2023 IHA Small & Rural Hospitals Annual Meeting: June 28-29

Jennifer Barbour, Director of Public Relations, Sparta Community Hospital
A seasoned professional, Barbour has over 15 years of experience in healthcare and social services marketing, public relations and outreach. At Sparta Community Hospital, she has served as the Community Champion for the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program. In addition, Barbour works with the community to help identify and address community health needs, and leads employee engagement and medical student recruitment efforts. She is Chair of the University of Illinois Extension Unit 26 Advisory Board, Assistant Governor of the Rotary District 6510 and Vice-Chair of the Healthy Communities Alliance.

Mary Frances Barthel, MD, MHCM, FACP, SFHM, Chief Quality and Safety Officer, Blessing Health System
Dr. Barthel has worked as a hospitalist for 19 years in Wisconsin and Illinois. She joined Blessing Health System in 2011 as Hospitalist Medical Director before transitioning to Chief Quality and Safety Officer in 2015. With a master’s degree in healthcare management, Dr. Barthel led Infection Prevention for the Hospital Incident Command System, consistently engaged in issues around COVID-19 testing, isolation, contact tracing, treatment and care, and vaccination of patients and staff.

Anthony A. Bucki, DNP, MSN, RN, Director of Emergency Services Morris Hospital
Dr. Bucki has over 30 years of extensive emergency nursing experience. Dr. Bucki began his career as clinical operations manager at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was responsible for daily operations of the emergency department (ED) and worked as an ED nurse. He then became interim ED director at UChicago Medicine. Dr. Bucki is currently the director of emergency services for Morris Hospital. He also manages his own on-site healthcare screening company that provides screenings and pre-employment physicals to manufacturing companies. Since 1995, he has been a part of the Emergency Nurses Association as state director for the Illinois ENCARE Program, overseeing programs on injury prevention. Dr. Bucki has received multiple honors for his work in operations management and nursing.

Nicole Gastala, MD, Medical Director, Illinois Department of Human Services, Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Division and Family Medicine Physician, UI Health
Dr. Gastala is board certified in family and addiction Medicine. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and completed her family medicine residency at the University of Iowa. Dr. Gastala has developed and expanded medication-assisted recovery by mentoring prescribers, guiding residents and training clinicians in Illinois. She has also focused on the development of walk-in integrated behavioral health, addiction and primary care programs within Mile Square Health Center, the Federally Qualified Health Center at UI Health, where she practices family medicine. In January 2021, Dr. Gastala became the medical director of the Illinois Department of Human Services’ Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Division.

Mark Gridley, MBA, FACHE, President and CEO, FHN Memorial Hospital and Chair, IHA Small and Rural Hospital Constituency Section
With over 30 years of healthcare experience, Gridley has managed and developed special teams and projects impacting caregivers, patients and community members. His experience includes hands-on care delivery; clinical, administrative and operational management; and physician leadership. Gridley previously served as Administrator and Market Executive with Aurora Medical Group and Vice President of Physician Affairs, then Chief Operating Officer with FHN Memorial Hospital in Freeport, where he currently oversees the provision of an integrated care delivery system. Gridley proudly served in active duty in the U.S. Army as a medic and licensed practical nurse. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Keith G. McGlen, CPP, CHPA, Vice President, Security and Emergency Management, Carle Health
McGlen brings nearly 30 years of safety and emergency management experience leading security efforts at some of the largest healthcare organizations in the country. He has improved security and response outcomes by focusing on clear, quality-driven strategies. McGlen has supported clinicians through introducing effective technology, instilling a corporate security vision, managing risk and developing processes to improve safety responsiveness. He was previously Vice President of Security Services at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital; Associate Vice President of System Security Services at Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston; and Director of Security, Parking and Transportation Services at Children’s National Health System in Washington, D.C.

Keith J. Mueller, PhD, Gerhard Hartman Professor, Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Iowa and Director, Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, Rural Policy Research Institute
With more than 220 scholarly articles and policy papers to his credit, Mueller has received awards from the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) and University of Nebraska recognizing his research contributions. Currently chairing RUPRI’s Health Panel, Mueller previously served as NRHA president and as a member of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. He also has served on national advisory committees to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In 2016, Mueller received the University of Iowa Regents Award for Faculty Excellence. 

Martie Ross, JD, Principal and Director, Center for Rural Health Advancement, PYA
After two decades as a healthcare transactional and regulatory attorney, Ross now advises providers navigating healthcare regulations. Her deep understanding of new payment and delivery systems and public payer initiatives assists rural providers seeking to strategically position their organizations for the future. In this role, Ross identifies opportunities and develops realistic plans of action, synthesizes complex regulatory schemes, and explains their impact on providers.

Katherine L. Ryczek, MHA, BSHM, Manager of Process Improvement, Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital
With over 19 years in healthcare, Ryczek has experience in both clinical and technical roles. She completed her master’s degree in healthcare administration in 2020 and specializes in process improvement, strategic planning, facilitating improvement teams, and educating and applying lean and six sigma concepts. Ryczekis passionate about helping others succeed and promoting positive change.

Eric K. Shell, CPA, MBA, Chairman, Stroudwater Associates
With nearly 30 years of healthcare financial management and consulting experience, Shell is an industry leader in supporting the transition of rural healthcare to population health. He provides vital strategic, financial and operational improvement services to ensure rural health systems continue to provide local, high-quality and accessible patient care. Shell helped develop a national program for rural hospital performance improvement and performance measurement and a new rural demonstration payment programs for frontier clinics and hospitals. He has served on the National Rural Health Association’s Rural Health Congress and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy’s Rural Hospital Issues Group. 

Ronald J. Vlasaty, Chief Operating Officer, Family Guidance Centers, Inc.
Since 1999, Vlasaty has served as the centers’ COO. He is responsible for the oversight of all inpatient and outpatient substance use disorder and mental health treatment and prevention programs, as well as the operation of two hospital-based medical detoxification programs. He previously served as Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Bureau of Administration. Vlasaty is Chairperson for the Statewide Illinois Advisory Council for the Substance Use Disorders and for the Medication Assisted Recovery (MAR) Committee of the Statewide Illinois Opioid Crisis Response Advisory Council. He is also an Advisory Board Member for the Cook County Department of Public Health’s Suburban Cook County Opioid Advisory Council.

Lisa X. Walden, Co-founder, Good Company Consulting
A speaker, strategist and consultant, Walden is dedicated to helping businesses create authentic, empowering workplaces. Her work centers on the concept that people and strategy don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Walden takes a holistic approach to workplace strategy, keeping human beings front and center. As a speaker, she focuses on how to maintain thriving cultures, best practices for mindful communication and tactics for nurturing the single most important component of a healthy work environment—trust. Walden is the co-author of Managing Millennials for Dummies.

Alex Weber, Award-Winning Performer and Acclaimed International Speaker
Best known as a competitor on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, Weber uses humor and his contagious energy to make a long-lasting positive impact on people worldwide. He has appeared on The Discovery Channel and FX, in addition to American Ninja Warrior, called one of the most difficult competitions in the world. Weber has also achieved success as a coach and leader, earning U.S. Lacrosse Coach of the Year for transforming the Los Angeles lacrosse into champions. As a speaker, he has positively ignited over 3.5 million people to achieve their goals, realize their potential and lead their organizations to record-breaking success.