What's NEOAHEC up to?

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.

Lynn Carpenter was a NEOAHEC board member from 2018 to 2024. She is a retired health occupations teacher at The Dalles High School.

Liz Sieders was a NEOAHEC board member from 2018 to 2024. She is a physician associate at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center.

Mike Hetrick was a NEOAHEC board member from 2018 to 2024. He is a retired pediatrician and health informatics officer.

Patty Barfield was a NEOAHEC board member from 2018 to 2024. She is the Campus Associate Dean for the OHSU School of Nursing in La Grande and the Regional Associate Dean for the OHSU Campus for Rural Health.

NEOAHEC is building a robust simulation program that prepares healthcare students and professionals and for high-risk real-life medical scenarios.

NEOAHEC is celebrating National Rural Health Day! Rural communities are wonderful places to live and work, which is why nearly 61 million people call them home.

Investigators of Science—a STEM day-camp for middle school students hosted by Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Center (NEOAHEC) and Eastern Oregon University (EOU)—held its 2024 event at the EOU campus on November 2, 2024.

Between delivering babies, tending to patients of all ages, performing endoscopies, volunteering as an EMT, serving as a medical examiner, directing a small clinic in Heppner, having involvement with the Oregon Medical Association (OMA) and Oregon Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP), and working on his family ranch one day a week, Dr. Defrees does it all.

For Ahnica Shoemaker, an Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing student, being homeschooled didn’t mean that she and her five siblings spent all their time at home. Her family has worked diligently to complement homeschool education with diverse hands-on experiences, including NEOAHEC's MedQuest.