What's NEOAHEC up to?

Meredith Halling’s role on our board cannot be summed up by her title, even as Board Chair. She has been a kind and steady hand guiding NEOAHEC through the last year, always thinking before acting and bringing light to our meetings.

Dennis Burke has too many accomplishments to list, but it’s easy to say that he’s made an impact on the healthcare landscape of Northeast Oregon.

Yessenia has returned every year as a camp counselor, dedicated to giving back to the program that helped shape her career.

From San Diego to Goldendale—Dr. Rachel Sonne’s journey from city life to rural healthcare is nothing short of inspiring. Discover how a combination of hands-on training, personal exploration, and a desire to make a difference led her to practice medicine in a town of just over 3,400 people. Find out why she believes that rural healthcare experiences are essential for the next generation of providers.

Andrea Flores-Reyna, Juntos Coordinator in Hood River and Wasco Counties, has been a driving force behind the MedQuest Day Camp experience since 2022.

Nick West walks the walk of a rural provider.

The closure of the Baker City Obstetrics department has highlighted the urgent need to address maternal healthcare challenges in rural Eastern Oregon. Interprofessional health professions students from the Northeast Oregon Campus for Rural Health, community members, and local healthcare educators and professionals will partner to develop OB simulations tailored to meet the needs of our region.

NEOAHEC will illustrate the positive effects of the lasting investment in healthcare workforce development.

NEOAHEC’s purpose is to develop a pathway for growing our own healthcare professionals and create sustainability in our rural healthcare workforce. This is not easy work because it takes years of investment and consistent dedication to the mission to be considered successful. Read NEOAHEC's 2024 Annual Report to find out how we shape the healthcare workforce in rural Eastern Oregon.

When we talk about growing our own healthcare providers, many think about investing in the next generation of children. But for people like Nikki Billman, growing our own means investing in healthcare professionals at every stage of their careers. A La Grande local, Nikki recently earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) through Oregon Health and Science University’s (OHSU) innovative distance program. Since graduating in June, she has taken on a vital role as an outpatient provider at New Directions Northwest in Baker City, Oregon, serving the mental health needs of her community. Nikki’s story is a testament to the power of opportunity, persistence, and the belief that we can build strong rural healthcare professionals—right here at home.