On the Road: Visiting 2025–2026 Incubator Grantees
This July, OHR’s rural population health program manager, Stepha Dragoon, traveled around the state, from the Oregon Coast to Central Oregon and beyond, to visit all 2025–2026 Rural Population Health Incubator (Incubator) grantees in person. The Incubator aims to strengthen community health in rural Oregon by providing grants to support population health initiatives led by rural hospitals, clinics, public health departments and community-based nonprofit organizations. Along the way, Stepha saw firsthand the creativity, dedication and resilience these organizations bring to improving health and well-being in their communities.
Stepha's trip began in Seaside, where they met with Tracy Villareal and Jason Plamondon of Providence Seaside. They shared the story of the local coalition they built to expand transportation services for patients, with a particular focus on helping people experiencing substance use disorder physically get to the treatment services they need.
Stepha then traveled to Newport to meet with Gavin Shumate of Integrity Coastal Health and Wellness. While Gavin made the difficult decision to close his clinic this year, his commitment to the community hasn't wavered; he is now the vicar at his church, where he plans to continue offering free medical care to people who are houseless or facing financial hardship.
Also in Newport, Stepha visited Lincoln County Public Health, where Shelby Knife walked them through the county's immunization program and the meaningful impact it's having across the region.
Stepha then met with Helen Miller and Ralph Garano of the Cascadia Coastal Coalition, who are building disaster-preparedness communication kits and distributing them to community partners, along with hands-on training on how to use them.
In the Klamath Basin, Stepha spent time with Anne Davenport, a physical therapy professor with Sky Lakes Medical Center's physical therapy program, along with several of her students who work to support two community programs at the local senior center, supporting older adults in fall prevention.
Stepha then traveled to Burns to visit the senior center, which also houses the town's food pantry. There, Sarah Laosa and her team shared the pantry's operations, its work with the senior center and its close partnership with local public health and clinics to support community members' needs.
In Sisters, Katie Yoder gave Stepha a tour of Seed to Table's farm, showcasing the incredible work the organization does to grow and distribute fresh produce to families across Central Oregon.
Stepha then met with Justin Little and Lacy Hawkins of Forage Wellness Collective, who developed a two-day anxiety-intensive program bringing together participants from across Central Oregon and beyond to build practical skills for managing anxiety.
At Santiam Hospital's Sublimity Medical Clinic, Kim Klotz, Josie Crocker, Jessica Gower and Kim Dwyer, shared the hospital's community health worker (CHW) program and service integration team, and how they weave community partnerships and relationships directly into patient care to address health-related social needs.
Stepha's final stop was Adventist Health Columbia Gorge, where Amanda Evans gave a tour of the hospital, including the labor and delivery unit, and shared how the hospital's CHWs are helping improve outcomes for patients throughout the region.
From coastal transportation coalitions to disaster-preparedness kits, farm-to-family produce programs and CHW teams, this year's Incubator grantees are meeting their communities' needs with ingenuity and heart. Thank you to every team who welcomed Stepha and took the time to share their work. ORH is proud to support you!
Find more information on the Rural Population Health Incubator Program here.