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La Crosse Medical Health Science Consortium

  • MISSION:
    Fostering collaboration for healthier communities
  • WHO WE ARE:

    The Consortium was founded in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and a collaboration of the five founding partner institutions. While it was created in response to projected health care workforce shortages, it also facilitates improvements in regional health and healthcare and supports applied research in health and medically related disciplines.

    The first project of the Consortium was to establish the Health Science Center, a facility for education and research that would house programs of the partnering institutions. The building was opened in the summer of 2000 and today is home to programs, classes, and research efforts of Gundersen Health System, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Western Technical College.

    In 2005, the Consortium began engaging not only within their partnership but in the community, recognizing the value of the education/healthcare collaboration to the community at large. Several teams were established to explore project work in the areas of improving population health, addressing healthcare workforce shortages, increasing graduates in healthcare programs, and finding collaborations among researchers. Today, we are involved in a number of community-based projects that reach beyond the core partnership into our surrounding region.

    In 2009, the La Crosse County Health Department and the School District of La Crosse joined the Consortium as partners.

     

    Counties Served

    Wisconsin: Buffalo, Clark, Crawford, Grant, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Sauk, Trempealeau, Vernon

    Minnesota: Fillmore, Houston, Wabasha, Winona

    Iowa: Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Winneshiek

    Health Science Consortium Counties Served
  • WHAT WE DO:

    Mission:  "Fostering collaboration for healthier communities"

    What are we doing to accomplish our mission of "fostering collaboration for healthier communities"?

     

    The Consortium acts in many roles, depending on the needs of the community.  We can serve as a leader of a collaborative effort, a convener of partners, a participant in coalitions and teams, or an assistant to organizations seeking shared funding or planning.

     

    Role of the La Crosse Consortium

     

    We work both internally, to help our partners and their collaborators find common solutions to issues that affect everyone, and externally, assisting community partners and collaboratives with managing complex projects and encouraging dialogue within the community through events and presentations.

     

     

  • OTHER PROJECTS:

    Publications

    Burden of Risky Alcohol Use in La Crosse County (2017)

    The final report describing alcohol trends in La Crosse County from the Changing the Culture of Risky Drinking Behavior Coalition.

    Burden of Health Disparities in Chronic Illnesses (2014)

    A report describing disparities in chronic disease outcomes related to differences in race, age, income, and other socioeconomic factors.

    Burden of Mental Illness Report (2011)

    A report detailing the impact of mental illness on the greater La Crosse region.

    Burden of Obesity and Physical Inactivity Report (2009)

    A report describing the economic impact on the community of obesity and a lack of physical activity in the population.

     

  • STAFF:
    Executive Director
    Catherine Kolkmeier
    Executive Director

    Kat Anderson
    Administrative Coordinator
  • BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
    • President

      Kevin Dean
      Western Technical College
      Dean of Health and Public Safety
    • Vice President/Secretary

      Scott Rathgaber
      Emplify Health
      Chief Executive Officer
    • Treasurer

      Tanner Holst
      Mayo Clinic Health System
      Administrative Chair, Practice

     

    • Ju Kim
      University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
      Dean, College of Science and Health
    • Aaron Engel
      School District of La Crosse
      Superintendent
    • Scott Okuno
      Mayo Clinic Health System, SW WI
      Physician Lead
    • Tonya Wagner
      Viterbo University
      Vice President of Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness
    • Audra Martine
      La Crosse County Health Department
      Director/Health Officer
    • Megan Smith
      Viterbo University
      Dean - College of Nursing and Health
    • Roger Stanford
      Western Technical College
      President
    • Kraig Schuster
      Emplify Health
      Vice President, Team 4 and Critical Access Hospitals
    • Stephanie Pope
      University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
      Vice Chancellor - Administration and Finance

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  • CONTACT US

    La Crosse Medical Health Science Consortium

    1300 Badger St., Office 3065

    La Crosse, WI 54601, U.S.A.

    ph: 608.785.5150

    fx: 608.785.5154

    info@lacrosseconsortium.org

Date Last Updated: 05/13/2025 12:50 pm