Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled

In the Season 2 finale of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , Ren and Gavin revisit some of their favorite moments from a season centered on collaboration, community, and the realities of rural healthcare.   Through a collection of memorable clips, the episode explores what it means to work together across teams and organizations, support the people delivering care, listen closely to the communit...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled, Ren and Gavin sit down with Angie Schierer, President of Ambulatory Operations at North Country Healthcare, to explore the often unseen side of healthcare that happens long before a patient ever walks through a hospital door.   Angie shares her journey into healthcare leadership and offers an inside look at the role ambulatory services play in...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , Ren and Gavin sit down with Natalie Valliere, RN, CLC, C-NPT, Nurse Manager of the Valley Birthplace at Androscoggin Valley Hospital. Natalie shares what personalized, family-centered maternity care looks like in a rural hospital setting, and how her team supports families through one of life’s most meaningful transitions. From private labor...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled, Ren and Gavin sit down with Erica Hoyt, Medical Staff Coordinator at North Country Healthcare, whose work supports the behind-the-scenes processes that help keep rural healthcare safe, organized, and ready for patient care. Erica shares what credentialing really involves, why trust and confidentiality are central to the work, and how careful c...

In this heartfelt episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled, Ren and Gavin sit down with Karen Gagnon from North Country Healthcare’s Case Management team. Known by colleagues for her extraordinary compassion, Karen shares what it means to support patients and families during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Recently recognized through a DAISY Award nomination, Karen reflect...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , Ren and Gavin sit down with Derek Eastman, Director of Outreach Rehab at the Gorham Clinic, to discuss the impact outpatient physical therapy has on patients and communities across rural northern New Hampshire. Together, they explore Derek’s path into rehabilitation services, the importance of personalized care, and how physical therapy helps...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled, Ren and Gavin sit down with Stephanie Farnsworth, RN, a nurse whose work spans both Employee Health and the Medical-Surgical floor at North Country Healthcare. Stephanie brings a unique perspective to rural healthcare, caring for both patients and the staff who make that care possible. Together, they explore Stephanie’s path into nursing, what...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled, we sit down with Kelly Dussault to talk about the work of the Coös Coalition for Young Children and Families (CCYFC) and how it’s shaping the future of children and families across the North Country. CCYFC brings together partners across healthcare, education, family support, and community services to create a more coordinated system of care f...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Kat Morris, Director of Development, and Briana Shannon, Director of Family Support at the Family Resource Center, for a conversation about prevention, partnership, and the role community organizations play in shaping long-term health.   Together, Kat and Briana share how they found their way into this work and what drives th...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Monique Hand, Director of Population Health Management at North Country Healthcare, to talk about the work happening behind the scenes to improve health outcomes across our communities. With nearly two decades at NCH, Monique shares her journey from Patient Access to Physician Practice Operations and now into Population Healt...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Ashley LaRoche, RN, to talk about the realities of working in the Emergency Department and what it takes to care for patients in some of the most unpredictable moments of their lives. Ashley shares her journey in nursing, including her experience working in a Level I trauma center and how that shaped her approach to emergency...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Nick Marois, Director of Facilities at Weeks Medical Center, to talk about the work that keeps a hospital running every single day. Nick began his career working hands-on as an electrician and maintenance mechanic before stepping into facilities leadership. In this conversation, he shares how that technical background shaped...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled, the tables are turned as the mic turns to host Ren Anderson, Director of Philanthropy & Community Relations at North Country Healthcare.   Co-host Gavin Cook and producer Tyler Ruggles put Ren step into the hot seat to reflect on her path into rural healthcare, the work of building philanthropy and community engagement across a System, and...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Dr. Mark Morgan, Chief Medical Officer at North Country Healthcare, to talk about leadership, medicine, and the evolving realities of rural healthcare. Dr. Morgan shares reflections from his career in clinical medicine and what it means to help guide medical strategy across a healthcare System serving communities throughout t...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled, we sit down with Scarlett Moberly, Grants and Community Benefit Coordinator at North Country Healthcare, to talk about the work that connects healthcare systems to the communities they serve. Scarlett shares how grants and community benefit programs help support critical services, expand access to care, and strengthen partnerships across the N...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Tammy Berthiaume, MSN, RN, System Director of Emergency Services at North Country Healthcare, to talk about leadership in one of the most high-pressure areas of healthcare.   With nearly three decades in emergency nursing and leadership at Androscoggin Valley Hospital, Tammy shares how emergency care has evolved over the year...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Steven Legge, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator and EMS Liaison at North Country Healthcare, to talk about what it really means to be ready.   Steven shares how emergency management works behind the scenes across our hospitals and Affiliates, from disaster planning and training to coordination with EMS, public safety, and re...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Tom Mee, Chief Executive Officer of North Country Healthcare, following a series of Community Conversations held across the North Country.   Tom reflects on what he heard directly from patients, partners, and community members, including themes around access, staffing, communication, and trust. The conversation explores what...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Emily O’Neil, Executive Administrative Assistant supporting the CEO at North Country Healthcare, for a conversation about the work that keeps the organization connected and moving forward.   Emily shares what it’s like to work at the center of system-level leadership, balancing organization, communication, and problem solving...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Mason Walter, Environmental Services Manager at North Country Healthcare, to talk about the work that quite literally keeps our hospitals safe, clean, and ready for care.   Mason shares his journey into Environmental Services leadership and what it takes to manage housekeeping operations in a healthcare setting. We explore ho...

In the first episode of Season 2 of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Cody Arsenault, Human Resources Business Partner at North Country Healthcare, for a thoughtful conversation about people, process, and what it really means to support teams behind the scenes.   Cody shares his path into human resources, including his transition from systems and analytics into HR, and how that...

In this special Season One recap of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we look back at some of our favorite moments from the first season of the podcast, stories that reminded us why this work, and these people, matter so much. From leadership reflections and career journeys to personal moments that shaped why people choose healthcare, this episode weaves together clips that capture the heart of...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Luellyn “Lu” Valtin, Director of Quality Performance Excellence at North Country Healthcare, for a thoughtful and refreshing conversation about what quality really means in healthcare.   Lu shares her journey into quality work, what she has learned since joining NCH, and how Performance Excellence goes far beyond compliance a...

In this episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , we sit down with Clare and Abby from the Performance Improvement team to talk about what meaningful improvement really looks like at North Country Healthcare.   They share what Performance Improvement is (and is not), how it differs from traditional “quality work,” and why the PI lens is all about solving real problems, elevating teamwork, an...

In this special episode of Rural Roots: A Road Less Travelled , the spotlight turns to our very own co-host, Gavin Cook, Recruitment Manager for North Country Healthcare.   Gavin shares his path into Human Resources, what drew him to recruitment, and why connecting people to meaningful work in healthcare is one of his greatest joys. We talk about the stories he’s heard through this podcast, how th...