Organization Contacts
Brad Gibbens
Specialty Areas / Background
Brad Gibbens is the deputy director of the Center for Rural Health at The University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences and an assistant professor at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. His primary areas of responsibility are community development, community engagement techniques, program development, and health policy.Gibbens works closely with health policy, government affairs, community development (including assessments, strategic planning, and community engagement), program and grant development, and information dissemination activities. Center programs that address community development include the following: State Office of Rural Health, Rural Hospital Flexibility, Small Hospital Improvement Program, Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND Rural Health Grant Program, small program evaluation, and the Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health.
Deputy Director since January 1988

Jody Ward MS, RN, APHN
Specialty Areas / Background
Jody Ward is a Program Director with the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS). She directs activities of the North Dakota Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) program, Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) and ND Critical Access Hospital Quality Network. Jody has been with the Center since 2008 and her office is based in Minot, N.D.
Jody has led the North Dakota Critical Access Hospital Quality Network in a number of quality and patient safety initiatives and serves as a liaison to statewide stakeholders, facilitating the exchange of information and network development through the Flex program. Jody has a Master of Science degree in Advanced Public Health Nursing (APHN) from the University of North Dakota and a registered nurse (RN) Bachelor's degree from Minot State University, Minot, North Dakota.
Flex Program Director 2020-Present. Sr. Project coordinator 2013-2020. Project Coordinator 2008-2013.

Kylie Nissen
Specialty Areas / Background
Kylie assists in the coordination of the activities for the State Office of Rural Health, the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) program, Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and other workforce related projects. She is also the principal investigator of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota rural health grant program and coordinates the Scrubs Academy and Scrubs Camps, HIPAA certification and the Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health. She currently serves on the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health Board as treasurer.

Nicole Threadgold
Nicole Threadgold is a project coordinator with the Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Grand Forks. Nicole's responsibilities include coordination of the North Dakota Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) program and Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) activities as well as assisting with the Community Health Needs Assessment process. Before joining the CRH, Nicole was the foundation director and marketing coordinator for CHI St. Alexius Health in Carrington, North Dakota.
Flex Coordinator since December 2020
Anna Walter
Anna Walter is a project coordinator for the Rural Health Clinic Network, the North Dakota Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, and the Critical Access Hospital Quality Network at the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine & Health Sciences.
In this position, Anna is developing a Rural Health Clinic Network to support, educate, and provide resources for ongoing performance improvement for North Dakota Rural Health Clinics.
Anna previously worked as the executive director of the Nelson County Health Services Foundation and Program Development at Nelson County Health System. Originally from McVille, North Dakota, Anna earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with a minor in marketing/communications at UND in 2008.

Ashley Folarin
Ashley Folarin is a project assistant with the Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Grand Forks.
Ashely's responsibilities include working on the Flex project and Project ECHO. Before joining the CRH, Ashley worked at Altru Health System, Cleveland Clinic, Sanford Health, and other private practices in urban areas.
Originally from Gales Ferry, Connecticut, Ashley attended the University of Connecticut.
