Kim J. Abel, M.S.N., R.N.

I am the nurse manager for the Menomonie Med Surg and PCU unit that is part of our NWWI CAHs. I have been with Mayo for 20+ years and worked inpatient and then transitioned into different leadership roles. Fun fact - my family has a hobby farm on the side.

Jesse D. Andrist, M.S.

Jesse Andrist, M.S., is Director of Data & Analytics for Hospital Practice at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and earned his Master of Science in Business Analytics from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. With more than a decade of experience in applied analytics, he leads a team of analysts and data scientists who partner with hospital leaders to translate complex data into better operational decisions and has helped establish and scale the analytics function supporting Rochester Hospital Practice. His work focuses on patient flow, hospital capacity, discharge planning, transitions to post-acute care, predictive analytics, and the responsible application of artificial intelligence. He also teaches live courses and speaks to health care leaders and analytics professionals at conferences and professional learning sessions on advanced health care analytics, hospital throughput, capacity modeling, and operational AI; his speaking roles have included serving as co-chair of the 2026 AI Readiness for Medicare Effectiveness conference and delivering the case study “Operational AI in Medicare: Moving from Prediction to Capacity, Throughput, and Better Decisions.”

Brian N. Bartlett, M.D.,M.B.A.

Dr. Brian Bartlett is an Emergency Medicine physician and health systems leader at Mayo Clinic Health System. He holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and an MPH from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. His scholarly work focuses on quality improvement, hospital innovation, and operational efficiency within acute care environments. Dr. Bartlett’s research interests center on advancing evidence-based strategies to optimize patient flow, resource utilization, and outcomes in emergency medicine and hospital operations.

Joshua D. Berndt, P.T., MPT, D.P.T.

Joshua Berndt, DPT, OCS, is currently a staff physical therapist at MCHS-Waseca working in the outpatient and transitional rehabilitation settings. His clinical interests include orthopedics, sports medicine, and wound care. Dr. Berndt has been a clinical instructor for 22 years and enjoys clinical education, evidence-based medicine, and collaborative learning.

Laura E. Breeher, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Laura Breeher is board certified in Occupational and Environmental Medicine and is an Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine in the Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases, and Occupational Medicine at Mayo Clinic. She is Medical Director for Employee Well-Being and Medical Director for Employee Occupational Health Services for Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota and serves as Chair of the Enterprise Employee Occupational Health Specialty Council. Dr. Breeher is passionate about the health and well-being of workers in healthcare and other industries. Since 2018, she has also served as co-Medical Director and co-PI of the state-wide Minnesota “Retaining Employment and Talent After Injury and Illness Network” (MN RETAIN) which provides free support to help MN workers stay at work and return to work.

Brigette Elkins, MOT, OTR/L, C/NDT

A graduate of LSU Health Shreveport, I have practiced as an Occupational Therapist for 18 years across a variety of settings, including inpatient rehabilitation, home health, outpatient neurorehabilitation, and Mayo Clinic Health System–Red Cedar Hospital. My clinical interests include neurological rehabilitation, with a focus on stroke and traumatic brain injury recovery, and rural healthcare. I enjoy working with interdisciplinary teams to address the challenges we all face to provide quality, patient centered care in an ever-evolving healthcare landscape.

Niki L. Hanson, M.S.N., R.N.

I am a nursing manager at the Osseo Hospital, one of our NWWI Critical Access Sites. I love the culture of the critical access hospitals and enjoy the small town feel. I have been with Mayo Clinic for 15 years. I am married with two grown sons, ages 24 and 26.

Brooke M. Kluck, CCC-SLP

Brooke has been working as a Speech Language Pathologist with Mayo Clinic Health System in Menomonie since 2019.  She works in the transitional care unit, acute care, and outpatient settings.  Prior to joining Mayo Clinic, Brooke worked in the assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing facility settings. Brooke's clinical interests include dysphagia, traumatic brain injury, stroke, as well as cognitive communication treatment. Brooke's focus is on functional and meaningful outcomes for patients.

Amy E. Knott, O.T., O.T.D., MOT

I have been employed as an occupational therapist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Waseca, Minnesota, since 2014 where I work in the inpatient, TCU and outpatient settings. I earned my Master of Occupational Therapy degree from the University of North Dakota and later completed my post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree at Baylor University.

Jessica H. Nowicki, M.H.A., R.N.

I am currently serving as the Nurse Administrator for the Mayo Clinic Health System Emergency Departments, Urgent Cares, and Trauma Program across Minnesota. My career began at the bedside, where I spent several years caring for patients before advancing into leadership roles, including Nurse Manager at Mayo Clinic Health System in St. James and Fairmont. I earned my BSN from Presentation College and a Master of Healthcare Innovation from Arizona State University, and I am currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership at Vanderbilt University. My clinical and professional interests include emergency medicine, rural healthcare delivery, workforce development, leadership development, and innovation in care models that improve patient and staff experiences.

Olawale Onibile, M.B.B.S., M.D.

Olawale "Dr. Wale" Onibile, MD, MPH, is a physician leader with a passion for rural healthcare, post-acute medicine, and healthcare leadership. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, he earned his medical degree from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. He subsequently completed a Master of Public Health degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with a focus on Healthcare Organization and Policy.

Dr. Onibile completed his Internal Medicine residency at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and later joined the Hospital Internal Medicine team at Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin.

He currently serves as Vice Chair of Hospital Internal Medicine for Mayo Clinic Health System's Wisconsin Critical Access Hospitals. He also serves as Medical Director of the Mayo Post Acute Care (MPAC) Program for the Midwest, overseeing post-acute care services across 10 critical access hospitals in Minnesota and Wisconsin. In this role, he collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to improve care transitions, skilled nursing services, rehabilitation outcomes, and access to high-quality post-acute care in rural communities.

Dr. Onibile's professional interests include rural healthcare delivery, post-acute and transitional care, critical access hospital medicine, physician leadership, and healthcare operations. He is committed to advancing innovative care models that improve access, quality, and outcomes for patients across rural and underserved communities.

Megan M. Schmitz, M.S., O.T.

I am an Occupational Therapist with MCHS Southwest Minnesota in New Prague. I've been part of the MCHS team for the past four years and a practicing OT for six years. In my role, I work with patients of all ages — from pediatric to older adults — in a variety of settings, including acute and transitional care, outpatient therapy, and specialized lymphedema therapy.

Amy Schneider, M.S.N., R.N.

Amy Schneider is the Nurse Manager for the Medical Surgical/Progressive Care Unit at the MCHS Barron Hospital. She has been in her role since 2010. Prior to that she worked in a variety of roles throughout the Barron facility including Clinic Triage RN, Diabetes Educator, and Nurse Supervisor. Amy has a variety of interests and enjoys process improvement projects, especially those related to staff and patient experience.

Danielle M. Teal, MAOL, PMP

Danielle Teal, MAOL, PMP, is a Senior Program Coordinator at Mayo Clinic, supporting strategic initiatives focused on employee well-being and the Joy at Mayo Clinic program. With nearly two decades of experience in community and organizational development, she brings expertise in program management, process improvement, strategic planning, and organizational change. Danielle is passionate about fostering positive workplace cultures and advancing practical, evidence-based approaches that support well-being, engagement, and thriving at work.

Danielle holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Behavioral Health at Arizona State University. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and has extensive experience in organizational development, behavioral health integration, and cultural improvement.

Anne M. Verbsky, CPP

Anne Verbsky, CPP, is a Senior Manager in Risk Management at Mayo Clinic. Prior to her current role, she led Security Operations across Mayo Clinic Health System sites in Wisconsin, where she partnered with clinical and administrative leaders to advance workplace violence prevention and staff safety initiatives. Anne is passionate about helping healthcare teams create safe environments through effective de-escalation, strong partnerships with Security, and practical violence prevention strategies. As a Verbal Judo instructor, she is committed to empowering staff with communication tools that support both safety and exceptional patient care.

Rachel M. Walth, R.N.

Experienced Nurse Leader with over 20 years of progressive experience in clinical nursing, case management, and healthcare operations. Currently overseeing 10 hospitals across the Mayo Clinic Health System in Minnesota.  Proven success leading teams, ensuring compliance, and improving patient outcomes, utilization, and reimbursement.

Brooke L. Werneburg, M.A.

Brooke Werneburg is the Director of Mayo Clinic Experience: Training, Education and Coaching, also known as XTEC. In this role, she leads a team of Advisors and Digital Design Specialists focused on strengthening interpersonal communication in healthcare. Brooke’s work began with Mayo Clinic in 2007 at the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center as a wellness coach and Resiliency Specialist. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership and a bachelor's degree in Health Promotion and Marketing. She is a published research author, an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine and is a Nationally Board-Certified Wellness Coach.