Kyle Blotz

Kyle is a Health Systems Analyst for the City of Sioux Falls with experience in data management and statistical analysis.  He manages the data needs for the Health Department and Falls Community Health clinic and applies data management, analytics and visualization skills to support evidence-based decision making and policy development.  Kyle is passionate about using his analytic skills to address any challenges facing our community.

Rachel Haigh-Blume

Rachel began her healthcare journey working in Respiratory Therapy at Avera and was part of the Meditech standardization team. She has worked with many other entities through her five years of traveling to large trauma centers to work and spent time as Northeast Area Health Education’s Executive Director where she worked on many statewide initiatives such as Community Health Workers.  She currently still maintains and works as a therapist, although transitioning to be the Information Services Director for Huron Regional Medical Center.  She oversees all things intertwined to technology and manages day to day operations with her tremendous IT team. She is passionate about the trust patients give to the healthcare system and takes the responsibility of maintaining that trust very seriously whether it is for proper care or record security.   She has her Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration,  BS in Respiratory Therapy and AS in Business Management,  and a Certificate in Data Analytics.

Justin Faber

Data Scientist & Owner of Faber Analytics

I started my journey in Public Safety & EMS back in 2007 when I started at Metro Communications Agency in Sioux Falls as a 9-1-1 Dispatcher. I spent the next 15 years at Metro in various roles including Dispatcher, Trainer, Supervisor, and then my last 7 years on the Metro Leadership Team. I started Faber Analytics in 2022, where we use Data Science & Machine Learning to extract insightful and predictive metrics from public safety, public health, and public service data. In South Dakota, I currently work with Patient Care EMS in Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, Sioux Falls Police Department, Sioux Falls REMSA, Rapid City Fire Department, and the Helpline Center.

Susan Feilmeier

Susan Feilmeier, Officer – IT Clinical Services provides leadership, vision and oversight of the clinical information systems used throughout Avera Health.  Sue leads EMR and application implementation and support in all clinical areas including medication management, laboratory, radiology, provider and nursing workflows, and continuum of care.  She also leads PACS, interoperability and 21^st Century Cure Act strategies.

Sue Feilmeier is a PharmD graduate of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE. She completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency in 1994 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and has practice in academia, ambulatory care, acute care, long-term care, informatics and Information Technology. 

As Pharmacy Director for Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Susan began focusing on clinical informatic and Information Technology.  In 2010, she transitioned to a full time role as the Avera Health IT Clinical Pharmacist Manager, Director of IT Clinical Integration and is serving as IT Clinical Services Officer. Sue has been instrumental in bringing Avera McKennan, Avera Sacred Heart and Avera Queen of Peace hospitals to HIMSS Stage 7.

Sue is an avid Cornhuskers fan of both football and volleyball.

Tiffany Hodgins

Tiffany Hodgins is experienced in Health Informatics and Information Management, dedicated to driving innovation and optimizing operations within the healthcare sector. With over a decade of experience in health informatics, project management, and client delivery, Tiffany brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the field, ensuring the successful implementation of healthcare solutions.

Tiffany's experience in health information technology focuses on enabling seamless information exchange and enhancing healthcare through technology. Throughout her career in healthcare IT, Tiffany has recognized the critical need for innovative solutions to improve health information exchange and patient outcomes. She works tirelessly to transform the healthcare landscape by leveraging her expertise and passion for technology to drive continuous improvements and deliver exceptional value in the dynamic field of health information technology.

Her career highlights include her current role as Vice President of Client Delivery at KPI Ninja by Health Catalyst, where she leads a team that excels in problem-solving and customer relationship management while ensuring interoperability for healthcare clients. Previously, in her role as Director, she utilized her analytical skills and project management expertise to significantly enhance client experiences.

Tanya Imani-Farley

As a Product Manager for the KPI Ninja platform at Health Catalyst, I am deeply invested in healthcare technology solutions in the HIE market space. My work focuses on creating powerful tools that enable seamless data exchange, driving better care coordination and outcomes. With a passion for healthcare interoperability and a commitment to innovation, I strive to deliver solutions that empower providers and improve patient care through efficient, data-driven insights.

Julie Charbonneau

Julie received her bachelors degree nursing from Augustana University and a master's degree in administrative studies from USD.  She has worked as an RN in med-surg, emergency, education and supervision.  She currently works in emergency medical services oversight and quality improvement. 

Brittany Zephier

Brittany Zephier, MPH (Partner Engagement Coordinator), has over 7 years’ experience working in healthcare and nonprofit sectors.  She has a masters of Public Health with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration from the University of South Dakota and a Bachelors of Science in Business Economics from South Dakota State University.  Brittany holds experience in case management dealing with clients with complex high needs, in vulnerable and underserved populations.  Her professional focus is on non-clinical approaches for improving health and reducing health disparities with a key focus on social determinants of health.

Scott Weatherill

Scott Weatherill, Chief Information Officer

Scott began his career in Health Information Technology while coordinating the regional Wiring the Clinics Project in 1999. In 2002, he secured grant funding for a TeleEmergency Project for Horizon and was hired as the organization’s IT Technician. Since starting at Horizon, he has secured approximately $2 million in telemedicine grant funds and provided oversight for numerous grant-funded projects. He has also helped secure funding and provided project oversight for several FQHC Network Initiatives. In 2006, he was promoted to Horizon’s Chief Information Officer and remains in the role overseeing the development and maintenance of Horizon’s Wide Area Network that includes data, video, telehealth and wireless technology. He oversees the day-to-day communication of IT plans, policies and technology trends among the management team and healthcare providers.

Ashley Podhradsky

At the forefront of cybersecurity research and advocacy, Dr. Ashley Podhradsky holds the esteemed position of Vice President for Research & Economic Development at Dakota State University. Her expertise extends to corporate governance, demonstrated  by her role on the First Bank & Trust Board of Directors. 

 Recognized nationwide as a prominent figure in cybersecurity, Dr. Podhradsky is a regular keynote speaker at major industry events. Her leadership in research is evidenced by her teams securing nearly $20 million in competitive grants from organizations such as the National Security Agency and National Science Foundation. 

 A passionate advocate for gender diversity in the tech sphere, Dr. Podhradsky co-founded CybHER. This influential cyber outreach program has made a significant impact, reaching thousands across various educational levels. Her fundraising efforts have been instrumental, garnering nearly $2 million in support for CybHER. 

 Dr. Podhradsky's contributions have earned her notable accolades. These include the EmBe 2017 “Young Woman of Achievement” award, the 2017 Merrill Hunter Award for Excellence in Research, and recognition as a 2017 and 2018 New America Cybersecurity Fellow. Her groundbreaking work led to her appointment as an American Association for the Advancement of Science IF/THEN Ambassador in 2019, an honor highlighted by her life-size statue exhibit at the Smithsonian, marking her as one of 120 celebrated women in STEM. 

Tami Hogie Lorenzen

Tami Hogie-Lorenzen is a Family Nurse Practitioner at SD Urban Indian Health in Pierre.  She has worked at SDUIH for the past 21 years.  Most recently, she is serving at the Interim CEO at SDUIH.  Tami received her bachelor and master’s of nursing from South Dakota State University and her doctorate from Frontier University in Hyden, Kentucky. Her dissertation involved setting up group medical visits for chronic disease management.

Tami’s interest areas include Chronic Disease management, HIV care, Family Planning, mental health, MAT, and working with patients of all ages in primary care.

Outside of work, Tami enjoys traveling, fitness, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Fabricia (Fah) Latterell

Fabricia (Fah) Latterell, RN, BSN, MCHS, MPH.

Fah is the Maternal and Child Health Epidemiologist for the state of SD. She serves as the data analysis for the SD MMRC, and coordinates the area of Maternal and Child Health data collection and analysis for the Office of Child and Family Services. Fah began her carrier in health serving as a translator for non-profit medical organizations providing health care in "boat-clinics" for the communities living along the banks of the Amazon River in Brazil, where she is from. That experience led her to pursue a bachelor's degree in Nursing, followed by a residency in Maternal and Child Health and a master's in Public Health, all obtained in her home country. She is passionate about Maternal and Child Health and her work is oriented towards meeting the healthcare needs of underserved and at-risk populations, especially Native Americans.

LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com/in/fah79o

Patti Brooks

Patti is an Associate Professor in the Health Informatics and Information Management Programs at Dakota State University in Madison, SD. Prior to teaching, she worked for Avera for 31 years – mostly as a Regional Information Officer beginning when the medical records transitioned from paper to electronic. She also spent time at Avera as a Director of HIM, a Lead Clinical Intelligence Analyst in the Clinical Intelligence Dept, and the Director of Quality at Avera Health Plans. Patti spent over 10 years working in various HIM departments and roles prior to working at Avera.

 Patti has an Associate and Bachelors degree in Health Information Management from DSU, a Masters degree in Business Administration from USD, and a Masters and Doctorate degree in Information Systems from DSU.

 Patti was the first president of the South Dakota HIMSS chapter and has since served many terms as the Program Director and the Membership Director. She is also the current President of the chapter and has been involved in the chapter integration of the North and South Dakota chapters to form the HIMSS Dakotas Chapter.

 Patti has always been a strong believer in organized health information exchanges, such as South Dakota Health Link, to deliver more efficient and effective care.

 In her spare time, Patti enjoys gardening, walking, decorating, and watching Hallmark movies.

Ben Tiensvold

Ben has served as the lead contact for the CHWSD since its inception in January 2020.  He has led the CHWSD through significant growth over the first three years, in part due to the CDC Health Disparities Grant funding the SD Department of Health received in June of 2021.  Ben is passionate about the CHW profession and works to be an ally for all CHWs.  Ben previously worked with the SD Department of Health in 2015 and 2016 on Community Health Worker - related introductory projects.  This work led to key recommendations for CHWs (which the South Dakota Department of Social Services then used to develop CHW Medicaid reimbursement).  Ben has Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies and Public Relations from Southwest Minnesota State University and recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Public Health from New Mexico State University. 

Shauna Batcheller

Shauna is passionate about social determinants of health and implementing innovative and effective programs that improve people’s health and well-being. Much of her time is spent building the relationships needed to integrate our systems of care. Shauna is Certified in Public Health, Nonprofit Management, and is a Certified Resource Specialist. She has her Masters of Social Science in Community Health.