About Us

Avera Rural Health Institute

A century of care…a vision for the future

Avera Rural Health is an expression of a century-old commitment by the Benedictine and Presentation Sisters to offer high-quality health services to the people who live on the farms and in the small towns of the Midwest.

Avera Rural Health’s focus is to collaborate with community leaders and other agencies to find solutions to problems that affect rural health care. Through educational programs, community health planning, consulting, economic development, leadership development, grant writing and resource identification, Avera Rural Health serves communities throughout the region. Avera Rural Health also serves as an advocate for public policies and programs that increase access to health services and promote health and safety for rural residents.

Programs and Services

• Grant Writing
  The Avera Rural Health grant writers can help communities identify possible grant opportunities as well as coordinate and write grant proposals. Avera Rural Health has wide experience with federal, state, and private grant sources, and has secured grant funding for rural health providers in amounts ranging from $5,000 to as large as $14.5 million. Avera Rural Health can coordinate the efforts of several grant applicants if it appears that a group approach will have a greater funding success. Avera Rural Health can also assist communities in program management or evaluation once a grant has been awarded.
• Education and Conferences
  Avera Rural Health offers an annual fall conference that brings national leaders and speakers together with local voices in rural health care to our region. The Avera Rural Health Conference offers informational topics concerning health care, community and economic development, public policy, developing local leadership, and much more.
• Community Assessments and Planning
  The Avera Rural Health Institute staff can assist local leaders with community health assessments that identify needs, strengths and resources—information that is critical for effective planning. The staff helps leaders determine data gaps, set priorities, and determine the feasibility and possible impact of potential intervention strategies or programs. The assessment information can be used for grant writing or other resource-seeking activities. The process includes developing measurable goals and a plan for achieving them.
• Advocacy
  Through membership in the National Rural Health Association and in cooperation with the Avera Center for Public Policy, Avera Rural Health monitors rural health policy developments and promotes legislation that will benefit rural communities, and fosters relationships with national rural stakeholder organizations.
• Farm Safety Day Camps
  Avera Rural Health, in cooperation with South Dakota Care, Inc. and the South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Services, annually sponsors dozens of farm safety day camps in communities throughout the region. More than 19,000 children ages 5 to 15 have attended the Save Our Farm Youth (SOFY) day camps since the program began in 1995. 
• Customized services
  In addition to the programs and services listed here, Avera Rural Health is open to helping rural community leaders with other projects. Avera Rural Health’s vision is to remain flexible enough to respond to particular needs at a particular time and place, and the Avera Rural Health staff welcomes the opportunity to help leaders find the resources they need.

We welcome your questions about the Avera Rural Health Institute.

Contact Us

Rachael Sherard
Senior Vice President Rural Health Services
3900 West Avera Drive Suite 301
Sioux Falls , SD 57108
Phone: 605-322-4725
Fax: 605-322-4798
E-Mail Address: Rachael.Sherard@avera.org

Lisa Kilawee
Director of Rural Health Services
Avera Rural Health Institute
3900 West Avera Drive Suite 100
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
Phone: 605-322-4741
Fax: 605-322-4522
E-Mail Address: Lisa.Kilawee@avera.org

John Neth
Grant Finance Manager
Avera Rural Health
3900 West Avera Drive Suite 100
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
Phone: 605-322-4588
Fax: 605-322-4522

Kathy Callies
Grant Writer II
Avera Rural Health
3900 West Avera Drive Suite 100
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
Phone: 605-322-4721
Fax: 605-322-4522

Deanna (Dede) Parker
Grant Writer II
Avera Rural Health
3900 West Avera Drive Suite 100
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
Phone: 605-322-4654
Fax: 605-322-4522

Jennifer Whitcomb
Grant Writer I
Avera Rural Health
3900 West Avera Drive Suite 100
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
Phone: 605-322-4657
Fax: 605-322-4522