McAlpine graduates from 2017-18 Leadership Sioux Center program


SIOUX CENTER – Amy McAlpine grew up much of her life in Sioux Center, but she feels more knowledgeable, better equipped and more connected than ever before in her hometown.
The data and compliance specialist for Promise Community Health Center was among 20 professionals to graduate Wednesday from the Leadership Sioux Center program as part of its fourth class.
Amy McAlpine, data and compliance specialists for
Promise Community Health Center, talks to Promise
chief operating officer Emily Tuschen following her
Leadership Sioux Center graduation on Wednesday.

The intensive, eight-month program involved monthly, full-day sessions that explored various aspects of Sioux Center’s visionary past and its collaborative and progressive mindset. That education was mixed in with leadership training.
In the process, the program’s goal is to sustain and build upon an environment of success as the community transitions to new leadership in the future.
“There are a few qualities that stand out as essential to past success of Sioux Center and as a challenge to our group to continue on: collaborating with others groups and organizations, proactively and generously investing in the community, and striving for the perfect mix of humility and passion,” McAlpine said.
Monthly themes for this year’s class were:
    • October – Leadership Topics and Retail;
    • November – History of Sioux Center and Agriculture;
    • December – Education;
    • January – County and City Government;
    • February – Trip to State Capitol in Des Moines;
    • March – Business and Industry;
    • April – Diversity;
      • Amy McAlpine shares her reflections
      about her involvement in the 2017-18
      Leadership Sioux Center program.

    • May – DISC Personality Assessment and “Now What?” discussion.

    McAlpine shared her reflections about the Leadership Sioux Center experience:
    Q. Why were you interested in participating in Leadership Sioux Center?
    A. I honestly love to learn and loved the idea of being in that role of a student each month, learning about my hometown and leadership topics.
    Q. What were the most interesting topics and/or places that you visited?
    A. The tours were incredibly interesting – we visited places like Casey’s Bakery, Smithfield, Sioux Center Health, Family Crisis Center, Promise, Dykstra Dairy, the county courthouse, jail and the State Capitol. I was also able to do a full tour of Premier Communications and present a Business Case Study with a group. The tour and project gave me a lot of insight into their history, services and impact on the community.
    Q. How will this program benefit you in the future?
    A. I feel much more invested in the growth and future of Sioux Center. It takes a lot of people to help shape a healthy, positive community. With the help of the program, I’m starting to see what my role – and also Promise’s role – in that growth could look like.
    Q. What stood out to you the most from what you learned?
    A. Talking about topics like the growth of Sioux Center and its strengths and challenges was really eye-opening. I haven’t always had a clear picture of the history of Sioux Center or the proactive planning and collaboration that has taken place. We talked a lot about issues around employment, housing, economic development and city planning in general. I feel like I didn’t have a lot of insight into those areas, so the sessions really helped broaden my view.
    Q. What was it like for you to be part of this group of participants?
    A. It was an amazing group of people, and I loved connecting with them each month. It was very fun to go to Des Moines as a group. We all represented very different organizations, and so we often had a different lens on various topics. I enjoyed sharing more about Promise with the group. Promise was able to help lead the “Diversity” session, which prompted good discussion, and the topics of diversity, privilege and the challenges of certain groups in our community really resonated with many individuals.”

    Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center serving the northwest corner of Iowa. Promise provides medical, prenatal, dental, vision, behavioral health and family planning services. To learn more, visit www.promisechc.org and watch this video. To read more Promise news, visit promisechcnews.blogspot.com.

    PAST PARTICIPANTS:
    Amy McAlpine receives her award
    during the Leadership Sioux Center
    graduation ceremony Wednesday
    at Terrace View Event Center.

    Amy McAlpine is the third person to represent Promise Community Health Center in the Leadership Sioux Center program. Jessica Mora, office manager and outreach coordinator, graduated from the program with the inaugural class in 2015, and Derrick Vander Waal, public relations officer, graduated in 2016.
    MORE ABOUT AMY:
    Amy McAlpine was born and raised in Sioux Center, but her family also lived in Costa Rica, Mexico and Bolivia for mission work.
    After graduating from Sioux Center High School in 2006, she earned a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and international studies in 2009 from Central College in Pella. She worked as a quality assurance manager at Community Support Advocates in Des Moines for five years before moving back to Sioux Center and starting as the executive assistant at Promise Community Health Center in January 2015. She assumed her current role as data and compliance specialist in July 2016.
    Amy and her husband, David – who works at Peoples Bank Wealth Management in Sioux Center and was a 2017 Leadership Sioux Center graduate – have two boys, Sam, 3, and Paul, 1. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, especially nonfiction; listening to podcasts; cooking and baking new recipes; playing with her boys; and traveling.

    The Leadership Sioux Center graduates were (front, from left) Kris Hulstein, Interstates; Jackson Schuiteman, Sioux Center Health; Stephanie Regnerus, Link Manufacturing; Jennifer Waddle, Kinsey Elementary School; Kelly Goslinga, Clabaugh & Goslinga P.L.C.; Joshua Christians, ServiceMaster; Andrew De Vries, Boehringer Ingelheim; Matthew Kelderman, Kroese & Kroese P.C.; Lindsay Mulder, Sioux Center Public Library; (back) Mark Hulshof, Sioux Center High School; Tim Foreman, Ground Effects; Kevin Christian, Peoples Bank; Christy Hulstein, Stepping Stones Preschool; Greg Pennings, Pella Corp.; Darren Raih, American Investment and Trust; Colton Waring, city of Sioux Center; Wade Kroeze, Perspective Insurance; Kristy Huss, Travel Savvi; Jessica Rohrs, Family Crisis Centers; and Amy McAlpine, Promise Community Health Center.



    Comments

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    Promise CHC invites community to open house to celebrate project

    Image
    SIOUX CENTER – Promise Community Health Center invites the community to celebrate the completion of its capital campaign, exterior renovation and interior expansion. Arlin Van Gorp of Countryside Signs & Graphics of Sioux Center installs the new sign on Promise Community Health Center's renovated exterior. Promise plans to hold an open house 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 26. The health center, which is located at 338 First Ave. NW, across the street from the Sioux Center city hall, is planning a ribbon cutting and open house for 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 26. The Sioux Center Chamber of Commerce will conduct the ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m. People then will have opportunities to tour the health center. Hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and beverages will be served. “We are happy to share this special day with the community,” said Nathan Vander Plaats , executive director of Promise. “This project – and Promise Community Health Center – would not have been possible without the sig...
    Read more

    As new nurse at Promise, Clazina Blom appreciates its holistic care

    Image
    SIOUX CENTER – Ever since Clazina Blom played “doctor and nurse” as a young girl, caring for others has been an “innate part” of who she is. She has made it her career. Clazina Blom likes the holistic approach to health care that she has seen at Promise Community Health Center since assuming her role as a new clinic nurse. Clazina now is caring for others as a new clinic nurse at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center. “ Helping others, giving support and compassion, and educating about health are important to me,” she said. Clazina grew up in rural Doon on her family’s rural dairy farm. After completing her home-school education, she earned her registered nursing degree at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon in 2011. She earned her bachelor of science in nursing online from Briar Cliff University of Sioux City in 2013. She worked as a certified nursing assistant at Pleasant Acres Care Center in Hull for a year and a half, 2009-10. She then served as an RN at Sanfor...
    Read more

    Jess Koedam brings varied experiences to clinic nurse position

    Image
    SIOUX CENTER – Jess Koedam appreciates all of the different ways that she has been able to help people as a registered nurse in her career. Jess Koedam brings a variety of nursing experiences to her new role as a clinic nurse at Promise Community Health in Sioux Center. She now is continuing that service as a new clinic nurse at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center. “I was interested in Promise because I see it as a great opportunity to serve my community and continue helping people achieve better health,” Jess said. Jess grew up near Hospers and graduated from Unity Christian High School in 2007. She earned her associate of science in nursing degree from St. Luke’s College in Sioux City in 2011. After graduating from college, Jess served as a staff nurse at Village Northwest Unlimited in Sheldon, 2011-16, and then made home visits throughout the region as an integrated health home nurse care coordinator at Seasons Center for Behavioral Health, 2016-18. Her interest in goin...
    Read more