.
See more
CFO, Osceola Medical Center
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Leadership and Culture Expert
Paul J. Long is a leadership and culture expert who teaches organizations the See more
President & CEO, Empathia
Carol Wilson is President and CEO of Empathia, Inc., an EAP and See more
Population Health & Wellbeing Advisor, M3 Insurance
Laura Kuglitsch is a population health and wellbeing advisor with the population health and See more
Staff and Community Education Manager, Prairie Ridge Health
Chris has been the Staff and Community Education Manager at Prairie Ridge Health since 2003, prior to that he See more
CEO, Generational Expert & Thought Leader
As an internationally recognized speaker, Phil has spoken in 47 different states and four continents to over a quarter of a million people. He continues to inspire audiences... See more
