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Board & Staff

About

Board Members

Along with our members, the Coalition is comprised of five founding organizations. The organizations include the Nebraska Academy of Physician Assistants, the Nebraska Hospital Association, the Nebraska Medical Association, the Nebraska Nurses Association and the Nebraska Pharmacists Association.  The Coalition is governed by a 12 to 15 member Board of Directors that includes representation from each of the founding organizations plus at least one consumer member. Current board directors include:

  • Katherine J. Jones, PT, PhD, President (Consumer)

    Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Services Research and Administration
    College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center
    Omaha, NE

  • Jason Kruger, MD, President Elect (Nebraska Medical Association)

    CHI St. Elizabeth Hospital
    Lincoln, NE

  • Douglas V. Elting, Treasurer (Consumer)

    TRANSCEND Health Consultants
    Lincoln, NE

  • Nicole Blaser, RN, MSN, Secretary (Nebraska Hospital Association)

    Director of Quality and Compliance
    Columbus Community Hospital
    Columbus, NE

  • Pamela Dickey, MPAS, PA-C (Nebraska Academy of Physician Assistants)

    Assistant Professor
    Physician Assistant Education
    University of Nebraska Medical Center
    Kearney, NE

  • Mike German, PharmD, BCPS (Nebraska Pharmacists Association)

    Pharmacy Clinical Services Coordinator
    CHI Health St Francis
    Grand Island, NE

  • Shaun Horak, DMSc, PA-C (Nebraska Academy of Physician Assistants)

    Assistant Professor
    University of Nebraska Medical Center
    Omaha, NE

  • Kenneth Kester, PharmD, JD (Nebraska Pharmacists Association)

    System Director of Telepharmacy
    Pharmacy Operations and Clinical Services
    CommonSpirit Health®
    Omaha, NE

  • Michael Rapp, MD, FACS (Nebraska Medical Association)

    Retired: Vice President Medical Operations
    CHI Health St. Elizabeth
    Lincoln, NE

  • Julie Rezac, RN, BSN, M.ED (Nebraska Hospital Association)

    Chief Executive Officer
    Saunders Medical Center
    Wahoo, NE

  • Jennifer Rystrom RN, MSN (Nebraska Organization for Nurse Leaders)

    Faith Regional Surgery Center
    Administrator
    Norfolk, NE

  • Britt Thedinger, MD (Nebraska Medical Association)

    Physician
    Ear Specialists of Omaha
    Omaha, NE

  • Carol Wahl, RN, DNP, MBA, NEA-BC, FACHE (Nebraska Nurses Association)

    Assistant Professor
    University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing
    Kearney, NE

Staff

  • Emily Barr, OTD, MBA, OTR/L, BCG,   Executive Director
    Emily Barr, OTD, MBA, OTR/L, BCG, Executive Director

    Emily Barr is a licensed and registered occupational therapist and holds a board certification in gerontology from the American Occupational Therapy Association. She is a graduate of Creighton University with a BS in Health Sciences and a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy. She has an MBA in Healthcare from Nebraska Methodist College and a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma. Emily has 10 plus years of clinical and leadership experience including program development, operational and fiscal management, and quality improvement. Emily comes to NCPS from Nebraska Methodist College, where she was an associate professor and the founding program director for the Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate program. Emily has served in leadership roles with the Nebraska Occupational Therapy Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association, she serves on various community guilds and boards, and she is an alum of Leadership Omaha Class 43.

    Emily may be reached at embarr@unmc.edu.

  • Carla Snyder, MHA, MT(ASCP)SBB, Patient Safety Program Director
    Carla Snyder, MHA, MT(ASCP)SBB, Patient Safety Program Director

    Carla’s clinical background is in laboratory medicine and she has a Masters in Healthcare Administration degree. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings including Nebraska Medicine, OneWorld Community Health Centers, Memorial Community Hospital in Blair, NE, and Community Blood Bank in Lincoln, NE. She has held a variety of roles in these various settings: bench tech, department manager, Operations Director, and a Patient Safety Clinical Quality Manager. In all these settings she has been involved in patient care and quality improvement initiatives.

    She is a TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer, a Six-Sigma Green Belt, a Zero Harm Trainer, and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality.

    Carla may be reached at carlasnyder@unmc.edu.

Our Founders and Sponsors

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