NWRPCA is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 membership-driven organization that serves community health centers (CHCs) in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington (federal Region X). Founded in 1983, NWRPCA offers a range of programs and services to support and strengthen CHCs in the Northwest. We work to ensure equal access, regardless of one's financial or insurance status, to primary and preventive health care for all residents living in the region.​
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to strengthen health centers in the Northwest to advance health and well-being in our communities.

OUR VISION
NWRPCA is a leading partner in collaborating with CHCs to achieve equitable outcomes in health, wellness, and well-being.

OUR VALUES
Respect: We demonstrate respect for each other and those we serve.
Trust: We build trust by acting with honesty and integrity. 
Excellence: We constantly aspire to excellence through innovation and continuous improvement.
NWRPCA provides support to Region X CHCs through six distinct programs:

OUR STAFF

Leadership

Bruce Gray, MPA
CEO

Bruce leads NWRPCA's strategic planning and implementation, collaborating with the board and program managers. His expertise in healthcare policy, with a background in the Bureau of Primary Healthcare and a master's degree in public administration, drives his commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of the medically underserved population in the Northwest.

To connect with Bruce, please email him at [email protected]

Sonia Handforth-Kome
CFO

Sonia has over 30 years of experience in both for-profit and non-profit healthcare, working in urban and rural/frontier settings. Her career has been dedicated to improving healthcare quality and access for all populations, with a strong passion for community-focused healthcare.

​To connect with Sonia, please email her at [email protected]

Dulcye Rodriguez
COO

With over 20 years of diverse experience in healthcare operations, Dulcye serves as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) at NWRPCA. For 15 years, Dulcye served multiple leadership positions at a CHC in rural eastern Washington, where she developed a deep understanding of the complexities of delivering quality healthcare to underserved populations. She led efforts to optimize clinic operations, improve patient outcomes, streamline processes, and ensure compliance with healthcare regulations, all while maintaining the highest standards of care.​

​To connect with Dulcye, please email her at d[email protected]

Program Directors

Emily Rademacher, MTA, CMP, DES
Managing Director of Education & Training

Emily oversees NWRPCA's educational programs, including conferences, on-site trainings, and distance-learning initiatives. With extensive experience in planning events for diverse industries, she takes pleasure in uniting people to enhance their knowledge and career prospects.

​To connect with Emily, please email her at [email protected]

Robyn Weiss, PT, M.ED
Director of Workforce Development

Before joining NWRPCA, Robyn worked on catastrophic and complex care at Rehab Without Walls, NeuroSolutions in the NW region. She also served as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Physical Therapy in El Paso, TX, contributing to the development of "grow our own" models for healthcare professionals. Robyn is a national resource in neuro brain injury and spinal cord CAT transitional team approach and often lectures on complex care models for underserved populations. Now based in Seattle, she enjoys water activities, gardening, and spending time with her dogs.

​To connect with Robyn, please email her at [email protected]

Seth Doyle, MA
Director of Strategic Initiatives

Seth is a healthcare leader with expertise in community health, workforce development, and public health partnerships. He joined NWRPCA in 2007 as Migrant Health Coordinator and has since become a subject matter expert in migrant health. Before that, he worked as a Health Educator and Case Manager, showing his commitment to improving healthcare for diverse populations. Seth is dedicated to advancing community-focused healthcare for better health and well-being.

​To connect with Seth, please email him at [email protected]

Sheryl Brannon CMP, DES, MBA

Sheryl provides a range of experiences from strategic management to conference and event services and association management. In her many collaborative partnerships, she provided senior level services and has worked with cross-functional teams across multiple business. Ms. Brannon graduated from Bernard M. Baruch College, CUNY and received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Marketing, and her Master of Business Administration from Trinity Washington University, Washington DC.

​To connect with Sheryl, please email her at [email protected]

Nick Piche, MA
Director of Communications and Support

Nick Piche serves as the Director of Communications & Support at the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association (NWRPCA). With over a decade of experience in communications, he is deeply committed to serving the underserved. Having worked in both education and healthcare, he endeavors to utilize his skills and experience to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

To connect with Nick, please email him at [email protected]

Staff

Pamela Bertelson, CMP
Meeting and Event Specialist

Pamela is a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) originally from the great state of Wisconsin. She has primarily worked in public health for most of her meeting planning career and joined NWRPCA because she aligns with the organization's mission and values. She relocated to Seattle to live closer to family, after 15 years in DC and 6 years in Japan. Pamela hopes to plan and attend international meetings in the future. She's looking forward to exploring more of Seattle, for two of her favorite things: amazing spots for reading, and delightful drag queens.​

​To connect with Pamela, please email her at [email protected]
Christian Castro,
Community Health 
​Improvement Specialist
Christian Castro has a Bachelor's degree in Public Health and serves as a Community Health Improvement Specialist at the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association. He first started off as a Medical Assistant and shortly realized his passion was to serve a larger community. With a strong public health background, Christian is dedicated to enhancing community well-being, with a strong interest in CHWs and everyone's respected role in providing equitable community care. In their free time, Christian enjoys golf, reflecting their commitment to both their professional and personal interests.

To connect with Christian, please email him at [email protected]

Anthony Harvey
Data & Information Specialist

Anthony works to support NWRPCA's initiatives in the realms of data analysis and business intelligence. Anthony believes in the importance of translating raw data into actionable insights, helping to better inform decision making throughout our organization.

To connect with Anthony, please email him at [email protected]

Janeane Harwell
Development Specialist

Janeane is dedicated to social justice and ensuring equitable access to healthcare. With an academic background in Public Policy and Environmental Politics, she gained professional experience writing grants to provide basic energy services to Native American lands in New Mexico, Utah, and South Dakota. Recently, she worked at the Seattle University Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability, facilitating collaborative community and academic research projects through funding opportunities. Committed to NWRPCA's mission, Janeane will persist in her efforts to create and support equitable access to healthcare.​

​To connect with Janeane, please email her at [email protected]

Harjot Kaur
Program Support Coordinator

Prior to working at NWRPCA, Harjot was attending the University of Washington and studying Communications with a minor in Art History. She especially enjoyed learning about the impacts of media and how that shapes the political and social aspects of society. She also has a passion for graphic design and strives to create aesthetically pleasing visuals that highlight and accurately represent minority communities. In her free time, she indulges in hobbies that give her peace of mind – watching Netflix, reading, going to museums and parks, and making jewelry.

To connect with Harjot, please email her at [email protected]

Georgia Mauney
Membership Specialist

Georgia is our dedicated Member Services Specialist. Fueled by a passion for kindness and collaboration, she ensures that we continue to meet our membership’s needs. So, whether you're seeking answers, eager to collaborate, or simply want to share a thought, don't hesitate to reach out to Georgia. Her inbox is always open!

To connect with Georgia, please email her at [email protected]

Noomi Odabashian
Training in Place Specialist

Noomi is passionate about connecting medical students with careers supporting underserved populations. Their goal is to expose students to community health centers through clinical rotations and shadowing. They enjoy embroidery, horror films, and aspire to advocate for marginalized communities, addressing healthcare inequities. With expertise in program management and community engagement, Noomi seeks opportunities in non-profits, medical clinics, or community health centers. They dream of traveling in an RV camper van with their cats, visiting national parks, and watching sunsets while cooking breakfast for dinner.

​To connect with Noomi, please email her at [email protected]

Chris Spencer
Distance Learning Specialist

Chris manages the production of content for our learning portal and provides tech support for our training sessions and conferences. His background lies in audio production and music education, which brings a combination of technical expertise and a strong sense of instructional design.

​To connect with Chris, please email him at [email protected]

Kelly Volkmann, MPH
CHW Institute Project Director

Kelly has a Master’s in Public Health from Oregon State University and is committed to advancing Community Health Worker (CHW) programs in primary healthcare. She has experience as a registered nurse in California and managing a team of CHWs at the Community Health Centers in Oregon. Kelly appreciates the unique value CHWs bring to healthcare and enjoys dancing, birdwatching, and spending time with family. Her dream adventure involves bicycle touring with her husband and dog, not caring where they sleep each night.

​To connect with Kelly, please email her at [email protected]

Rahwa Hailemariam​
Virtual Learning Specialist

To connect with Rahwa, please email her at [email protected]​

Connor Hutyler
Marketing Specialist

To connect with Connor, please email him at [email protected]​

Emilia Barnecut
Operations Workforce Specialist

​2023 - 2024 NWRPCA Board of Directors

​Executive Committee

Kevin Munson 
Chairman of the Board
CEO, Mat-Su Health Services
Wasilla, AK​
William North
Vice Chairman
CEO, Rogue Community Health
Medford, OR
Esther Lucero
Secretary
CEO, ​Seattle Indian Health Board
Seattle, WA​
Aaron Houston
Treasurer
CEO, Family Health Services
Twin Falls, ID

​Members at Large

Tawny Buck
CEO, Girdwood Health Clinic
Girdwood, AK
Heidi Hart
CEO, Terry Reilly Health Services
Nampa, ID
Patrick Luedtke
Medical Director, DHHS - Lane County 
Eugene, OR

​Immediate Past Chair

Jesus Hernandez
CEO, Family Health Centers
Okanogan, WA

​Board Members

Alaska

Craig Ambrosiani
Executive Director, Seward Community Health Center
Seward, AK
Mary Swain
Executive Director, Cama’i Community Health Center
Naknek, AK

Idaho

Mike Baker
CEO, Heritage Health
Coeur d' Alene, ID
Mindy Stosich-Benedetti
CEO, Health West, Inc.
Pocatello, ID

Oregon

Gil Munoz
Executive Director, Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center
Cornelius, OR
Albert Pacheco
CEO, Asher Community Health
Fossil, OR

Washington

John Browne
CFO, Community Health Assn of Spokane
Spokane, WA
Jim Coffee
CEO, Cowlitz Family Health Center
Longview, WA
PO Box 9038, Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 783-3004
[email protected]
© Northwest Regional Primary Care Association.  All Rights Reserved.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,742,242.00 with 25% financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.