Meet The Chairs

Ann serves as the Clinic Director at the Free Clinic of the Greater Menomonie Area, a role she has held for the past six years. Additionally, she is a nurse at Mayo Clinic Health System-Eau Claire, specializing in Neuro/Pediatrics/Trauma, with 18 years of experience in this field. Outside of her professional commitments, Ann enjoys spending quality time with her family and engaging in activities such as skiing, boating, camping and theatre. She is passionate about promoting health and wellness within the community and takes pride in assisting individuals who need support and resources.

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Becky has rural roots and is a longtime resident of Menomonie. She is both a retired RN and a retired Army Nurse including time stationed in Germany. With a degree in Community Health Nursing, she’s been involved in teaching, wellness, health coaching, entrepreneurship as well as parish nursing in her church. She recently helped found Menomonie News Net, a nonprofit, volunteer-led online news source focused on civic engagement. She and her husband Mike live on a hilltop just outside Menomonie; they have one grown son and a daughter-in law living in San Antonio. She enjoys genealogy, line dancing, kayaking, travel, reunions and watching sunsets. Her passion is about building connections and community.

 As the Dunn County Human Services Director, Paula has seen our community's struggle to secure affordable housing. She is committed to bridging these gaps by advocating for policies, partnerships, and programs that effectively address this issue. Her husband Larry is a passionate advocate for mental health and an author. They are often busy spending time with their three adult daughters, three grandsons, and parents who live close by, spending time on the lake and playing cards. She enjoys bike riding during the summer, puzzles, and scrapbooking. Finally, she is passionate about her faith and is an active member of her parish community. 

Luisa is a Family Engagement and Relationships Educator for UW-Madison Extension who is focused on improving life for Dunn County families. In that role she facilitates parenting classes, supplies evidence-based resources, and works to ensure families have what they need to thrive. She recognizes that it is hard to take care of family when you have insecure, dangerous or unaffordable housing. This concern drives her involvement in the Health Dunn Right Coalition and her position as the HAT co-chair. Luisa is a life-long Dunn County resident. She lives on a pasture-raised beef farm with three generations of family and likes to spend time in her overly large gardens, or on canoe trips in the Boundary Waters with her husband and grown children.  

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As the Deputy Director of Human Services Dunn County, she works alongside Paula in thedirecting of all activities and programs of the county’s Human Servies Department. She oversees the Birth to Three program which is her favorite part of my day. She graduated from UW-Stout and began her career teaching Early Childhood. Since then, she has held various roles such as an administrator of a large Early Learning Center licensed for 250 children, Director of Services at Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute, and Regional Operation Services Manager at Inclusa. She holds broad professional experience with proven accomplishments in leading new initiatives, large teams and a variety of services. She loves spending time with her 5 grown children and 7 grandchildren, playing with her dogs or learning yet another great use of essential oils. She is extremely extraverted and is happy to work on the most joyous topic: children!

Garret started his role as the Community and Leadership Development Educator for Chippewa, Dunn, and Eau Claire Counties in May 2024. Before that he was an Assistant Professor of Sustainable Rural Economic Development at Northland College in Ashland. His current role is focused on supporting groups and organizations establish their goals, develop action plans, and evaluate outcomes, with the overall purpose of building sustainable and inclusive communities. He also provides leadership development opportunities to teams and organizations aiming to work collaboratively with one another. His mother has been home-based childcare provide for 37 years. His background, coupled with his personal experience, fuels his excitement for the Childcare Action Team and helping Dunn County achieve safe, affordable childcare. 

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Steve is a long-time Dunn County resident. The following quote, by Chief Seattle, is a principal Steve lives by, and drives his involvement with HEAT: 

“The Earth does not belong to man; Man belongs to the Earth. … All things are connected. … Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” … Chief Seattle (1786 - 1866)

Lindsey has her Master of Public Health (MPH) and is a passionate advocate for health and human rights for all. As the Public Health Educator for the Dunn County Health Department, she provides direct support to the Health Dunn Right Coalition (HDR).  ​Her favorite color is dark yellow, and her favorite flower is a sunflower. During her free time, she enjoys spending time in the sun, going to concerts and music festivals, hugging her dog, and spending time with friends and loved ones. ​​​

KT is the Health Officer/Director of Dunn County Health Department. With over 20 years of Public Health experience, her goal is to address the root causes of health disparities across rural communities. Her collaborative leadership style fosters strong community engagement, and she is committed to innovative, community-driven solutions that improve health outcomes for all residents.  ​Each night, she tucks her two fur babies into their beds for a luxurious sleeping experience.  ​​​