For Immediate Release

RHTP Center of Excellence Advisory Council Appointments Made

man speaking from front of room to meeting full of people
Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Charlie Brereton has announced appointments to the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Center of Excellence (CoE) Advisory Council. Photo courtesy of DPHHS.
  • July 10 2026

Contact: 

  • DPHHS: Jon Ebelt, Communications Director, (406) 444-0936, (406) 461-3757, jebelt@mt.gov

HELENA, MT — Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Charlie Brereton today announced appointments to the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Center of Excellence (CoE) Advisory Council. 

The purpose of the 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. 

“We’re grateful to these leaders for stepping up to help guide this work,” said Dir. Brereton. “Their experience working in and alongside rural communities, critical access hospitals, and tribal health systems will keep us grounded in the realities of care on the front lines. This council gives us a strong foundation to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to facility restructuring and sustainability, while still creating space for ongoing input from partners across Montana’s rural health care system.” 

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. 

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) 

The RHTP is backed by a historic $233 million federal investment in its first year, with potential funding reaching up to $1.2 billion over five years. The Advisory Council is a valuable and important opportunity for stakeholders to inform the future of rural health care delivery across the state. Visit the Advisory Council page for more information about upcoming meetings, public participation, initiatives, and progress of future work. 

For more information about Montana’s RHTP, visit ruralhealth.mt.gov. 

The Rural Health Transformation Program is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $233,509,358.76 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government. 

Tags: News and Rural Health Transformation Program