JOHN PACKHAM, PH.D.
8:00 - 8:15 a.m. | Setting the Stage: From National Vision to Local Action
12:30 - 12:50 p.m. | Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Sustainability
Dr. John Packham is the Associate Dean of the Office of Statewide Initiatives (OSI) and Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med). Dr. Packham oversees a wide range of statewide educational, research, and community engagement programs serving rural and urban residents in Nevada consistent with UNR’s mission to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and communities, and the School’s vision of a healthy Nevada. He is UNR Med’s Government Relations Representative to the American Association of Medical Colleges.
Dr. Packham received his BA and MA degrees in sociology from the University of Oklahoma, and a PhD in sociology from Johns Hopkins University in 1992. He was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow with the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health and the Örebro County Council, Örebro, Sweden in 1993.
Dr. Packham is Co-Director of the Nevada Health Workforce Research Center and currently oversees health workforce research and related health policy analysis undertaken by Statewide Initiatives. He has co-authored over 100 policy-relevant, statewide research reports, including Health Care Careers in Nevada – Eighth Edition (January 2026), Graduate Medical Education Trends in Nevada – 2016 to 2025 (August 2025), Health Workforce in Nevada (July 2025), Moving the Needle: Challenges in Meeting Nevada’s Health Workforce Needs – Policy Brief (April 2025), Physician Workforce in Nevada (April 2025), Nursing Workforce in Nevada (March 2025), and Nevada Rural and Frontier Health Data Book – Twelfth Edition (February 2025),
For over two decades, Dr. Packham has served on numerous statewide governing boards and commissions including Nevada Primary Care Association, Governor Sisolak’s Patient Protection Commission, Nevada Donor Network, Nevada Public Health Association, Nevada Public Health Institute, Access to Healthcare Network, Nevada Public Employee Benefits Program (PEBP), Health Services and Medical Care Sector Council of the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board, Nevada Public Health Foundation, Nevada Insurance Commissioner’s Network Adequacy Advisory Council, and the Nevada Tobacco Prevention Coalition. He currently serves as the Policy Director for the Nevada Public Health Association and Policy Committee Chair for the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health.
Dr. Packham’s honors and awards include NPHA’s Guardian of NPHA Award (2025), NPHA’s Public Health Advocate Award (2020, 2016), John E. Worden Award for Excellence in Programs that Promote Public Health in Nevada (2015), NPHA’s Nevada Public Health Leadership Award (2012, 2009, 2008), and the Heroes of Health Care: Research and Technology Award from the Nevada Business Journal (2006).
Dr. Packham is a frequent speaker on health care policy and public health issues facing Nevada. He is regularly asked to testify on health policy issues being addressed by state and local policymakers. For the past two decades, he has been a frequent contributor to state and local media on public health and health policy issues facing Nevada.
JOHN WADSWORTH
8:00 - 8:15 a.m. | Setting the Stage: From National Vision to Local Action
12:30 - 12:50 p.m. | Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Sustainability
John Wadsworth is Co-Founder of REDi Health and brings over 25 years of expertise in transforming healthcare organizations, with a focus on improving care in rural communities. He is dedicated to advancing population health and enhancing care continuity through data warehousing and quality improvement strategies. John’s experience working with executive teams at leading healthcare institutions enables him to consistently deliver solutions that optimize clinical and financial performance, driving lasting impact for healthcare providers across the nation.
LIZ CRAKER, MBA
8:15 - 9:15 a.m. | State Offices of Rural Health as Innovative Collaborators for Rural Communities
Liz Craker serves as a Health Systems Support Coordinator for Utah's Office of Primary Care and Rural Health. She earned her BA in Journalism with a minor in health education from Franklin College, and her MBA in Healthcare Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. She has over 30 years of experience in leadership, project management, non-profit management, grant writing, public relations, patient advocacy, and health disparities. She previously worked at a Federally Qualified Health Center advocating for insurance enrollment and health literacy and as a Health Equity Specialist with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
LAIMA ETCHEGOYHEN, MPH
8:15 - 9:15 a.m. | State Offices of Rural Health as Innovative Collaborators for Rural Communities
Laima Etchegoyhen is the Senior Outreach and Technical Assistance Manager at the Office of Statewide Initiatives (OSI), University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. Laima serve as the principal investigator and program manager for the Nevada Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program, Flex EMS Supplemental Program, and Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP). She oversee statewide training, education, and technical assistance activities for Nevada’s Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and rural EMS agencies, including program operations, federal reporting, and partner collaboration.
Laima's also manage statewide nursing student workforce data collection across Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) nursing programs and have led the development of multiple editions of the Health Care Careers in Nevada publication.
GAIL VAN BUREN
8:15 - 9:15 a.m. | State Offices of Rural Health as Innovative Collaborators for Rural Communities
Gail VanBuren is the Wyoming Flex/SHIP Program Manager for the Wyoming Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health, a role she has held for three years. In this capacity, she manages HRSA grants focused on improving healthcare access and quality for vulnerable populations through technical assistance, contract management, and the enhancement of financial operations.
Gail is driven by a professional mission to bridge the gap between financial compliance and on-the-ground technical needs to ensure program quality and sustainability. Her work is rooted in her core values of integrity, ethical stewardship of funds, and a commitment to collaborative partnerships.
With a career in healthcare spanning back to 1974, Gail brings extensive clinical and leadership experience to her current role. She has previously served in a variety of specialized positions, including Director of Medical Imaging, PACS Administrator, and Senior Manager of Medical Imaging for several Wyoming hospitals. Her background includes a deep expertise in writing and receiving grants, as well as overseeing complex budgets and staff.
Born and raised in upstate New York, Gail has lived and worked in five different states throughout her professional journey. Outside of her dedication to rural health, she enjoys camping, canning, spending time with her three children and their families, and attending her grandchildren's sporting events.
PRESTON MARX
9:15 - 10:15 a.m. | Data as a Rural Currency
11:30 - 12:30 p.m. | Sustaining Rural Transformation
Preston Marx is the Vice President of Strategy & Innovation at Uintah Basin Healthcare. He received his B.S. in Business and a Masters Degree in Information Systems from Utah State University. Over the past 20 years he has grown within the organization using his pragmatic approach to leadership and innovation that has contributed to organizational growth and improved healthcare services. Preston holds professional certifications including CPHIMS (Certified Professional in Health Information and Management Systems) and is Certified in Cybersecurity.
Preston's professional passion is to design programs and processes that improve lives. He has successfully led several key projects such as Unified Patient Communication, EMR adoption, and interoperability. Under his leadership, the organization secured HIMSS Stage 6 Certification for EMR adoption. Preston is currently spearheading the value-based care transition for the organization. Preston is actively involved in promoting Health IT on a state and national level, serving as a member of the Utah Digital Health Services Commission and the Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS). His professional roles also include serving as the HIPAA Security Officer and a Board Member of the Utah Telehealth Network Advisory Council.
Preston is an avid outdoorsman and a sports junkie. His idea of serenity is fishing on pristine waters with family. He loves coaching youth sports and being involved in the community. The Uintah Basin is the ideal place to live to indulge in these and other hobbies. Preston and his wife Tami are the parents of five beautiful children. His family gives life purpose, direction and joy.
DENISE ARTHUR
9:15 - 10:15 a.m. | Data as a Rural Currency
Denise Arthur is the Revenue Cycle Director at Blue Mountain Hospital. Passionate about rural healthcare and improving patient access, Denise has dedicated her career to strengthening revenue cycle processes, reducing denials, and advocating for patients navigating complex insurance and Medicaid systems. She has collaborated on statewide initiatives focused on medical necessity denials, provider education, and rural healthcare sustainability.
Denise is known for her practical problem-solving, collaborative leadership style, and deep commitment to the communities rural hospitals serve.
Outside of work, Denise and her wife raised seven children and now cherish every opportunity to spend time with their three grandbabies. She also enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time outdoors with her family.
CYRUS HENDRICKS
9:15 - 10:15 a.m. | Data as a Rural Currency
Cyrus Hendricks is the Vice President of Analytic Engineering at REDi Health, bringing over 20 years of experience in using financial and technical data to develop transformative strategies for healthcare organizations. Specializing in population health and improving care delivery for underserved communities, Cyrus has a proven track record of reducing costs and enhancing patient outcomes. At REDi Health, he leads key initiatives to optimize healthcare operations and spearheads revenue cycle projects that deliver significant value to providers.
CARI SPILLMAN
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. | The Human Side of Transformation
Cari Spillman is the Chief Quality Officer at Blue Mountain Hospital. Cari's healthcare journey began in 2007 as a certified Advanced EMT. After several years on the ambulance, she joined the ER team at Blue Mountain in its early stages and has been a driving force in its growth ever since. Now, as the Chief Quality Officer, she's passionate about the vision to make Blue Mountain Hospital the standard for rural healthcare. She loves that Blue Mountain is a family and cherishes the relationships with her coworkers, all while continually working to improve care for the community she loves.
Her dedication is supported by her board certification in Infection Control (CIC), earned in 2019, and a Master's of Healthcare Administration from Western Governors University in 2022. She was also recognized for her work in data analytics at Redi Health, which not only generated significant financial gains for the hospital but also earned her the Primary Care and Rural Health Impact Award in 2025. Cari has been at Blue Mountain for 16 years, and in her current role for the past year.
Outside of work, she resides in Blanding with her wife. They have seven children, (all grown), and they cherish every moment with their three beautiful grandchildren.
KELSEY SULLIVAN
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. | The Human Side of Transformation
Kelsey Sullivan serves as the Director of Clinic & Ancillary Services at Three Rivers Health, a rural Critical Access Hospital in Wyoming. Since joining the organization in 2022, she has played a key role in expanding and strengthening outpatient and ancillary services, while helping drive operational growth and community-focused healthcare initiatives. In her current role, she oversees Clinic operations, Radiology, Laboratory, Pharmacy, as well as facility marketing and outreach services.
Kelsey earned her Bachelor of Health Science with an emphasis in Gerontology from Boise State University in 2018. She later became a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) through the American Academy of Professional Coders in 2020, with coding experience spanning Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, and Behavioral Health.
Passionate about improving access to care in rural communities, Kelsey is deeply involved in service line development, patient engagement, and innovative approaches to delivering healthcare closer to home. She brings a practical operational perspective grounded in patient-centered care, collaboration, and a commitment to strengthening rural healthcare systems.
CLAIRE ADAMS
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. | The Human Side of Transformation
Claire Adams is the Vice President of Healthcare Analytics at REDi Health, with over 10 years of experience delivering data-driven solutions to health care organizations. She specializes in building scalable analytic processes for small hospital systems, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), and physician practices. Claire is passionate about using data to identify health care disparities and improve processes across the care continuum. Her expertise in process development, data engineering and stakeholder engagement supports REDi Health's mission to improve health care outcomes for underserved communities.
JEREMY LYMAN, D.SC.
11:30 - 12:30 p.m. | Sustaining Rural Transformation
Jeremy Lyman serves as the President of Blue Mountain Hospital, where he leads the strategic and operational efforts to provide high-quality, sustainable healthcare to the community of San Juan County, Utah. Jeremy fiercely advocates for expanding patient access and ensuring the organization's financial viability. Under Jeremy's leadership, BMH has continually expanded access, added service lines, and driven sustainable improvements in quality, service, and financial performance. His approach focuses on developing leaders within the organization who drive BMH's vision of setting the standard for rural healthcare and promoting the values of the organization, including excellence, integrity, and respect. Prior to serving as President, Jeremy led the finance department as Chief Financial Officer. He holds a Doctorate degree in Healthcare Leadership from University of Alabama in Birmingham, an MBA from Brigham Young University, and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).
DAVID DIRKS
11:30 - 12:30 p.m. | Sustaining Rural Transformation
Dave Dirks is the Vice President of Strategy at Intermountain Health, leading the development and implementation of transformative strategies within the organization. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping key initiatives such as the launch of Castell, Intermountain's population health management company, Civica, a non-profit generic drug manufacturing company, and many other partnerships that advance value-based care. Dave's visionary approach has also facilitated Intermountain Health's successful expansion into new markets across the Intermountain West. Recognized as one of Modern Healthcare's top 25 innovators and a Utah Business Healthcare Hero, he continues to drive positive change in the healthcare industry.