NRHA announces 2026 Rural Health Fellows
The National Rural Health Association is pleased to announce the final selections for the 2026 class of Rural Health Fellows.
Following a competitive review process, 18 fellows were selected to participate in this yearlong program, which is designed to cultivate leaders who can champion a clear and compelling vision for rural America.
“We are very pleased to announce this new class of fellows as this program enters its nineteenth year,” says NRHA CEO Alan Morgan.
“Once again, this class represents various levels of rural health expertise. With the successes achieved by the previous classes, we look forward to continuing the tradition of building rural health care leaders through this valuable program.”
The 2026 Rural Health Fellows
Ashley Anthony, Chief Operating Officer, Mainline Health Systems, Inc., Monticello, Ark.
Jacquelyn Alvarado, Director Rural Maternal Health, Texas A&M Rural Community Health Institute, Fort Worth, Texas
Emma Boswell, Graduate Assistant & PhD Student, University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, Columbia, S.C.
Emily Kate Bowen, Dental Programs Director, Mountain Empire Community College, Big Stone Gap, Va.
Erica Collins, Director of Behavioral Health, HCC Network, Concordia, Mo.
Dannon Cox, Assistant Professor, Colorado School of Public Health at University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colo.
Robin Danek, Assistant Professor of Clinical Family Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine-Terre Haute, Terre Haute, Ind.
Emily Eddy, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice & Director of Rural and Underserved Health Scholars Program, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio
Joanne Keefe, Associate Professor, Frontier Nursing University & President, Catron County Cares, Quemado, N.M.
Eisha Khan, Program Manager, MaineHealth, Biddeford, Maine
Kristie Lenze, CEO/CFO, Keystone Rural Health Consortia, Inc., Ridgway, Pa.
Marcus Lewis, CEO, First Care Health Center, Park River, N.D.
Summer Mochida-Meek, Executive Director, Hawaii State Rural Health Association, Hilo, Hawaii
Cody Mullens, Resident Physician and National Clinician Scholars Program Fellow, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Lisse Regehr, President and CEO, Thrive Allen County and Thrive Kansas, Iola, Kan.
Karsten Russell-Wood, Chief Marketing & Experience Officer, Equum Medical, Berlin, Md.
Amanda St. Martin, Hospital Programs Manager, Michigan Center for Rural Health, East Lansing, Mich.
Rich Sutphin, Executive Director, WV Rural Health Association, Barboursville, W.Va.
Read NRHA's press release for contact info and more information.