Our Team

Mr. Brock Rops is the Deputy Director for South Dakota Area Health Education Center and Executive Director for South Dakota HOSA-Future Health Professionals. Mr. Rops has been involved as a leader in education for 25 years. He has a passion for inspiring and instilling confidence in students as they begin to get more engaged in their pursuits as future health professionals. Mr. Rops believes the South Dakota HOSA program will answer students' questions regarding careers in health care and the pathway involved to getting there.
Outside of his duties as the SD HOSA State Advisor, Mr. Rops enjoys spending time with his wife Nancy, who is an OBGYN nurse, and two kids Finely(12) and Sutton (10). He relaxes by enjoying a round of golf or a game of basketball.

Hello! I am Mazzi Moore, a junior at Brandon Valley High School. During the 2024-25 HOSA year and my third year in the program, I will be serving as your South Dakota State HOSA President-Elect. Although I participate in a wide variety of extracurriculars and clubs ranging from academics to community service, HOSA has a special place in my heart. It has helped me explore an incredible range of careers in the medical field, guiding my future pursuit of biomedical engineering. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to lead as your President-Elect, and I look forward to a great HOSA year!

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Like many HOSA students, Amy Bialas solidified her interest in healthcare after taking Health Careers I & II in high school. Dr. Bialas is the executive director of medical education for Sanford Health and also an assistant professor within the department of family medicine at the Sanford School of Medicine. A Sioux Falls native, Dr. Bialas has worked in healthcare since 2001. Dr. Bialas had the pleasure of attending the 2011 HOSA National Conference in California, and was convinced that HOSA would inspire South Dakota students to pursue careers in healthcare.

Pam Hilber, PhD, is a 15 year Avera employee. She originally joined Avera as a Psychologist in the Behavioral Health segment of their services. She was then trained and prepared for leadership through Avera's informal and formal staff/leadership development programs. 6 ½ years ago she was named the Director of Workforce Planning for the Avera system. Essentially, this includes securing an adequate workforce to allow for Avera's mission into the future.

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Mr. Josh Hall is the Principal of the Career and Technical Education Academy in the Sioux Falls School District. Prior to his current position, Josh served as Assistant Superintendent (Sioux Falls School District), Middle School Principal (Sioux Falls School District), Middle School Assistant Principal (Sioux Falls School District), and Career and Technical Education Teacher (Rapid City, Brandon Valley, and Sioux Falls).

Josh earned his Bachelor's Degree (BSED) from Black Hills State University; Master's Degree in education (MSCI) from Black Hills State University; and Educational Specialist Degree (Ed. S.) in Secondary School Administration from the University of South Dakota. Josh also earned his School Superintendent certification through the University of South Dakota.

Outside of work, Mr. Hall enjoys spending time with his wife Heather, who is a Special Education teacher, and his three children Carter (13), Berklee (8), and Hadlee (2). Josh also enjoys golfing when he gets an opportunity to do so.

Josie Petersen is the Manager of the South Dakota Healthcare Workforce Center which is a part of the South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Rural Health. She oversees numerous programs including workforce development projects, the Healthcare Workforce Report, recommendations from the Governor's Primary Care Task Force, South Dakota Healthcare Workforce Initiative newsletters, and Emergency Medical Services leadership trainings. Prior to this work, Josie was the Primary Care Program Coordinator and has expertise in areas such as healthcare recruitment programs, federal healthcare designations, and community assessments. Josie graduated from the University of South Dakota. She enjoys living in Pierre with her husband and two children.

Tom has been involved in business for over 30 years. Twenty-eight of those years have been spent in supervision and managerial positions. Tom is a proactive advocate on multiple boards. He is passionate towards giving time to the common cause. One, in which HOSA, obviously, belongs.

Mikayla Titus is the Associate Director of Community Programs for Northeast South Dakota Area Health Education Center, NESD AHEC. Her role with NESD AHEC works to get youth interested in health occupations, secondary students interested in rural healthcare, and educational resources to rural communities. She has a passion for working towards sustainable health solutions for underserved areas which can be seen in her efforts with NESD AHEC for the rural and underserved communities in South Dakota.

Mikayla received her Bachelor of Science in Health Administration and Policy from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She has a multidimensional understanding of health through her work and volunteer experiences. She enjoys giving back to her community by volunteering with various organizations in the Aberdeen community.

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Mr. Erickson began his FQHC career after being hired in October 2000 to lead the Finance Department as the CFO for Horizon Health Care, Inc. In serving in the role of CFO, Mr. Erickson participated in multiple successful New Access Point and Service Expansions into dental and behavioral health grant applications as well as three Successor in Interest mergers. He was instrumental in growing the organization from a small program with seven locations and a budget of 2.5 million to a current program consisting of 32 locations with an annual budget of nearly 31 million. As the organization continued to grow, he played a critical role in Operations and Human Resources which eventually led to the development of the Human Resources Department and the hiring of a Human Resources Director as well as the hiring of Horizon's first Chief Operations Officer. Upon the retirement of the long time CEO, Mr. Erickson was hired as the new CEO for the organization on 4/1/2021. He is well respected by peers and colleagues in the Community Health Center world and is often relied upon to provide advice and mentorship to new health center leaders. He is responsible for overall management and leadership of the organization including implementation of policies established by the Board of Directors, planning and implementing the systematic and coordinated delivery of primary health care services across Horizon's 28,000 square mile service area, overseeing all personnel matters, appointing of a Senior Executive Team and delegating authority.

Lindsay Stroman is the Workforce Development Coordinator at SDAHO, where she focuses on creating and executing strategies to meet the needs of SDAHO members concerning healthcare workforce supply, recruitment, and retention. She is also the Network Director for a HRSA Rural Health Network Development Grant awarded to SDAHO by FORHP in 2023. This grant aims to enhance healthcare access in rural South Dakota by establishing a comprehensive pipeline for essential healthcare workers, with high school students being a key target group. Additionally, Lindsay is a member of the Advisory Board for the USD Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program. Originally from Centerville, SD, she relocated to Sioux Falls after earning a Bachelor of Science from the USD School of Education. During her time at USD, she cheered for the Coyotes and volunteered as a Special Olympics coach. Currently pursuing an MBA, Lindsay is also a Certified Workforce Development Professional. Recently, she welcomed her son Lincoln in April 2024 and is adjusting to new motherhood. In her free time, Lindsay enjoys practicing Hot Yoga Sculpt and spending time outdoors with her family and friends.

Shelly's role at CHAD includes assisting our community health centers (CHC's) in the Dakotas with workforce recruitment and retention efforts, pipeline education, and working with policy and partnership liaisons within the states to stay abreast of the changing workforce landscape.

Dr. Lohsandt's passion for student success, education, and workforce development spans over three decades. She has been a University Administrator for over 25 years, and formerly a K-12 School Superintendent and Executive Director of a Career Learning Center.

Marie earned her bachelor's degree from Dakota State University, her master's and doctorate degrees from the University of South Dakota and has also completed post-doctorate studies at the University of South Dakota. She is the Director of Nursing Student Services at South Dakota State University. Go Jackrabbits!
During her career she has served on numerous committees and boards, but the ones she enjoys the most provide opportunities to advocate for others including the Lake Area Domestic Violence Executive Board, Madison Housing & Redevelopment Commission, SD Higher Education Association, and she is a founding member of SD Association of College Career Centers. She looks forward to serving on the SDHOSA board to further its mission of developing young health care professionals in South Dakota.
Marie enjoys sports, nature, travel, home or do-it-yourself projects, recreational shopping, puttering on her acreage, and most of all, spending time with her young adult son (also a Jackrabbit!).

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Carrie Peschl is the Associate Director for the Southeast South Dakota Area Health Education Center, where her role involves raising awareness and understanding of healthcare careers and opportunities for students. She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and spent seven years working as a Lead Dental Assistant in Yankton, SD. During that time, she earned licenses from the South Dakota Board of Dentistry and the Dental Assisting National Board. In her free time, Carrie enjoys being creative through baking, gardening, and DIY projects, as well as spending quality time with her husband and two young children.

Linda Kirchhevel is the Director of Talent and Leadership Development at Sanford Health. In her role, she oversees the Aspire by Sanford career exploration team, leadership development, and educational assistance/scholarships. Her entire working career has been focused on the growth and development of people ranging in ages from elementary students to adults.