Leadership
Denten Park, Market Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Northwest Health
Denten is an accomplished healthcare leader with more than 20 years of executive management experience at hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers in Arizona, Wyoming and Utah. Prior to joining Northwest Health, Denten served as CEO of MountainView Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Park earned his master’s degree in business administration from New Mexico State University and his bachelor’s degree in business management and social business from Utah State University.
Community involvement and making an impact on youth is important to Park. He was a founding member of The Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine as well as the president of the Las Cruces Public Schools Foundation. He was also the chairman of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce and a former board member of the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico. Additionally, he is a youth basketball coach and referee, a volunteer youth educator, and an Eagle Scout Board of Review member for the Boy Scouts of America.
Learn more about Denten in this article in Northwest Arkansas CitiScapes magazine
Lisa Martin, Market Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Northwest Health
Lisa has more than 25 years of healthcare leadership experience, most recently serving as chief financial officer at University Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana and previously in key leadership financial roles with other agencies.
Lisa earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. She is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Dr. James A. Tanner, Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Tanner joined Northwest Health from Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida, where he served as senior vice president of physician services. Prior to that role, Dr. Tanner spent five years with Catholic Health Initiatives in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he served as chief medical officer and vice president of physician management practice. Preceding his transition into medical leadership roles, Dr. Tanner practiced medicine for 27 years as an OB/GYN.
As Northwest Health’s chief medical officer, Dr. Tanner serves as a key member of the senior leadership team. He is responsible for medical affairs and providing administration and the medical staff with knowledge, experience and leadership from a medical management perspective.
Dr. Tanner earned his medical degree from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, Arkansas. He then completed his OB/GYN residency also at UAMS. In addition to his medical education, he has a master’s of business administration from University of Arkansas in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Steve Badger
Steve Badger, MBA, FACHE, is CEO for Northwest Health - Bentonville, coming from Utah Valley Hospital where he has served since 2014. With more than 20 years of healthcare leadership experience, Steve most recently served as senior operations officer for Utah Valley Hospital in Provo. Prior to that, he was administrator of Orem Community Hospital in Orem, Utah. Both are affiliated with Intermountain Healthcare. Other experiences within the Intermountain system include work as executive director of surgical services, department manager, and charge nurse.
He earned both a B.S. in nursing and a B.A. in international relations with Magna Cum Laude honors from Brigham Young University. He also holds an MBA-health care emphasis, graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors, from University of Phoenix.
Adam Bracks, PT, MBA, CEO of Siloam Springs Regional Hospital
Adam Bracks, PT, MBA, is the CEO of Siloam Springs Regional Hospital. Adam moved to Siloam Springs Seminole, OK, where he was CEO of AllianceHealth Seminole. He has nearly two decades of healthcare leadership experience. Prior to joining AllianceHealth, he served as CEO of SoutheastHEALTH Center of Stoddard County in Dexter, MO. He also has significant clinical experience, serving as director of rehabilitation services as well as occupational medicine and primary care at SkyRidge Medical Center in Cleveland, TN.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in physiotherapy from Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia, and a senior executive master’s degree in business administration from University of Tennessee.
Juli McWhorter, R.N., Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer, Northwest Medical Center - Willow Creek Women's Hospital
Juli has over 20 years of nursing experience in critical care, cardiac stepdown, cardiac rehabilitation and flight nursing. She has served in various roles in education, director of critical care services and chief quality officer for Northwest Health and assistant CNO at Willow Creek Women's Hospital. Juli has been with Northwest Health for 25 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Sullivan University.
Shanda Guenther, Chief Quality Officer
Shanda Guenther is chief quality officer for Northwest Health, coming from a large physician practice where she was chief operating officer. Previously, Shanda had served Northwest Health as assistant CNO, chief quality officer and director of quality management and regulatory compliance.
Shanda holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing as well as a Master of Science in leadership and ethics. She is a certified professional in healthcare quality as well as a certified professional in patient safety. She also holds a Simpler Bronze certification. Shanda was the 2009 Employee of the Year at Willow Creek Women’s Hospital and the 2012 Non-Clinical Director of the Year for Northwest Health Springdale.
Amy Forrest, R.N., CCP, Market Vice President, Compliance/HIPAA, Northwest Health
Amy is vice president of compliance and privacy for Northwest Health and is a certified compliance professional. Graduating magna cum laude from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in nursing, Amy has 40 years hospital experience, 30 in management positions. She has received state and national awards for her contributions to healthcare education, has been published by the National League of Nursing and the American Hospital Association and is named as Who’s Who in Professional Nursing. Amy joined Northwest Health in 1991 and has served as VP with administrative duties over various departments.
Prior to coming to Northwest Health, Amy was employed in various areas including as chief nursing Officer (CNO) for a psychiatric facility, as community leadership consultant/trainer, as certified nurse epidemiologist/consultant and cardiac intensive care and emergency nursing. Amy served as a field compliance consultant for Triad Hospitals, Inc. from 2003-2007. She has been compliance officer for Northwest Health since 1997 and privacy/security officer since 2003. Amy lives in Rogers with her husband Michael and has four children.