One of the unique aspects of a Community Health Center (CHC) is patient involvement in service delivery. The majority of Unity Care NW’s governing board of directors is made up of patients, serving as community representatives and making decisions on which services we provide. This active patient oversight ensures responsiveness to community needs.
James retired after a 30-year career in law enforcement, retiring as a District Attorney Investigator. He moved to Bellingham and completed the LPN program at Bellingham Technical College. He worked as an LPN in our local emergency room and as an LPN in a cardiology practice. He now works part-time as a private investigator and volunteers with Law Advocates, Whatcom Democrats, and Unity Care NW.
After working in the outpatient orthopedic setting for 12 years, Kim noticed inequity in the system and that insurance payouts, rather than medical necessity, often end up dictating the quality and quantity of medical care. When she opened her business, she modeled it in a way to be true to her belief that quality health care is a human right and limits or priorities should not be dictated by insurance reimbursement or ability to pay. Kim is honored to serve on Unity Care Northwest’s Board to be part of the solution and providing good, quality health care to all who need it. She has extensive experience with the population served by Unity Care and is very familiar with how socioeconomic stresses are compounded by physical pain and sometimes psychological trauma, too. Kim is excited to bring her unique experience in the rehabilitation profession and passion for equitable heath care access to her service to the Unity Care Board.
Dr. Denise Morris brings over 15 years of expertise in pharmaceutical consulting and drug development. Originally from the Bahamas, she immigrated to the U.S. over 20 years ago and relocated to Washington State in 2020. Throughout her career, Dr. Morris has held diverse technical and leadership roles across the pharmaceutical industry, contributed to multiple drug approvals, and established impactful training programs within the field. She earned her PhD in Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Iowa and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Miami. As a Unity Care NW patient, she values accessible, community-centered healthcare and joined the board in October 2024, dedicated to supporting high-quality care for all.
Rachael was born and raised in Whatcom County and is currently a Custer resident. She graduated from Whatcom Community College at the top of her class with an Associate in Arts & Sciences degree in Criminal Justice, and is part of Phi Theta Cappa honors society. She joined the Unity Care Board in February of 2024 in order to serve the community and to give the Board a different perspective as a member of the younger generation of people of Whatcom County.
Caty has a background in Molecular Biology and Virology. She received her BA in Public Health from Sacramento State in 1981. She retired in June 2021 after 40 years in the Biotech field where she worked as a Principal Scientist on various Diagnostic Tests used to protect the blood supply, and later as a Laboratory Supervisor, where she oversaw 70+ Research and Development labs. She is a transplant from the California East Bay Area and settled in the Blaine area where her husband’s family is from. She is currently the lead for the Blaine Emergency Response Team. She joined the UCNW Board in March 2024 and looks forward to serving the Whatcom County community.
John has a background in healthcare and education; he recently retired from teaching Dental Hygiene for 30 years at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California. During that time he was a dentist in private practice, and previously served in the Indian Health Service and two tribal programs. As an advocate for preventive and science-based medicine, he supports parity of behavioral health and dental services as an important part of “health care for all.” A third generation Washingtonian, John welcomes the opportunity to serve the Whatcom County community.
Liane has a background in education. She has had the opportunity to work with children and their families from diverse communities in Washington State, and international communities in Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia. As an educator with 32 years of experience, she has worked in public, private, and corporate education. She comes with a unique perspective about the impact that physical and emotional health have on a student’s learning and development. Though a world traveler, she considers Bellingham her home. She is looking forward to giving back to her community as a board member of UCNW. She has a BA in Early Childhood Education, an MEd as a Reading Specialist, and an Endorsement in TESOL.
Teresa was born in Whatcom County and graduated from Ferndale High, and left after graduation to see the world. She lived in King County off and on for many years and also had the opportunity to live in Cairo, Egypt for 10 years. In 2006, she returned home to Bellingham. In 2015, she returned to school earning an AA degree in 2017, and has been employed for the past 6 years with an organization that “Powers the World.” Having struggled in many areas in life and come out on the other side, she was happy at the opportunity to give back to the very organizations that were so kind during those times. She is honored to have been elected as a Board member and wouldn’t be where she is today without the help of Unity Care NW, Opportunity Council, and Work Source Whatcom County.
Jennifer has a strong background in health and science. She earned a BS in Biology from Washington State University in 1992 and a LMT from Seattle Massage School in 1994. Throughout her career, she has worked as a LMT in private practice, managed her husband’s dental practice, and is currently heavily involved in the local real estate market as an agent with Keller Williams. She believes that working with children to teach healthy habits starts early. Jennifer has volunteered her time as a Board Member of Catch the Son Preschool and is heavily involved with NW Cheer.
After nearly 40 years in community health and nonprofit leadership positions in Monterey CA, Burlington VT and Bellingham WA, Chris is now semi-retired, and offers consulting services focused on organizational pathways to collaborative progress. A resident of Bellingham since 1994, Chris loves to bike and run trails, produce travel videos, and spend time with his wife and two adult children.
Caty recently retired, following 39 years as a Clinical Psychologist in Bellingham. Her Ph.D. was from the University of Chicago, focusing on mental health and adult development. She was a founding member in 1993, and served on the executive board, of Associates in Mental Health, a local independent practice association. She has served on the Advisory board for the Palliative Care Institute (WWU). Born and raised in the Northwest, her extended family here spans ages 1 to 96. Her hopes include access to quality healthcare for all. She joined the UCNW Board in October 2020.
Adam comes to the board with a background in finance and education. He has spent the last several years teaching continuing education courses on personal finance and investments at Whatcom Community College. Adam moved to Bellingham from Seattle in 2016 with his wife and two kids and has loved every minute of it. He is a firm believer in the healthcare exchange and that healthcare is a human right that should not be tied to employer choice.
Dr. Vince Foster is grateful to have the opportunity to serve on the Unity Care NW Board of Directors, having previously served as an Employee Assistance Program provider to UCNW employees. He and his wife have lived in Bellingham for over 25 years.
He is a semi-retired psychologist with a Masters in Addiction Counseling. His professional background includes over 40 years in health care as a mental health services provider along with 22 years as a clinical supervisor and mental health program manager.
He is particularly interested in assisting UCNW to advance their population health perspective because he believes that evidence supports that it is the most cost-effective way to reduce human suffering and to build strong, vibrant and successful communities.
Danielle joined Unity Care NW in November of 2017. She has 8 years’ experience in the field of Human Resources and is dedicated to developing and implementing HR strategies that align with UCNW’s mission and values. Originally from Whatcom County, Danielle loves the PNW and all it has to offer. She graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Business Management.
Charlie Earle is a Bellingham native and has recently returned home to the great Pacific Northwest to join Unity Care NW after spending almost 10 years in Austin, TX. He brings with him nearly 20 years of experience in Information Technology, over 10 of those specifically in Healthcare IT. Prior to this role, Charlie spent several years as the Director of Affiliate IT Consulting for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, working with the organization’s affiliates across the country to improve their Health IT infrastructure, security, and organizational sustainability. Charlie holds several industry related certifications, including from Microsoft and Cisco, and is excited to bring his experience and expertise to the mission of Unity Care NW.
Muriel first came to Unity Care NW (formerly Interfaith Community Health Center) in 1991 as a nurse practitioner student. After graduating in 1992 from the University of Washington with her Masters of Nursing, she came back to Unity Care NW and was the third provider employed by the health center. She previously served as co-Medical Director and Quality Improvement Coordinator at UCNW. She also has experience working at an STD testing and treatment clinic and a Well Child clinic.
Shanon Hardie joined Unity Care NW as Chief Operating Officer in 2011, helping us with strategic planning and realizing our goals of expansion, NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition, Meaningful Use compliance and improvement in our patient satisfaction and quality care measures. Shanon has over 30 years of health care experience, including 27 in progressive management roles. Prior to serving as COO for Unity Care NW, she served as Vice President of Operations for Sea Mar Community Health Centers, where she was responsible for the operations of their primary care clinics, their quality improvement program, expansion to new service areas, JCAHO certification for their ambulatory care program, and the transition to electronic medical records. Shanon thrives and finds great personal satisfaction working in a not-for-profit, community health center environment.
Pam’s previous position was the Chief Behavioral Health Officer at the Native American Rehabilitation Association of the NW (NARA) where she also had served as the Adult Mental Health Director and as a clinical manager. Pam spent 15 years in private practice in Hillsboro, Oregon and had an adjunct faculty appointment at Pacific University’s Graduate School of Psychology, where she taught courses in basic clinical skills, advanced clinical skills, and the business of psychology. She received her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, and her master’s and doctorate from The Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (now Palo Alto University) in Palo Alto, California. Pam’s family includes two grown daughters, Zoe and Audrey, and her partner, Bob. Her abundance of interests include hiking and birdwatching, travel, and horseback riding.
Jodi Joyce joined Unity Care NW in 2020. Jodi began her career as a neonatal intensive care unit nurse and has over 30 years of healthcare leadership experience. Most of her prior roles included responsibility for Quality Improvement & Patient Safety in large healthcare systems, and many of her teams have gained national recognition for achieving and sustaining large improvements in patient health and wellness. Jodi earned a bachelor’s degree at Wheaton College (IL), her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Northwestern University, and her Master’s in Business Administration at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Jodi feels incredibly honored and proud to be a part of UCNW’s efforts to increase the years of healthy life for our patients and our entire Whatcom County community.
Chris Kobdish joined Unity Care NW in 2016. Chris has over 20 years of fundraising, public relations, and marketing experience. Prior to her current position at UCNW, Chris built a nationally-recognized development, public policy, and community education team in the non-profit sector. Before moving to Washington, Chris was an independent filmmaker and owned and operated her own turn-key marketing agency in Dallas, Texas. Chris earned her Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Kranzpiller joined Unity Care NW in May 2020.
She started her career as a Registered Nurse in both the USA and Germany before and while attending medical school. She received her MD degree at Ruprecht-Karls-Universitate in Heidelberg, Germany, then completed her Family Practice residency at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, WA. Since then she has worked in Family Practice roles in Washington, Oregon and California.
She enjoys working in community health because it provides the opportunity to fulfill her commitment and passion for health care for all patients.
Lisa Nelson received her Doctor of Pharmacy from Washington State University where she also earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology. After graduating, Dr. Nelson began practicing community pharmacy before finding her calling in community health. Dr. Nelson is an active member of the National Association of Community Health Centers serving as co-chair of NACHC’s 340B Workgroup, a member of NACHC’s Pharmacy Policy & Operations Subcommittee, Clinical Practice, Legislative, and Health Policy Committees; a 340B Apexus Certified Expert (ACE), serves as a member of Apexus 340B FQHC Council and peer faculty for Apexus 340B University; and president-elect of Washington State Pharmacy Association. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family enjoying all the scenery and activity the Pacific Northwest has to offer.
Bonnie joined Unity Care NW in February 2021. She has 18 years’ experience in the field of finance including roles as auditor, finance manager, finance director, CFO and CEO. Before joining UCNW, she worked at Federally Qualified Health Centers in California and Oregon. She has an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a BS in Behavioral Science and Health from the University of Utah. She is also a Certified Internal Auditor.
Carrie Shane has over 20 years experience as a practicing dentist, including more than 17 years as lead for programs and strategic planning for Unity Care NW’s dental programs in Bellingham and Ferndale. Carrie has been with Unity Care NW for over 19 years. Unity Care NW’s programs include mobile outreach and treatment to Whatcom County schools and Head Start. Carrie earned a DDS from Creighton University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Western Washington University.