Board Members

RiverStone Health Foundation is governed by a diverse Board of Directors.  In addition to the Board’s governance responsibilities, they also work to ensure that financial resources are available to fulfill its mission of Improving Life, Health and Safety through Philanthropy.

The Board is representative of our generous community.

Mary Hernandez
Chairperson

Career: Principal/Owner of Invisage Consulting since 2012
Year joined board: 2011
Why you’re committed to serving on the board: I’m committed to RiverStone Health Foundation’s role of providing financial support for the myriad of programs that RiverStone Health maintains to keep our community healthy, and the healthcare it makes available to our local citizens who would otherwise not have access to healthcare. It will take continued advocacy on behalf of RiverStone’s patients, clients and the general public to help policymakers and voters visualize the importance of sustaining public health programs and clinics. RiverStone is a crucial healthcare leader lending its voice for the community at-large as well as the disenfranchised.

Steve Wahrlich
Vice-Chairperson

Career: Owner, Best Western Plus ClockTower Inn

Year joined board: 2008
Why you’re committed to serving on the board: I invest my time and resources in organizations that improve our community and make a difference in downtown Billings. RiverStone Health is important to me. We need to make sure quality healthcare is accessible to everyone within our community.

Alex Martin
Secretary

Career: AVP & Commercial Loan Officer Vice President of Accounting, WMK & Western States Steel Erection Co’s
Year joined board: 2014
Why you’re committed to serving on the board: I believe that RiverStone Health is an avenue for individuals to create better lives for themselves, their family and their community.  Not everyone has the financial wherewithal to receive healthcare, but this should not exclude them from access to care.  The Foundation supports a system where one gets more than just a checkup, they get a holistic approach that includes the education needed for a better life.

Type 2 diabetes prevention and prenatal care are two areas in which education could help people make healthier choices.

I think a major issue for consumers on the horizon is healthcare costs in general. The way the healthcare system is set up, consumers are voicing their concerns on the price of healthcare, but operating a healthcare facility is not inexpensive. The United States will try to find the “happy medium” between cost and operation of a healthcare facility, but it will be too difficult to solve. We are already seeing independent healthcare facilities merging with major hospitals to reduce operating costs so the focus can be on the patient which should be the concern for any healthcare facility.

Greg Wing
Treasurer

Career: Retired Vice President and CFO, Stillwater Mining Company
Year joined board: 2016
Why you’re committed to serving on the board: My wife and I share a long-standing interest and involvement in assuring the excellence of healthcare in the communities where we have lived. Having resided in Yellowstone County for more than 12 years, we have been impressed with the quality of healthcare facilities and the dedicated service of healthcare professionals in this area. It is my hope that through service on the RiverStone Health Foundation board of directors I can help ensure that the high standards of professional care we have experienced will be continued and strengthened into the future for all residents of this community.

John Felton

John joined RiverStone Health in May, 2004. Prior to joining the organization he spent eight years as CEO of Northern Rockies Radiation Oncology Center, a non-profit freestanding radiation therapy center; six years as Vice President of Professional Services at a rehabilitation and sub-acute care facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was a member of both the Board of Health and Yellowstone Health Partnership Board. John has a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Montana, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Puget Sound. John has been a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives since 2000.

Spencer Larsen

Career: Community Leader

Joined board: 2017

Why you’re committed to serving on the board:  The more I learned about RiverStone Health, the more I wanted to get involved and help. I am impressed by the level of care they provide and their overall mission. I am excited to witness what the future holds for RiverStone Health.

Joan M. Thullbery, RN

Career: Director of Acute and Ambulatory Clinical Informatics, St. Vincent Healthcare
Year joined: 2010
Why you’re committed to serving on the board: I’m committed to serving on the Board of Health because it gives me an opportunity to serve a Community Health Center that innovates on behalf of their patients. To be able to innovate on behalf of their patients, RiverStone Health must also innovate on behalf of their staff and providers. RiverStone Health’s ongoing work toward quality care ensures that their medical residents get the very best experience possible as they grow into being providers. By being early adopters of things like Patient-Centered Medical Home and other quality initiatives, RiverStone Health has transformed itself from a small Community Health Center to being a multifaceted community care organization. It is exciting to be a small part of this work.

Bill Underriner

Career: Owner Underriner Motors
Year joined: 2018
Why you’re committed to serving on the board: RiverStone Health is instrumental in serving all of Billings. No matter a person’s age or stature in our community, healthcare is something we all need. We are fortunate to have RiverStone Health as part of OUR community. I’m on the board because I want to make a difference.

Kristie Asay, CFRE

Kristie joined RiverStone Health Foundation in January, 2012. Prior to joining the organization, she was with Alberta Bair Theater as Development Director and the Billings Area Catholic Education Trust as Executive Director. A graduate of the University of Mary with a Master of Science–Management degree, Kristie has over 15 years of nonprofit management and fundraising experience. She earned her undergraduate degree in Linguistics from the University of Wyoming and her undergraduate degree in Secondary Education from Dickinson State University. Kristie is a Certified Gift Planning Associate through Crescendo Interactive, completing year-long e-learning coursework. She is past-President of the Billings Rotary Club and past-President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals–Billings Chapter.