Our Team

Aikin joins Wapiti as a recruiter with excellent customer service experience and a drive to help others find their perfect role. In his free time, Aikin loves spending time with family, riding motorcycles, and learning to garden! He is passionate about animal rescue and his child and 6 nieces and nephews!

Ruth Bales started with Wapiti Medical as an Operations Manager in February 2023. Ruth was born and raised in Huron SD and lives in Huron with her husband Curtis and her 3 boys Jack, Jace and Jett. In her free time, you will catch her following her boys in sports (Hockey and Golf) and enjoying time with friends and family camping, traveling, and going to concerts and golfing in the summers.

Sheila Coss joined Wapiti Medical Staffing in April 2024 as Manager of Accounting and Finance. Born and raised in Lantry, South Dakota, Sheila and her husband Dan have five children: two sons, three daughters, and four grandchildren.

Sheila’s hobbies include camping, boating, motorcycle trips, and snowmobiling, all of which she shares with her family. Before joining Wapiti, Sheila worked in county and city government and the airline industry.

Contact: john@intersections.group

John Beranek brings a unique approach to intersecting learning and strategy, particularly in the realm of strategic planning. Acknowledging that the terms “strategy” and “strategic planning” are often casually used, John and his team adopt a highly focused and accountable approach to guide organizations in their evolution. When your organization is at a pivotal point, striving to maintain authenticity while evolving, John facilitates a thoughtful exploration of the best strategies to leverage existing resources, align vision and leadership, and set meaningful milestones and accountabilities.

Intersections Consulting excels at developing customized programs that propel companies, leaders, and aspiring leaders forward.  The core of John’s philosophy lies in the strategic intersection of intention and action.

Bryan S. Judge, MD, FACMT, FACEP, is an emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist and practices in Grand Rapids, MI, and Laurium, MI. He graduated from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, MI and completed his residency in emergency medicine in Grand Rapids at the Grand Rapids Medical Education & Research Center | Michigan State University, and his medical toxicology fellowship at Indiana University | Indiana Poison Center in Indianapolis, IN.

 He is currently a Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine | Division of Medical Toxicology, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Academic interests include a broad array of topics within the disciplines of emergency medicine, medical toxicology, and medical education. His most fascinating scientific achievement is helping ‘discover’ a new poisonous mushroom species, Cortinarius orellanosus.

Contact: cedgeinc@gmail.com

John has been sharpening people’s Competitive Edge in the business field as a consultant, facilitator, and coach since 1984. He is dedicated to coaching individuals, teams, and organizations to set and achieve their highest goals. John has developed and collected hundreds of simple, effective, and easy to use tools and models to help people with leadership development, communication, decision making, problem solving, team dynamics, and executive coaching.

John’s style is dynamic and engaging, focused mainly on teaching through his own blend of experiential activities and storytelling. Clients comment on John’s knowledge and passion for his work.  He truly loves what he does and cares for the people he works with.  The special part of working with John is in the way he empowers people with his simple yet powerful tools which clients can begin applying to see results right away.

John has planned and facilitated customized programs with organizations including: Bank of America, Wells Fargo, BB&T, WEX, Community Health Systems, Bell South, AT&T, Sara Lee, GMAC, Ingersoll-Rand, and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. John is a graduate of Rice University, with a BS in mechanical engineering and has completed an executive coaching certificate through Duke University.

Denise Samson joined Wapiti Medical Staffing in the Accounting Department in December 2017.

Denise and her husband Dwight have two grown children and three grandchildren. They love spending time with their family and friends, and enjoy being in the great outdoors boating, fishing, gardening, or just relaxing by the lake. They both grew up in Iowa and are avid fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Jodi started with Wapiti in October 2022 and works for Wapiti as an operations manager. Jodi’s hobby is her horses. She has a ranch where she raises and sells a few babies every year. She enjoys trail riding and camping. Jodi and her husband have five children. Jodi’s background is in retail and banking.

Rae Kaare is Vice President-Chief Operating Officer for Aspirus Iron River and Aspirus Ontonagon which are two critical access hospitals located in the western end of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

She is originally from the western end of the Upper Peninsula and actually began her career in the one of the Aspirus UP sites 37 years ago before it was Aspirus.

Rae began her career as a medical technologist and through the years progressed into a number of different leadership roles before moving into her current role five years ago.

Rae loves her job and works very hard to ensure that rural patients have access to excellent healthcare and services.  She describes her role as challenging and rewarding!

Contact: brady@bradyross.com   

Website: https://bradyross.com/

Brady Ross, ACC is an International Coaching Federation-certified coach and the current president of ICF Arkansas-Oklahoma.

He’s passionate about helping people unlock deeper sources of motivation to achieve their goals and reach their potential. He is the author of two books: “Seven Steps to Dominate Your Day and Crush Your Goals” and “Motivation for Regular People: Reframing Your Drive to Pursue Your Goals and Achieve Your Potential.” In addition to coaching his own clients, Brady also supports, trains, and mentors future coaches.

Brady lives in Edmond, OK with his wife and two young children. You can learn more about Brady by visiting his website at bradyross.com or listening to his podcast, “Motivation for Regular People.”

Kari Abraham-Hoffmann has been with Wapiti since May of 2018 serving in the IT Manager role. 

Kari and her husband, Brent, have two young daughters that are either making them feel young or old depending on the day. Outside of work, Kari enjoys spending time with family and friends.  If given the opportunity, you will find her outdoors fishing, walking, running, hunting, or just enjoying some sunshine. One day she hopes to be able to add reading books of her choice back into her hobbies. For now, Little Blue Truck, Fancy Nancy, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and other children’s books will have to do.

Kathy has been with Wapiti since April 2014.  She works as an accountant and is based out of our Milbank office.

Kathy and her husband Darren have three grown children and eight grandchildren.  She enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching grandchildren in their sporting events, going for walks, and reading.

Contact: WWard@uams.edu

Dr. Ward is a clinical psychologist with a history of working over 20 years in faculty affairs and faculty development in an academic health care setting.  

She created and managed an internal coaching program and now has developed her own coaching business.  She is a member of the International Coaching Federation, a Korn Ferry ESCI 360 Evaluation Coach, and a Master Certified Physician Development Coach™. 

Dr. Ward has published over 100 peer-reviewed publications and presented regularly at international/national conferences during her career.  She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the National Academies of Practice, and the recipient of multiple mentor and educator awards.

James has been employed at Pocahontas Community Hospital since 1992.  He worked as a Radiologic Technologist in the Radiology Department from 1992 until 2004, serving as Director starting in 1996. In 2004 he was hired as CEO of the hospital and has been in that position for the past 20 years.  In April of 2019, James also started serving as Rural Hospital Liaison for the managed hospitals of UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge.  

 With 31 plus years of rural healthcare experience in both clinical and administrative settings, James has been able to successfully lead Pocahontas Community Hospital and is also well respected by his rural hospital CEO peers across the state and has served on many committees and boards. He is currently serving on the Iowa Hospital Association Board of Directors as well as the Rural EMS Legislative Subcommittee and the Rural Healthcare Innovation Taskforce.   James is also active on many rural hospital and EMS subcommittees of UnityPoint Health.

 James and his wife Julie, reside in Pocahontas and have two grown children Nicole and Austin.  

Dr. Herbert is a native Oregonian and lives in Eugene, Oregon. He attended Stanford University as an undergraduate and has a degree in Biology. After graduation, Dr. Herbert earned a master’s degree in education from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. He taught high school science for five years. Dr. Herbert attended medical school at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and completed his Family Medicine residency in Olympia, Washington. He served as a medical officer in the US Air Force for five years. In addition to having a solo private practice for four years in Colorado, Dr. Herbert started working in Iowa in 2010. He eventually made it his full-time job.

Dr. Herbert has been married for 32 years, and he and his wife have three children, aged 31 to 25. Outside work, he likes to travel, often in his RV, and watch football (Oregon Ducks, Stanford Cardinal, and Los Angeles Chargers). He and his wife also travel twice a year to Ghana, Western Africa, for medical mission work. Dr. Herbert credits the flexibility of Wapiti for making this possible.

Carter joined Wapiti in December of 2023 as an Operations Manager. Previous to Wapiti, Carter worked in senior living/assisted living.
Carter and his wife, Maddison, have 3 fur babies (Dog-Blair, Cat-Teddy, & Cat-Heathcliffe). He likes to play tennis, spend time on the lake, and travel to new places with family and friends.

Molly joined Wapiti as MSP Manager in June 2024.

Originally from Wagner, SD, Molly and her husband Wade have three children: Alyla, RaeLynn, and Kyler.

Molly transitioned from a medical laboratory technician, a role she held for eight years, to a licensed nursing home administrator before joining Wapiti.

Molly enjoys life on the farm, camping, reading, being busy with the kids’ activities, and watching her husband race dirt track (B-Modified).

Marti Joined Wapiti in April of 2022 as an Operations Manager. She has 30 years’ experience working in healthcare, spending most of her time in health care administration with Avera Medical Group Marshall as a Clinic Manager.

Marti and her husband, Troy, have 2 grown boys, and one grandchild. She likes to spend time crafting and spending time with family and friends.

 Lexi joined Wapiti in August 2023.

Her hobbies include watching hockey, going on walks with family and hunting.

Lexi has two boys who love to be outdoors and play hockey. Lexi is from Huron and brings many years of experience in the customer service industry.

Greg Ruberg is the president/CEO of Lake View Hospital in Two Harbors and vice president of St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth, MN.  Greg also provides administrative support to the North Shore Health hospital in Grand Marais, MN and to the executive director of Wilderness Health, a nine-hospital collaborative serving northeastern Minnesota.  He has a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Physical Therapy from The College of Saint Scholastica. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.  Greg is a current regional board member and past Region 2 chair of the Minnesota Hospital Association, and also serves on the MHA executive committee.  He is also the board chair of the Two Harbors Federal Credit Union, board chair of Wilderness Health, and a board member of The Victory Fund in Duluth, MN.  He is a graduate of the Blandin Community Leadership Program in 2012 and Leadership Duluth program in 2018.  Greg lives in Two Harbors with his wife and three children, and the family enjoys traveling, boating and other outdoor activities.

Ashley Trapp joined Wapiti Medical Staffing in February 2022, first as a Recruiter and now in her current role of Administrative Assistant. She holds an Associate’s degree in Entrepreneurial Studies from Lake Area Technical College. She is a licensed Property and Casualty insurance producer with five years of customer service and sales experience.

Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, Jeffrey, and their family and friends, being outside and going for long walks in the summer. She takes pride in enjoying a good cup of coffee.

Chyan Blythe has been with Wapiti Medical Staffing since October of 2019, starting as a sourcing specialist supporting our recruiting team and now serving as a recruiter.

Chyan and her husband have two boys and two girls born in 2010 and 2011, and 2013 and 2016 respectively. As a family, they enjoy road trips, movies, and exploring the many parks in the area.

Carrie joined Wapiti Medical Staffing in March 2012 following the merger with Siouxland Staffing Services.  She currently serves as the Director of Human Resources.  Her previous background includes banking, sales, and agriculture before transitioning into the healthcare staffing sector.  Within Siouxland Staffing Services and Wapiti Medical Staffing, Carrie held operational roles and then transitioned into Human Resources in 2017.  She holds a Bachelors degree in Agriculture Business and an MBA degree with Human Resources Management Specialization.

Carrie enjoys spending quality time with her two young children, exploring new destinations through travel, indulging in long-distance running including the occasional half-marathon (sometimes mixing travel with running events), reading, and doing anything else outdoors. 

Margaret Sumption’s roots are deeply entrenched in the rural landscapes of Northern South Dakota. Born as the youngest of seven children to parents who were lifelong farmers and had not pursued education beyond the eighth grade, Margaret embodies the spirit of resilience and innovation. Her journey from a farm to becoming a first-generation college graduate is a testament to her determination and commitment to personal and professional growth.

Margaret initially embarked on a career in special and elementary education but soon realized her passion did not lie in working with children. This realization steered her towards a path where she could make a profound impact on adults facing developmental, mental health, and substance abuse challenges. The first 15 years of her career saw Margaret advancing in the disability services sector, where she played a crucial role in developing community-based services and resources.

With a Master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling and Personnel Services, Margaret’s expertise expanded into counseling and mental health, laying the groundwork for her subsequent ventures into consultancy and strategic planning. Alongside her then-partner, now husband, she co-founded a consultancy firm specializing in grant writing, administration, and management, with a significant focus on the healthcare sector. Her work predominantly revolves around strategic planning and organizational development for hospitals and health systems, specializing in governance excellence and education programs for large non-profit organizations.

Approximately 12 years ago, Margaret ventured into career coaching, establishing a coaching practice dedicated to assisting individuals in crafting strategic career development plans. Her approach, deeply influenced by her background in education and counseling, focuses on helping clients set and achieve their career goals through personalized strategic planning. Her workforce and organizational planning expertise underpin her work in career coaching, skills she has honed throughout her 33 years in consultancy. 

Nicole Hanson joined Wapiti in July 2019. She has 12 years of customer service and sales experience.

Nicole and her husband (Duane) have lived in the Milbank area for 18 years with their 2 boys. Nicole enjoys gardening and spending time with family, especially with her grandson.

Lisa joined Wapiti Medical Staffing as a Recruiter in February 2022. Prior to coming to Wapiti, Lisa spent over 21 years in Retail Pharmacy in multiple roles including Manager, CPhT and Compliance Officer. Some of her accolades include Diabetic Lifestyle Coach, Orthotic Shoe Fitter and ACHC Accreditation Specialist. Lisa was also the recipient of Pharmacy Technician of the Year Award by the South Dakota Board of Pharmacy.

Lisa is a mother of two adult children, Eric and Brooke, whom she is incredibly proud of. In her spare time, she enjoys DIY projects, drawing and painting, traveling both domestically and internationally, cooking, gardening and experiencing new adventures so she can continue to check things off her bucket list.

Meghan Schultz joined Wapiti in July 2022. She has 10 years of experience in the medical field specializing in patient and provider relations.

Meghan and her husband Joseph moved to Huron along with their daughter Ruby from Buffalo, NY. As a family they enjoys spending time doing activities together, going to the movies, crafts, going on road trips and quiet nights at home.

Dr. Ameen Taleb serves as Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Gundersen Boscobel Area Hospital and Clinics. His primary practice is at SSM Health in Monroe, WI as an ED Physician and ED Fellowship Program Director. Dr. Taleb is board-certified in Emergency Medicine by the American Board of Physician Specialists (ABPS) and in Family Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM). He is a graduate of National Medical University in Kyiv, Ukraine and completed residency at the University of Iowa in Mason City.   Dr. Taleb has a passion for  making an impact by improving healthcare in rural communities.

Julie joined Wapiti in March 2017. She has worked in health care her entire career. Julie has been a medical transcriptionist and a medical coder. Recently, she earned her Registered Health Information Technique (RHIT) degree and worked as the HIMS director at a nearby hospital (Appleton Area Health System). It was there that she discovered credentialing.

Julie has many interests but mostly enjoys riding horses, gardening, and hanging out with her two grandkids, her family, and her friends

Halee Allerdings joined Wapiti in August 2023. Halee enjoys watching reality tv in her downtime, going for walks, and hanging with family. Halee and her fiancé have 2 children that keep them on their toes. Halee is a Huron native and brings with her many years of customer service experience.

Alexis Brown joined Wapiti Medical in September 2022 as an Account Manager. Alexis has a background in working with families in the Child Protection Services Division.

Alexis’s hobbies including spending time with her 2 dogs, her cat and enjoys reading and listening to true crime podcasts.

Sharon Corts joined Wapiti as an Account Manager in Nov. 2023.
Sharon is originally from Norwich, England. She and her husband met while he was stationed there in the Air Force. Her hobbies include gardening, hiking, and bird-watching.
Sharon has nearly 24 years of retail management experience.

Annavel Kelly has been with Wapiti Medical Staffing since December 2017. Prior to that, she was a Training Coordinator in customer service beginning in 2009. Annavel serves as Senior Account Manager and Trainer at Wapiti Medical Staffing.

Annavel and her husband Chris have four kids who keep them very busy. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and spending time at the lake.

Megan Hofer started with Wapiti in August of 2023. Megan is originally from Ramona South Dakota. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, riding horses, fishing and being outdoors. Megan and her husband have 5 amazing kids that keep them on their toes. Megan brings with her many years working in the healthcare industry as a traveling CNA.

Kim has been with Wapiti since March 2012 when her company, Siouxland Staffing Services, merged with Wapiti. She currently serves as Chief Executive Officer, with previous roles as Chief Operations Officer and Vice President of Allied Health. Kim has been responsible for staffing, developing, and maintaining current business in all of Wapiti’s regions.

Kim is a physician assistant by trade and although she rarely pulls a shift, she continues to teach ACLS, BLS, and PALS and assists with clinician development. She holds two bachelor’s degrees, one in Zoology from South Dakota State University and one in Physician Assistant Studies from University of South Dakota. Her passion is connecting the science of business with the art of medicine to ensure that patients are well taken care of wherever Wapiti serves. In her spare time, Kim enjoys spending time with family at the lake, reading and running.

Brandi joined Wapiti Medical in July 2023.

In Brandi’s free time she enjoys painting, reading and camping. Brandi is married with three children. She has two boys and one girl. In Brandi’s words she also has one amazing grandson too. Brandi brings with her many years of customer service experience and most recently worked for the local school district as a Para-Professional. Brandi’s dad was in the Army during her youth, so she is well traveled and calls Huron home now.

Presley joined Wapiti in September 2021 and currently serves as VP of Sales. Prior to joining Wapiti, she was a Home Health Manager and Certified Wound Care Nurse. Presley has a BSN from Augustana University and an MHA from Oklahoma State University.

Presley and her husband, Adam, have two daughters, Lainey and Saylor, as well as one son, Jett. The family would not be complete without a golden retriever, Marvin. In her spare time, Presley enjoys the outdoors, sports, and spending time with family.

Melissa Katzenmeyer joined Wapiti as an Account Manager in Nov. 2023. Originally from Starbuck, MN, she currently resides in Bellingham, MN. Melissa’s family includes her boyfriend Kyle, Kyle’s three kids—a set of twins, a boy, and a girl, aged 24.5, and a 17-year-old daughter, and her fur baby Tucker.
Before joining Wapiti, Melissa was director of a daycare in Madison, MN, and spent seven years as a Medical Coder.

Jen joined Wapiti in January of 2018. Prior to joining our team, she spent 20 years with Avera McKennan Hospital and Avera Medical Group, with previous role as Director of Clinic & Ancillary Services. Jen has a wealth of experience with administrative and operations functions of healthcare spanning across multiple aspects of a healthcare facility – multispecialty clinic practice, CRNA practice, ancillary services, ER coverage, facility business office functions, quality measures, EMR implementation, and new facility construction. Her overarching roles focused on serving patients in Critical Access Hospitals and Clinics.

Jen and her husband together have 5 grown children and are supporters of each in their future path to serve the Midwest in construction, agriculture, and healthcare. They enjoy spending time together at the lake near their home on a warm summer day, working outside on their acreage, traveling and motorcycle riding. Over the past 20 years, Jen’s passion has resided in rural medicine and maintains one goal, to make a difference in the lives of others.

Lisa has been with Wapiti since October 2021. She has prior healthcare-related experience conducting provider enrollments with insurance carriers and provider re-appointments.   

Lisa and her husband Scott have 3 grown children and a Shitzu name Mr. Snickers. She is always ready for an adventure that leads to traveling, trying new things, and meeting people. Lisa believes what is most important is spending time with family and friends.

Sarah joined Wapiti Medical in November 2022 as an Account Manager and works from our Huron office. Sarah enjoys camping in her free time and has three daughters. Her oldest loves cheerleading, her middle daughter loves animals and her youngest is a social butterfly. Sarah has a history in the healthcare industry as she was a medical coder for most of her work experience.

Brittany Wagner joined Wapiti as a sourcing specialist in Nov. 2023. Outside of work, Brittany enjoys wildlife photography and does senior and family photo shoots for friends and family.

She and husband Dustin have three children- Gabe (14), Lilly (9), and Cooper (1)- and a playful husky named Sebastian.

Before her role at Wapiti, Brittany worked as a Production Control Analysis. 

Kylie has been with Wapiti Medical Staffing since 2022 and supports our Recruiting team as a sourcing specialist. 

Kylie and her husband Jorge have one child together. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, camping and any other outdoor activity than can do together.

Brittney Pauli has been with Wapiti Medical Staffing since December 2013. She serves as the Director of Budget and Finance.

Brittney and her husband, Adam, have three children. Brittney enjoys running, relaxing at the pool or lake with her family, and all the activities her kids are involved in.

Shaly Naber joined Wapiti Medical Staffing as an Account Manager in January 2023.

Recently married, Shaly hails from Ree Heights, SD. She has a background in health care, contributing both in the business office and direct patient care at Avera in Miller, SD. 

Shaly enjoys hanging out with family and organizing things around the house. Her hobbies include games, sports, reading, exercising and going on adventures with her husband. 

Jatelyn Paulson has been with Wapiti Medical Staffing since May 2015. Jatelyn serves as an account manager for the Huron office. She joined Wapiti after graduating college from Northern State University.

Jatelyn and her husband Eric have 2 sets of twins who keep them very busy! Jatelyn enjoys being with her family and friends, attending/watching sporting events and going to the lake!

Sarah joined Wapiti as an Account Manager in December, 2023.

Sarah enjoys spending her leisure time outdoors, engaging in activities such as camping and 4-wheeling with family, friends and boyfriend, Alex. 

Hailing from a family of seven, she has four siblings, including a twin sister.

Originally from the Summit/Marvin area, Sarah previously worked in clinic nursing and long-term care.

Nikki has been with Wapiti since January 2018 when Wapiti acquired Emergency Practice Associates (EPA). Prior to that, she was with EPA beginning in January 2015. Nikki has previous experience working at Sartori Hospital in Cedar Falls for 12 years as a respiratory therapist and has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Upper Iowa University. Nikki is an Account Manager Partner at Wapiti. 

Nikki enjoys working in staffing and helping providers achieve a schedule that fits their needs. In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband Nick and kids Aiden and Olivia.

Krista Cronin has been with Wapiti Medical Staffing since July 2015. Krista serves as a credentialing specialist in our Huron office working with critical access hospitals in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Minnesota.

Krista and her husband, Scott, live on the family farm with their son and daughter. Krista enjoys spending time at the lake with her extended family and being outdoors with her farm animals.

Stephanie joined Wapiti Medical in December 2022. Stephanie enjoys doing anything outdoors. She likes to hunt, fish, garden, and play with her dogs. Anything that involves coffee, count her in! Stephanie resides with her husband outside of Milbank. Stephanie is originally from Clinton, MN, and used to work in direct healthcare.

Morgan has been with Wapiti Medical Staffing since January 2018, first as a sourcing specialist for recruiting before moving to her current role in the credentialing department. Morgan has 8 years experience working within the medical field. She has an Associate’s Degree in Physical Therapy Assisting, which she obtained while attending Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown SD.

Morgan and her husband, Alex, have two boys and a girl. Together, they love going camping, attending concerts, taking road trips, exploring the outdoors and spending time with their continuously growing families.

Tonya has been with Wapiti Medical Staffing since July 2012 and works out of the Milbank office. She started her role with Wapiti as an account manager and now serves as a credentialing specialist. Tonya works with physicians to ensure credentials are in place to help serve rural critical access hospitals that are partnered with Wapiti in the Iowa Region.

Outside of work Tonya enjoys spending time with her family, camping, gardening and horseback riding.

Beth joined Wapiti Medical Staffing in September 2023 as a Credentialing Specialist and works from our Huron office. Beth enjoys reading in her spare time- her favorite author is John Grisham. She has one son and two grandchildren, Grayson and Willow. Beth has years of experience in the legal field, with most of that time spent with the prosecutor’s office.

Liz started with Wapiti in April 2024 as a Credentialing Specialist. Originally from Washington State, Liz and her husband have six kids. Liz enjoys reading and spending time with her family in her spare time. Her background is in healthcare.

patricia.goodmote@wapitimedical.com

Patricia L. Goodemote, M.D., Working Genius Certified, is a tremendous asset as a leadership and team coach.  As a 20-year Air Force Veteran, she distinguished herself as the USAFP Family Physician of the Year in 2011 (1 of 2300), and Teacher of the Year for 3 of her 9 years at a Family Medicine Residency.  No matter her position in the Air Force (flight surgeon, residency director, or disaster team triage chief), her leadership was applauded.  Since retiring from the military, she’s worked for Wapiti in our Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), both as an ER physician and hospitalist.  As an ER medical director for an Iowa Critical Access Hospital (CAH), the Emergency Room received their 1st Women’s Choice Award in 2020, for being in the top 1% of US hospitals, just 1 year after she took this position.

            Three years ago, Wapiti was fortunate to tap into Dr. Goodemote’s skills as a consultant, where she has thrived.  Her intuition has been extremely valuable when coaching hospital leadership, teams, and individual providers.  Dr. Goodemote excels at coaching to improve patient satisfaction, cultivate communication skills of teams and individuals, utilizing bad outcomes to learn and grow, strengthen middle managers, and increase positive interactions with patients, all which accelerate staff retention and heighten a hospital’s community reputation.  Her leadership opportunities in the military, experience on a CAH administration team as the CMO, and as an ER Medical Director, give her insight into the unique challenges of CAHs and their leaders.  She credits the tremendous mentors and coaches in her life for her success and wants to share with others. 

Jody has been with Wapiti Medical Staffing since 2013. As the logistics coordinator, she works closely with our medical providers who need to travel to their work locations.

Jody says she feels privileged to have the opportunity to work with talented co-workers and medical providers who treat each other like family.

Contact me through my website: drjulieradico.com

Julie Radico, PsyD, ABPP is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She holds two master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Health Psychology as well as her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship in Health Psychology- Primary Care at the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Family Medicine.

 Dr. Radico is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Radico Psychological and Consultation Services, LLC where she provides one-on-one coaching, consulting and therapy services to medical professionals. As a member of the PSYPACT, Dr. Radico is able to see clients in multiple states across the country.  (Check the map for your state.)

 Outside of her private practice, Dr. Radico served as an Associate Professor in Behavioral Medicine at Penn State Hershey Medical Center Department of Family Medicine. 

Integrating Solution Focused, Problem Solving, Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques, Dr. Radico works with medical professionals to harness motivation, advocate for themselves, prioritize their values, and pursue achievable goals. She works with women in medicine to address anxiety, creating boundaries, communication skills, time management, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, grief/loss, health and wellness, developing leadership skills, DEI, stress/burnout, compassion fatigue, sleep hygiene, and work/life balance.

 Click here to schedule a free 30 minute goodness of fit appointment. 

Savannah joined Wapiti in July 2022 and currently works as a recruiter out of our Huron office.

Savannah and her wife moved from San Diego, CA to Huron, SD in October of 2021. Although it’s been a huge change, she’s learning to love the small-town living. When she isn’t working, Savannah loves adventuring to new parts of the state. Her hobbies include playing piano, reading a great book, and spoiling her sphynx senseless.

Amit Shahane, PhD, ABPP is a Board Certified, Licensed Clinical Health Psychologist. He completed his PhD at the University of Oregon following his master’s degree at Indiana State University. He completed his clinical internship at the Michael E. Debakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center and his postdoctoral fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine.

Dr. Shahane is a partner at Rivanna Counseling, LLC where he provides individual/group therapy and assessment services to medical professionals. As a member of the PSYPACT, Dr. Shahane can see clients in multiple states across the United States. 

Before his work in private practice, Dr. Shahane served as an Associate Professor at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine and the Directors of the Behavioral Medicine Center and Postdoctoral Fellowship program. Prior to UVA, he served as an Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine. More recently, he served as a mental and behavioral health consultant for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

Utilizing Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches, Dr. Shahane has expertise in assisting medical professionals to better cope with anxiety, depression, trauma, time management, burnout, health and wellness, communication skills, sleep difficulties, and navigating health system challenges.

Contact: patricia.goodemote@wapitimedical.com

Patricia L. Goodemote, M.D. graduated from the Uniformed Services University (military medical school) in 1992.  She served in the Air Force as a physician for twenty years, as a flight surgeon, family medicine physician, and residency faculty. Dr. Goodmote was awarded Teacher of the Year by her residents on three separate occasions and the USAFP (military branch of AAFP) selected her as the Family Physician of the Year in 2011. 

Since retiring from the military in 2012, she works part-time as an ER physician in Iowa rural hospitals, so she can homeschool her 3 children.  She also served locally as a CMO and ER Medical Director. 

For the past 3 years, she has worked as a consultant and provider coach for Wapiti Medical Staffing, while she continues to work as a Wapiti ER physician.  She is thankful for the tremendous mentors and coaches in her life who have propelled her toward her goals, helped her find joy amid chaos, and provided smooth transitions into many new roles.  Now, she enjoys doing these same things for others.

Contact: mwolf@veriteepartners.com

Mary is an incredible asset to our field.  Personally, I have had numerous discussions with her that were both productive and therapeutic.  Her experience in the field and commitment to advancing the focus on physician well-being are unparalleled.  She truly lends a warm, compassionate voice to those in need and I will forever be grateful for her help in maintaining my simultaneous focus on my own mental health and my ability to provide exceptional patient care during these recent difficult times in medicine.  Her efforts in our field are cherished by many and appreciated by all that know her.

Niel Burns, MD

 Mary Wolf is the president of Veritee Partners LLC, a coaching and consulting business designed to promote wellbeing and success for physicians, physician leaders, advanced practice providers, dentists, executives and the companies they serve.  Veritee Partners offers assessments and consultation for healthcare systems to build wellbeing programs and cultures.

Mary was the Program Director for the Avera Medical Group LIGHT Program, an award-winning wellbeing program for physicians and advanced practice providers. She led multi-strategy wellbeing services and provides executive coaching for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, residents, and executives.

Before creating LIGHT, Mary was the director of multiple behavioral health programs at Avera including employee assistance program-EAP, addiction recovery, outpatient mental health, and day hospital.

Mary earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Human Resource Development and is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health.  Mary is a Board Certified Coach and holds certifications in executive, life, and spirituality coaching.

Mary’s extensive work with the Coalition for Physician Wellbeing includes being published as a chapter author for their two books:

• Transforming the Heart of Practice:

An organizational and personal approach to physician wellbeing 

• Physician Well-being During Sustained Crisis:

Defusing Burnout, Building Resilience, Restoring Hope

Contact: roots.wings.coach@gmail.com

Marsha Wakefield, MD, MHPE, is a life coach with Roots and Wings Coaching.  Dr. Wakefield has spent over 30 years in clinical practice as an academic anesthesiologist and clinical teacher. She has experience collaborating with practitioners in a number of healthcare disciplines including medical and nursing students, anesthesiology residents, CNRAs, and APNs.

Her interest in teaching and learning led to a variety of leadership roles in undergraduate and graduate medical education. She has mentored and coached people in healthcare across a spectrum of career points from beginning students through mid-career to late career practitioners. 

After personally experiencing the benefits of life coaching, she transitioned to coaching as a way to continue to support those seeking to reach their goals, clarify their vision, and achieve their full potential. She is a member of the International Coach Federation with over 100 hours of coach training and 100+ hours of coaching clients. She gets great joy from sharing those “ah ha!” moments with clients as they apply new insights to life’s challenges.  

Contact: margaret@sumptionandwyland.com

Margaret Sumption’s roots are deeply entrenched in the rural landscapes of Northern South Dakota. Born as the youngest of seven children to parents who were lifelong farmers and had not pursued education beyond the eighth grade, Margaret embodies the spirit of resilience and innovation. Her journey from a farm to becoming a first-generation college graduate is a testament to her determination and commitment to personal and professional growth.

Margaret initially embarked on a career in special and elementary education but soon realized her passion did not lie in working with children. This realization steered her towards a path where she could make a profound impact on adults facing developmental, mental health, and substance abuse challenges. The first 15 years of her career saw Margaret advancing in the disability services sector, where she played a crucial role in developing community-based services and resources.

With a Master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling and Personnel Services, Margaret’s expertise expanded into counseling and mental health, laying the groundwork for her subsequent ventures into consultancy and strategic planning. Alongside her then-partner, now husband, she co-founded a consultancy firm specializing in grant writing, administration, and management, with a significant focus on the healthcare sector. Her work predominantly revolves around strategic planning and organizational development for hospitals and health systems, specializing in governance excellence and education programs for large non-profit organizations.

Approximately 12 years ago, Margaret ventured into career coaching, establishing a coaching practice dedicated to assisting individuals in crafting strategic career development plans. Her approach, deeply influenced by her background in education and counseling, focuses on helping clients set and achieve their career goals through personalized strategic planning. Her workforce and organizational planning expertise underpin her work in career coaching, skills she has honed throughout her 33 years in consultancy. 

Contact: john@intersections.group

John Beranek adeptly navigates the crossroads of medical expertise and leadership development.  John designed, and leads the Physicians Leadership Institute for the South Dakota State Medical Association, he is committed to fostering the growth of healthcare professionals at the convergence of clinical acumen and leadership prowess.

Opting for John Beranek as a physician coach promises an investment in a distinctive blend of medical proficiency and leadership finesse. Recognizing that coaching is both compassionate and challenging, he emphasizes that it is not therapy but a strategic process involving understanding your situation, setting actionable plans, and harnessing existing strengths to cultivate new ones.

With a proven record of insightful mentorship and a commitment to helping physicians navigate the delicate balance between compassion and challenge, John Beranek excels at guiding individuals through the intricacies of coaching. His approach includes understanding challenges and opportunities, setting tangible goals with accountability, assessing progress and adjusting as required, and providing ongoing follow-up and support, ensuring a comprehensive and transformative learning experience for those seeking to enhance their leadership skills in the medical field.

Contact: dcfalck@gmail.com

Dr. Darilyn Falck is passionate about advising, coaching, and mentoring.

She is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. She is a graduate of Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed her residency in emergency medicine at Loma Linda University Medical Center. 

Dr. Falck has held various leadership roles including Chair of both her hospital’s Emergency Department and Bioethics Committee, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs while serving as medical school faculty, and board member of a national non-profit organization. Dr. Falck is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and has also been awarded the Federation’s (ICF) Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential. 

She has over twenty years of clinical emergency medicine experience and currently practices telemedicine urgent care. Dr. Falck is transitioning from clinical work to focus more on professional coaching and mentoring. She has completed an International Coaching Federation Level 2 Accredited Coach Training Program. She uses coaching as a tool to help clients navigate transitions with confidence, gain clarity about their values and strengths, and achieve a greater sense of purpose.