Leadership
Karissa Turner, MBA, FACHE, President & CEO
As a Mt. Carmel native, Karissa has served Wabash General Hospital since
2005, beginning her tenure as a Practice Manager. She has held various
leadership roles throughout WGH, including Director of Physician Services,
Vice President of Hospital Operations, and Executive Vice President of
Hospital Operations/Chief Operating Officer. Karissa completed her Associate
in Science and Arts from Wabash Valley College in 2003, before completing
her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Professional Services in 2005
from the University of Southern Indiana and her Master of Business Administration
from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale in 2014. She is a
fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Karissa is actively
involved in the Mt. Carmel Rotary Club, IHA Small & Rural Steering
Committee, and is a board member of Mt. Carmel Area Economic Alliance,
Mt. Carmel Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities, and Illinois Critical
Access Hospital Network.
Tamara Gould, RN, BSN, Senior Executive Vice President of Hospital Operation/Chief Operating Officer
Tamara Gould began work at Wabash General Hospital as an EMT in 1994 while
attending Oakland City University to earn her bachelor’s degree
in science in 1995. She went on to earn her associate’s degree in
nursing from Wabash Valley College in 1998. She began working as an emergency
room RN in 1998, and was promoted to a nursing supervisor in 2001. Six
years later in 2007, she became the Vice President of Clinical Services/Chief
Nursing Officer. In 2019, she began her current role as the Senior Executive
Vice President of Hospital Operation/Chief Operating Officer. Tamara is
actively involved in Wabash Valley College Foundation, Wabash County Crimestoppers
and the Wabash County 911 Board.
Lynn Leek, CPA, Senior Executive Vice President of Finance/Chief Financial Officer
Lynn, a Certified Public Accountant, earned a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy
degree from University of Southern Indiana. She has over 30 years of dedicated
experience in hospital financial management, has established a distinguished
career in optimizing healthcare financial operations, possess extensive
expertise in key areas including cost reporting, auditing, charge master
management, reimbursement, and revenue cycle optimization. She has collaborated
with cross-functional teams to implement best practices, streamline financial
processes, and deliver impactful solutions. Her leadership and expertise
have been pivotal in navigating the complexities of healthcare finance,
ultimately enhancing the financial health and sustainability of the organization.
Kim Pearson, RN, CPHQ, CPPS, Executive Vice President of Clinical Services/Chief Nursing Officer
Kim joined Wabash General Hospital in 2011, and served as the Quality Director
and Risk Manager for 8 years gaining valuable leadership experience. Kim
received her associates degree in nursing at Wabash Valley College in
1995; Certification in Healthcare Quality and Certification in Patient
Safety in 2013. Prior to joining Wabash General Hospital, Kim served as
a nurse in the VA Medical Center in Danville, Illinois on the medical
floor. She also worked at another Critical Access Hospital where she gained
experience in the Emergency Room Department, Med/Surg, ICU, Obstetrics,
and as a Nursing Supervisor. She worked at a private practice Family Medicine
office for several years. In her current role, she provides leadership
and direction for the nursing staff and is responsible for planning, organizing,
directing and controlling all functions of nursing including Inpatient
Services, Surgery, Case Management, Radiology, Respiratory, Sleep Lab,
Laboratory and Anesthesia departments. Kim serves on the Safe Haven Board
of Directors.
M. Bridget Shepard, CPA, Executive Director of Human Resources/Chief Human Resources Officer
Bridget has worked at Wabash General Hospital for over twenty years. Her
education includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the
University of Evansville. Shortly following her graduation, she earned
her certification in public accounting. She started her career at Kemper
CPA Group where she worked as a Certified Public Accountant for nine years
specializing in taxation, government and construction contractor audits
and benefits plan management. Next, she worked at Citizens Bank/Fifth
Third Bank as an Accounting System Specialist for four years where she
was responsible for the financial accounting and analysis of the Western
Division of a multi-billion dollar corporation. In her current role at
Wabash General, she is responsible for the Human Resources support of
over 500 employees. Her experience includes executive level management,
leadership development, benefits development, training/employee development,
and employee relations. She is also responsible for the direction of the
Payroll and Nutrition Services areas. Bridget is a board member for the
Wabash County Chamber of Commerce and Wabash Rally Against Cancer.
Danielle Stevens, MBA, CFRM, Executive Vice President of Business Development & Foundation/Chief Marketing Officer
Danielle grew up in Noble, Illinois and currently resides in Lawrenceville,
Illinois. She joined the Wabash General Hospital family in 2014. She completed
her Bachelor of Science degree in Paralegal Studies from Southern Illinois
University in Carbondale and completed her Master of Business Administration
degree with a concentration in Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University
in 2018. In 2021, Danielle completed her Certificate in Fundraising Management
at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Prior to joining
WGH, she worked as a paralegal. She exhibits initiative, creativity, and
flexibility to be able to execute all duties necessary. She is responsible
for marketing new and existing services at Wabash General Hospital, as
well as being the lead on the hospital's Foundation. Danielle resides
in Lawrence County with her husband, JD Stevens, and children. Danielle
involved with the Rotary Club of Lawrenceville, Lawrence County Chamber
of Commerce and Lawrence County Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities.
Tres Leonard, Executive Vice President of Information Technology/Chief Information Officer
Tres Leonard joined the Wabash General Hospital team in 2023, bringing
extensive experience in healthcare-related information technology from
some of the largest facilities in the United States. His professional
background includes significant roles at Cisco Systems and Palo Alto Networks.
As a seasoned Information Technology professional, Tres offers a wealth of expertise in driving technological innovation and strategic IT initiatives. With a proven track record of transforming IT infrastructures and aligning technology with business objectives, Tres excels in leading cross-functional teams to deliver robust solutions for Wabash General Hospital.
Tyler J. Ditch, CPA, Executive Vice President of Finance/Controller
Tyler, a Certified Public Accountant, joined the administrative team at
Wabash General Hospital in 2021. His professional background includes
over 13 years in public accounting at Kemper CPA Group LLP specializing
in audit and assurance, tax, and consulting services for clients in various
industries including governmental, non-profit, regulatory and commercial.
His education includes an Associate’s in Business Administration
from Vincennes University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and
Professional Services from the University of Southern Indiana. In his
current role at Wabash General, he is responsible for the oversight the
revenue cycle and accounting functions. He is also responsible for the
Business Office, Health Information Management, Human Resources, Pharmacy,
and Materials Management areas.
Katheryn McWhirter, RN, BSN, CPHQ, Vice President of Quality
Katheryn is responsible for the leadership to provide for excellent patient
safety and clinical quality for Wabash General Hospital as the Vice President
of Quality. Prior to her current employment, she served as the Director
of Case Management for 11 years. She completed her associates degree in
nursing at Wabash Valley College and continued her education at the University
of Southern Indiana. She began working at Wabash General Hospital in 1998
where she gained valuable experience working on the medical surgical floor,
emergency room, as well as the case management department and clinical
informatics. In her current role as Vice President of Quality, Katheryn’s
methods emphasize process improvement and high-quality, patient centered
healthcare to make sure our patients receive the best patient experience
possible while receiving services at any of our facilities. She is responsible
for risk management and the leadership and direction of patient care coordination,
patient experience, employee education, and infection prevention departments.
She is married to James, has one daughter and one son.
Andrew Kleinschmidt, Vice President of Professional Services
Andrew Kleinschmidt currently serves as Vice President of Professional
Services for Wabash General Hospital in Mount Carmel, IL. He provides
oversight for the orthopaedic, primary care, and specialty physician practices,
as well as rehabilitation services operations. Andrew has a clinical background,
serving WGH as a physical therapist since 2008. Andrew has been with WGH
since 2006. He and his wife, Joni, reside in Mount Carmel with their two
sons and their golden doodle. In his spare time, Andrew enjoys outdoor
activities with his family, home projects, boating and waterskiing.
Amanda Hershey, Vice President of Emergency Services
Amanda currently serves as the Vice President of Emergency Services for
Wabash General Hospital in Mt. CArmel, IL. She oversees the ambulance
service, emergency department, emergency operation plan, and security.
Amanda began working at WGH as an LPN in the Emergency Department in 2007.
She transitioned to the physician's office in 2009 and was promoted to
the Director of Physician Services in 2019. While working, she earned
her Associate’s in Nursing in 2017 from Wabash Valley College and
her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2024. Amanda resides in Mt. Carmel
with her husband, Kyle, and their two children. In her spare time, she
enjoys watching her kids at all their activities and spending time with
her family.
Nate Stevenson, Vice President of Project Management & Infrastructure
Nate grew up in West Salem, Illinois and has been a resident in Mt Carmel
since 2008. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering
from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN and has been
a licensed professional engineer since 2005. Nate has worked for the past
16 years at Duke Energy mostly in leadership roles for various engineering
and project management teams. Most recently, Nate has worked as a Director
of Outages and Project Governance at the Gibson Generating Station in
Owensville, IN. Prior to joining Duke Energy, he worked for six years
in engineering and long-range planning roles in Southern California for
the County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works. He and his wife,
Natalie, reside in Mount Carmel with their three children – Madisyn,
Drake, and Aubrey. Nate has been a basketball coach in the junior high
program for five years and volunteers as a board member for the Wabash
County Youth in Action and Wabash Valley College Foundation.
Katie Dean, Executive Assistant
Katie is originally from Mount Carmel where she currently resides with
her family. She graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 2008 and Wabash
Valley College in 2010. She joined Wabash General Hospital’s Administrative
Team in January 2012. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors and
spending time with her friends and family.
