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The purpose of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Center of Excellence (CoE) Advisory Council is to ensure that Initiative 2 priorities in Montana’s federally approved rural health transformation plan reflect the unique rural needs and opportunities at the county, tribal, and facility level. Initiative 2 priorities include optimizing population health clinical infrastructure, while leveraging remote care services and rural provider partnerships to protect and expand access in rural communities. 

In assembling the Advisory Council, DPHHS prioritized broad geographic representation to ensure voices from across Montana are at the table. Membership was also structured to include robust participation from critical access hospitals, recognizing their central role in delivering rural health care, oftentimes in partnership with larger facilities and systems. 

The Advisory Council will closely collaborate with the selected CoE Strategy and Analytics vendor, providing critical provider and community perspectives, feedback, and recommendations informed by their expertise and first-hand experience with the realities of rural health care delivery in Montana. Members' tenure will last through 2028. 

Meetings 

The first meeting of the Center of Excellence Advisory Council is expected to take place in the fall of 2026.

Council members include:   

  • 1 rural health care consumer: Lily Wahl, Dutton, teacher/parent/advocate 
  • 1 rural primary care clinician: Julie Cross, DO, Eureka, family medical doctor and medical director of Logan Health Eureka 
  • 1 tribal health representative: Joel Rosette, Box Elder, CEO of Rocky Boy Health Center 
  • 4 members represent prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals: John Goodnow, FACHE, Great Falls, CEO of Benefis Health System; Lee Boyles, headquartered in Billings, president of Intermountain Health Montana and Wyoming; Kathryn Bertany, MD, MBA, Bozeman, CEO of Bozeman Health; James Duncan, Billings, Billings Clinic Foundation president emeritus 
  • 6 critical access hospitals (CAH)/rural emergency hospitals (REH) representatives, including:  
    • 2 owned by or affiliated with a PPS hospital: Parker Powell, Glendive, CEO of Glendive Medical Center; Abby Lotz, Red Lodge, CEO of Beartooth Billings Clinic 
    • 4 independent, non-affiliated CAH or REH facilities: Greg Hanson, MD, Plains, CEO of Clark Fork Valley Hospital; Nickolas Dirkes, MHA, Glasgow, CEO of Francis Mahon Deaconess Hospital; Steve Todd, Ronan, CEO of St. Luke Community Healthcare; Kevin Harada, MD, Havre, President and CEO of Northern Montana Health Care 
  • 2 federally qualified health center representatives: Jamie Brownell, Valier/Shelby, CEO of Marias Healthcare Services, Inc.; David Mark, MD, Hardin, CEO of One Health 
  • 2 DPHHS representatives: DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton, State Medicaid Director Rebecca de Camara  
  • 3 legislators: Rep. Jodee Etchart, R-HD51; Sen. Carl Glimm, R-SD3; Sen. Chris Pope, D-SD33  
  • 1 statewide hospital organization representative: Ed Buttrey, president and CEO of Montana Hospital Association (non voting) 
  • 1 statewide primary care organization representative: Olivia Riutta, CEO of Montana Primary Care Association (non voting) 
  • 1 health care facility-owned organization/professional network representative: Chris Hopkins, CEO of Montana Health Network, Inc. (non voting) 
  • 2 health insurance carrier representatives: Blair Fjeseth, CEO of Mountain Health Co-Op; Lisa Kelley, President of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana (non voting) 

How Participation Works

  • Advisory role: Stakeholders provide input on CoE goals, initiatives, and implementation strategies. This may include prioritization of recommendations, developing further detailed guidance for recommendations, i.e., according to facility type or population type, and supporting strategic planning for the CoE by providing guidance and feedback. 
  • Members also serve as champions of the CoE to their constituents of the organizations and communities they represent. This includes supporting facility recruitment and engagement efforts as well as ongoing outreach and education to participating and partnering organizations. The Department will retain final authority over all funding decisions. 
  • Public comment: All meetings will be subject to public meeting laws with designated time on each agenda for public comment. Open sessions allow community members and interested parties to share feedback directly with the Advisory Council. 
  • Commitment expectations: The Department anticipates the meeting schedule to be quarterly, with the potential for monthly meetings as needed. Meetings will be hybrid with in-person and remote attendance options, with in-person attendance highly recommended and encouraged. The Advisory Council is currently scheduled to terminate in late 2028. 

Letters Regarding Creation of the CoE Advisory Council

Letter from Director Brereton to Governor Greg Gianforte requesting approval of the Council:

Letter from Gov. Greg Gianforte approving creation of the Council: