December 2020 - Contracting with Health Care Organizations to Support Evidence-Based Programs During COVID-19

Sarah Blonigan is the Juniper Network Director at Trellis. Her background spans the fields of public health, state and federal health care regulations and compliance, and law.

Juniper is a network of over 85 community-based providers throughout Minnesota that offer evidence-based health promotion classes. The classes are offered in community settings and healthcare settings. Juniper and its network of providers improve the health outcomes related to disease management and falls prevention.

As the Juniper Network Director Ms. Blonigan leads the daily operations of the Juniper provider network while contributing to the development of forward-looking strategy.

Ms. Blonigan draws on a broad range of experience as the Juniper Network Director including public health leadership at a tri-county Community Action Program agency; research at University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center; research at Mitchell Hamline Public Health Law Center; health care regulation, compliance, and statutory drafting at the Minnesota Department of Health Regulatory Division; health care provider licensing matters at the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings; health care fraud and abuse at the Department of Justice Civil Division; and legal research for long-term care providers at a Twin Cities law firm.

Ms. Blonigan received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Biology and Public Health Policy and Administration at the University of Minnesota. She received her Juris Doctor and health care compliance and health law certificates from Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where she served as President of the Health Law Society.

A lifelong Minnesotan, Sarah lives in St. Paul with her spouse Tony and their two children. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys spending time outdoors and enjoying nature and doodling.

EDUCATION

J.D., (health law and health care compliance) Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul, MN, 2018

M.P.H., (policy and administration), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 2017

B.A., (biology) University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 2009

PUBLICATIONS

Blonigan, S., & Henning-Smith, C. (2017, December 4). Rural Aging in Place Toolkit – Rural Health Information Hub. Retrieved from https://www.ruralhealthinfo.or...

Nikki Kmicinski is the Executive Director for the non-profit Western New York Integrated Care Collaborative (WNYICC) where she oversees this regional network of over 20 agencies working toward sustainability and integrated health care. Nikki has been a Registered Dietitian for 20+ years, was a licensed real estate agent for 10 years, and owns a property management company with her husband. She is a Master Trainer for the Self-Management Resource Center’s Self-Management Programs, and a Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coach. Nikki has a Master’s degree from Rochester Institute of Technology in Service Management and throughout her professional career she has worked in numerous healthcare and business settings including: hospital, nursing home, restaurant, private practice, real estate, property management, business owner, school, amusement park, hotel, municipal Area Agency on Aging, and non-profit community-based organizations.

Kathleen Zuke was privileged to grow up with eight loving grandparents and developed a passion for supportive services for older adults as a caregiver for her grandfather. She has been a Senior Program Manager with the Center for Healthy Aging since 2015. In this role, she works collaboratively with community-based partners across the country to identify, implement, and sustain evidence-based programs that support older adults in staying well and aging in the community, including chronic disease self-management education, falls prevention, and behavioral health. She has a Master’s degree in Public Health from Hunter College and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.