Outstanding Rural Health Awards 2024 | Center for Rural Health | Alerus Center, 1200 S 42nd St, Grand Forks, ND 58201, US

We encourage you to "toot your own horn" and nominate those who you work with, whom you believe deserving of this statewide recognition.

If you have nominated an individual or a program in a prior year, and that individual or program did not receive an award, please consider doing so again. Each year many worthy nominations are made but only one award per category can be distributed. It seems a shame that some very worthy nominees are only nominated once. The nomination committee strongly encourages re-submissions. Persistence can yield dividends.

2023 Recipients

Outstanding Rural Health Provider
• Joel Johnson, Medical Director at First Care Health Center, Park River

Outstanding Rural Health Professional
• Darla Roder, Compliance Officer, COO, and Interim CEO of Langdon Prairie Health, Langdon

Outstanding Rural Health Volunteer
• Fred Stern, Board Member of Sakakawea Medical Center/Coal Country Community Health Center, Hazen/Beulah

Outstanding Rural Health Educator/Mentor
• Teree Rittenbach, Professor of Nursing at University of Jamestown, Jamestown

Emerging Rural Health Leader
• Josalynne Hoff Rue, Family Practice Physician at Heart of America Medical Center, Rugby

Rural Health Legislator of the Year
• Judy Lee, District 13, North Dakota Senator, West Fargo

Outstanding Rural Health Career
• Darrold Bertsch, Interim CEO at Sakakawea Medical Center/Coal Country Community Health Center, Hazen/Beulah

Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• RAIN Program at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks

R-COOL-Health Scrubs Camp of the Year
• Grafton Scrubs Camp at Unity Medical Center, Grafton

Flex Quality Reporting
• Sanford Hillsboro Medical Center, Hillsboro

North Dakota Public Health Association Public Health Worker of the Year
• Brenton Nesemeier, Director of Field Services at the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Bismarck

North Dakota Public Health Association Outstanding Service Award
• Theresa Will, Administrator at City-County Health District, Valley City

Public Health Team of the Year Award
• North Dakota Healthy Outcomes Program at North Dakota State University, Fargo