3RNET Board of Directors
Stacy Kusler, North Dakota
President
Stacy Kusler, B.A, CPRP, is the 3RNET Network Coordinator in North Dakota. She has led 3RNET coordination efforts in North Dakota since 2014, and this is her second term as a 3RNET Board Member.
Stacy was motivated to become a 3RNET Board Member because, “3RNET is a helpful resource for anyone new or seasoned in the recruitment and retention field. I was able to benefit from it as I started my job, and I felt I could contribute to the growth of the organization knowing the importance of the services and resources 3RNET provides.”
“3RNET is your team of colleagues who do what you do. 3RNET allows you a platform to learn and grow in your own job and profession, while helping shine a brighter light on what it means to work and serve rural and underserved communities,” Stacy said.
Stacy lives in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Olivette Burroughs, Virginia
Treasurer
Olivette Burroughs serves as the Statewide Health Workforce Manager with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), Office of Health Equity (OHE). In this role, she is responsible for the coordination and assessment of the OHE health workforce recruitment/retention initiatives and incentive programs. She addresses challenges and advance goals identified through the strategic planning processes, with a focus on medically underserved areas of Virginia and the assurance of diverse and culturally competent providers. She also provides technical assistance to communities and practice sites with information regarding best practices and resource development pertaining to recruitment and retention for all incentive programs.
Prior to her VDH assignment, Ms. Burroughs worked at Henrico County’s Capital Region Workforce Partnership G.O.A.L.S Institute as a Regional Coordinator for Employment, providing health care related training, personal effectiveness and other training opportunities to youth. She also provided ongoing quality assurance of participant reports and WIA outcome management.
Ms. Burroughs has worked as the Director of Medication Assistance at Lackey Free Clinic where she supervised and set procedures for all patient eligibility, data management, IT operation and medication functions. She also prepared and submitted quarterly grant reports, ensuring all grant objectives were met. She also served as a preceptor for area Universities and a liaison with local Community Services.
She worked as an Assistant Planner/Research Manager for the Office of Human Affairs providing statistical compilation and analysis, developed new programs and proposal budgets. In addition, she identified and pursued grant funding opportunities and assisted in the development of short- and long-range programmatic planning for health care related programs.
Ms. Burroughs also currently serves as an Online Adjunct Faculty at Grand Canyon University College of Nursing and Health Care Professions responsible for teaching eight Health Care Management courses within the prescribed curriculum.
Olivette Burroughs earned a Masters in Business administration with a concentration in health care Management (MBA, HCM) and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Ms. Burroughs also holds a Professional Health Care Instructor Certification (PHIC).
Melissa Candelaria, New Mexico
Melissa Candelaria is the Senior Recruiter at New Mexico Health Resources, Inc. (NMHR). She has been an employee with NMHR since November 1994. She has over 15 years’ experience as a health professional recruiter. She has served on the board of directors of the National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network (3RNET). Her experience as a recruiter includes involvement with the various state and federal loan for service and loan repayment programs. Melissa is a member of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce and serves on their Health & Wellness Committee. She also has extensive experience in organizing continuing medical and dental education conferences. Ms. Candelaria was born in Ruidoso, NM and raised in Hondo, NM, a very rural area in the southeastern part of New Mexico. She attended Western New Mexico University in Silver City, New Mexico and the Dona Ana Branch Community College/New Mexico State University, as well as Central New Mexico Community College.
Ann Cranford, Tennessee
Ann Cranford is the 3RNET Network Coordinator for Tennessee. She has led 3RNET coordination in Tennessee since 2003, and this is her third term as a Board Member. Ann joined the board again because as a past member she knows the board is always looking for ways to improve how rural recruitment is done and she really enjoys being a part of that.
For Ann, 3RNET means, “FAMILY. It is the one place to I can turn to get assistance on how to provide services to the facilities in my state and how I can help those persons who are new to recruitment. The platform for 3RNET is growing in a world that is recognizing rural recruitment as important if not more important than urban recruitment and I am happy to be a part of that. I really appreciate how the organization continues to make the process better for our participants. I am very thankful to be part of an organization that believes in helping the rural health community.
Ann lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
Sara Leahy, Colorado
Sara Leahy is the 3RNET Network Coordinator for Colorado. Sara has led 3RNET coordination for Colorado since 2008. This is her second term as a 3RNET Board Member.
Sara was motivated to be involved on the 3RNET board to, “Provide leadership and support to the staff and members of 3RNET. I have a lot of experience, but also a lot to learn from the board and workforce leaders in other states. Being on the 3RNET Board of Directors is a great access to this information, while also providing a deeper level of guidance and oversight to 3RNET as an organization.”
For Sara, 3RNET is, “A true collaboration! 3RNET provides a network of individuals that all have a shared and genuine expertise, and motivation and passion to reduce the workforce shortage rural and underserved communities. Without having this unique access, my team would not be able to provide quality services and resources to continue building our healthcare workforce in our own state.”
Sara lives in Aurora, Colorado.
Marie Grady, Ohio
Marie Grady is the 3RNET Network Coordinator for Ohio. Stephanie has led 3RNET coordination for Ohio since 2018. This is her first term as a 3RNET Board Member.
“My motivation is the FQHCs in Ohio. I want to combat our recruitment and retention issues in the FQHCS and support our HR professionals with as many resources and trainings as possible to support them in workforce development,” Marie said.
For Marie, 3RNET means, “Employee engagement, recruitment, retention, workforce development, marketing enhancement and leadership development to help our partners become the best leaders in healthcare.”
Marie lives in Columbus, Ohio.
Judy Newton, Mississippi
Judy Newton is the 3RNET Network Coordinator for Mississippi. She has led 3RNET coordination in Mississippi since 2021, and this is her first term as a Board Member. Judy joined the board because she sees the 3RNET board as a unique opportunity to engage with 3RNET members for a deeper understanding of the nationwide workforce needs and play a central role in strategically addressing healthcare shortages and improving access to healthcare in rural and underserved communities.
For Judy, 3RNET, “Is a collaborative effort for employers, healthcare professionals, and the State to develop resources and training opportunities that support recruitment and retention efforts and build the healthcare workforce in Mississippi.
Judy lives in Jackson, Mississippi.
Jessica Seel, South Carolina
President-Elect
Jessica Seel joined the South Carolina Office of Rural Health in 2018 as the workforce program manager. She currently serves as Director of Behavioral Health Initiatives & Workforce Development.
In her role as Director of Behavioral Health Initiatives, Jessica leads SCORH’s efforts to eliminate barriers to mental healthcare and
reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and substance use within rural communities. This work includes suicide prevention programs, and collaborations to address substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD). Jessica is the program lead for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), a statewide consortium of partners to integrate behavioral healthcare, primary care, and the treatment of infectious diseases associated with SUD/OUD.
In her role as Director of Workforce Support, Jessica works to attract and retain physicians, advanced practice providers, and other essential providers to rural and medically underserved communities. She also connects students and clinicians to state and national programs that support long-term rural retention.
A Columbia native, Jessica received a bachelor’s degree in social work from Columbia College and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of South Carolina. Prior to joining SCORH, she worked in the healthcare field in various capacities including marketing, management and community education.
Jessica serves on the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) Physician Assistant Advisory Council, the board of directors for the Rural Recruitment and Retention Network, and the board of directors for Carolinas Association of Physician Services. She enjoys running, exercising, spending time on Lake Murray and cheering for the Gamecocks.
Stephanie Wickliffe, Cherokee Nation
Secretary
Stephanie Wickliffe is the 3RNET Network Coordinator for Cherokee Nation. Stephanie has led 3RNET coordination for Cherokee Nation since 2015 when she became the Director for the Cherokee Nation Health Services’ Office of Health Professional Recruitment and Retention. This is her first term as a 3RNET Board Member.
Stephanie was motivated to be involved with 3RNET’s board because, “I was impressed with the commitment and mission 3RNET has to continually strive to be an invested partner ultimately helping to improve rural health care access.”
For Stephanie, 3RNET provides many tools and resources: “With the responsibility to recruit and retain physicians and medical providers across the 14-county area of Cherokee Nation it's important to have an organization that understands the needs and challenges of the rural and underserved. 3RNET is a leader and is unique in what they do. They have given us the resources and tools to help improve our recruitment efforts while launching into a new era with the recent rebranding and website,” she said.
Stephanie lives within the Cherokee Nation Reservation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.