Opening Plenary, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm - Exhibit Hall A
Becoming the Healthiest State in the Nation |
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Dirk Wilke
ND Health and Human Services |
| Gov. Kelly Armstrong appointed Dirk Wilke as the Health and Human Services Interim Commissioner on Dec. 15, 2024.As Interim Commissioner, Dirk oversees all divisions within HHS, the state’s largest agency operating eight regional human service centers, the Life Skills and Transition Center in Grafton, the State Hospital in Jamestown and the State Laboratory in Bismarck. Dirk joined the North Dakota Department of Health in 2008 and served in various roles before becoming the department’s chief operating officer in 2017. From September of 2020 to May 2021, Dirk was asked to serve as Interim State Health Officer at the height of the COVID pandemic. In 2022, Dirk was named executive director for the public health division of Health and Human Services, a role in which he continues to serve. A two-time graduate from the University of Mary, Dirk received his bachelor's degree in communications and his master's degree in business administration. He also received his juris doctorate degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law. |
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Krissie Mayer
ND Health and Human Services |
Krissie Mayer is the Director of Community Engagement for the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. The primary goal of the Unit is to work alongside North Dakota communities in addressing health-related needs to reduce disease rates by providing opportunities for interventions and improving access to health care. To ensure that all North Dakotans have the ability to reach their optimal health.
Krissie is a Minnesota State University – Moorhead graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Health Education and Minnesota State University – Mankato with a Master of Science Degree in Health Science with an emphasis in community health. She is a PhD. candidate at Walden University studying health promotion and education, focusing on population health. |
| Krissie began her public health career with the North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Disease Control, in August 2006 as the Ryan White/HIV Surveillance Coordinator. She then took over as the HIV/STD/TB/Hepatitis Program Manager in May 2007. Krissie worked in that role through February 2013. In March 2013, Krissie became the STD/HIV/TB Section Manager at the Minnesota Department of Health. In August of 2018, she came back to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services as the Community Engagement Director.
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Dr. Grace Njau
ND Health and Human Services |
Grace N. Njau is the director of the Special Projects and Health Analytics at the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. She also serves as community faculty at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences and at North Dakota State University. Dr. Njau received her master’s from the University of Colorado and her doctorate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Njau is passionate about all-things-data, and especially rapid and targeted data communication and dissemination to inform positive behavioral changes, policy, and program planning.
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Tony Burke
American Heart Association |
| Tony is an inspirational senior executive with over 25 years of facilitative leadership experience, who is a proactive, collaborative, community-focused visionary bridge walker with expertise in organizational and community change management. As a Certified Change Management Practitioner (CCMP), he leads with the values of accountability and kindness by leaning into his certified strengths of strategic, belief, achiever, responsibility, and connectedness. |
| After serving almost 20 years in the fire service, including a 4-year appointment in Washington DC with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Burn Foundation leading over 300,000 members in the field of burn prevention, advocacy, and survivor support, he committed himself to non-profit work, and service to the community, through his strong desire and understanding change is good. After spending time in the disaster response and recovery sectors, (Public and Private) a complex health care startup, the food bank industry, he joined the American Heart Association in April 2022 with the focus to increase heart and brain health, and health equity, through collective community change efforts and trusted relationship building. He serves as Government Relations Director serving South & North Dakota and in September 2024 was promoted to Government Relations, Regional Team Lead which includes oversight for Nebraska. |
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Sandra Tibke
Foundation for Healthy North Dakota |
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| Information coming soon. |
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Pam Gulleson
Foundation for a Healthy North Dakota |
| A life-long farmer/rancher, Pam lives in Rutland with her husband where they farm in partnership with their three sons and daughters-in-law. Her early career included nearly two decades working in public health, serving as director of the WIC program and health prevention, including implementing preventative health programs in schools and communities across southeast ND. |
| Pam served sixteen years in the North Dakota House of Representatives as a member of the appropriations committee and leadership team. Her public policy role also included serving as state director and chief of staff for ND’s U. S. Senator. She brought her love of health prevention and philanthropy to Blue Cross Blue Shield, serving as VP of Public Affairs and Executive Director of the Caring Foundation. Pam’s lived experience as a resident of rural North Dakota, public health and prevention, and policy maker richly informs her role as coordinator of the Multi-Partner Health Collaborative. |
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Missi Baranko
USpire ND |
Missi Baranko is the Executive Director of USpireND, home to the Healthy Families ND, Inclusion Support and Violence Free programs. Missi is a licensed social worker and has over 20 years of experience working with families through home visiting and inclusion support services. Missi is especially passionate about finding ways to partner with families to support their strengths and connect them to the community. Missi is active in community and state leadership to include being a member of the Interagency Coordinating Committee, Healthy Families America National Advisory Committee, ND Home Visiting Coalition, and a trainer of the ACE Interface and ASQ Development Screenings.
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Tricia Bisch-Steinke
Kidder County District Health Unit |
Tricia lives in rural ND with her family. Her passion for public health and access to healthcare started in college during numerous medical trips to third world countries. She graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010 with her BSN, as well as received a global studies certificate in 2012. She currently works as administrator and director of nursing for Kidder County District Health Unit. She has worked there since 2019.
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