08/31/2026
Last Friday, we had the opportunity to welcome Quinn Knispell from Senator Pete Ricketts office to northeast Nebraska to learn more about AHEC and see firsthand how partnerships can make a difference in our healthcare workforce.
Our first stop was Midtown Health Center- Norfolk, Madison & West Point in Norfolk, a longtime Northern Nebraska AHEC partner. Several years ago, Midtown asked if AHEC could help with their search for a dentist. We began looking at an important resource we already had, dental students participating in the Nebraska AHEC Scholars Program.
Working together with Midtown’s leadership and recruitment team, that connection ultimately led to Dr. Lydia Stigsell, an AHEC Scholars graduate, joining the Midtown team as a dentist.
On Friday, we were able to bring that story full circle as Quinn met Dr. Stigsell and Midtown CEO Josh Turek and learned more about the role partnerships, workforce programs and federal investment in AHEC can play in bringing healthcare professionals to the communities that need them.
Joining the visit were Nebraska AHEC Deputy Director Caitlyn Wayment, Program Coordinator, Kaylene Page, and Northern Nebraska AHEC Executive Director Gretchen Forsell.
It was a great opportunity to move beyond numbers and reports and show what healthcare workforce development can look like in a community: identify a need, build the right connections, and turn those connections into a healthcare professional serving patients.
