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 in 2018, Denten served as CEO of MountainView Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Denten 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.
Denten is a member of the board of directors of the Rogers/Lowell Chamber of Commerce and an ex-officio member of the Springdale Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
Community involvement and making an impact on youth has always been important to Denten. 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
John Sharp, Market Chief Financial Officer
John Sharp is the market chief financial officer (CFO) for Northwest Health. John came to Northwest Health in 2019 from Laredo Medical Center, where he had served as CFO since 2014.
With more than 20 years of financial leadership experience, John previously served as CFO for Seton Medical Center Harker Heights in Harker Heights, Texas; St. Mary’s Health System in Waterbury, CT; and Brownwood Regional Medical Center in Brownwood, TX. Prior experience includes work as a controller, senior staff accountant and staff accountant.
John earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, focusing on accounting and finance, from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas.
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, MBA, FACHE, CEO for Northwest Health - Bentonville
Steve Badger, MBA, FACHE, is CEO for Northwest Health – Bentonville. He moved to Northwest Arkansas from Provo, Utah, where he held a senior leadership position with Utah Valley Hospital. With more than 20 years of healthcare leadership experience, he also served as 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.
Steve is a member of the board of directors for the Greater Bentonville Chamber of Commerce.
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.
Hans Driessnack, CEO for Northwest Medical Center - Springdale
Hans Driessnack is CEO for Northwest Medical Center-Springdale, coming from Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion, IL, where he was COO. Hans has held executive leadership positions in Albuquerque, NM; Galesburg, IL; and Marion, IL, serving at two facilities associated with Lovelace Health System, then at Galesburg Cottage Hospital before moving to Heartland. He has valuable experiences in teaching Six Sigma and other continuous quality improvement methodologies to create positive culture changes that support quality care, service and patient satisfaction.
Hans earned a Bachelor of Science in hospitality management with a minor in German at the University of Alabama. He earned an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
Hans serves on the board of directors for the Springdale Downtown Alliance.
Michael Herr, CAO for Northwest Health Physicians’ Specialty Hospital
Michael Herr is chief administrative officer for Northwest Health Physicians’ Specialty Hospital. Most recently, he served as COO for Starr Regional Medical Center – with facilities in Athens and Etowah, TN.
With approximately 14 years of experience in leadership roles, Michael previously worked with Parkview Regional Medical Center in Mexia, TX, where he was CFO and then COO. Before that, he served as controller at Valley View Medical Center in Fort Mohave, AZ, and at Lea Regional Medical Center in Hobbs, NM.
Michael earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He earned an MBA in healthcare administration from the University of Texas.
Juli McWhorter, R.N., MSN, Chief Administrative Officer - Willow Creek Women's Hospital
Juli is the chief administrative officer of Willow Creek Women’s Hospital, having previously served as chief operating officer and chief nursing officer. She has worked with Northwest Health for nearly 30 years.
Having begun her career as a charge nurse in the surgical intensive care unit, she also has experience in cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac stepdown, patient education and flight nursing. She has served in a number of leadership positions for Northwest Health, including as chief quality officer and director of critical care services for Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville.
She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Western Governor’s 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.
Tim Lankes, Market Chief Information Officer
Tim has thirty-five years of progressive leadership experience in the private sector and as an officer in the U.S. Army. During his outsource services and consulting career, he led sales pursuits, closed and contracted large revenue cycle and technology services outsourcing deals, did consulting engagements and led the delivery of those relationships.
As a market CIO, Tim is responsible for all the technology and services delivered to 17 hospitals throughout the region and more than 100 ambulatory care sites in Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana and Oklahoma. Those areas of accountability include technology implementation, hosting and support of local IT systems, and integration with corporate IS and its vendors. Tim works closely with hospital business and clinical leaders to ensure technology deployed and acquired enables business and clinical strategies.
During a 15-year tenure with Perot Systems, Tim led both domestic and international healthcare business units, including their physician services business unit, where he led a team of more than 700 domain experts in support of revenue cycle and IT services delivery to large physician practices across the US. He led the start-up and business operations of Perot’s international healthcare IT services in Europe and the Middle East. He has also served as the COO for HCA/Parallon Technology Solutions and most recently as the region CIO for San Antonio and South Texas at Tenet Healthcare.
Tim is an Ironman triathlete and he enjoys training and riding horses with his wife. Tim has a BA in management from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. He has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Amy Forrest, R.N., CCP, Market Vice President, Compliance/HIPAA
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.
Beth Bradfield Wright, Vice President, Marketing and Business Development
Beth joined Northwest Health in 2018 as VP of marketing and business development. With more than 30 years of healthcare marketing experience, she moved to Northwest Arkansas from Nashville, TN. Beth’s previous work experience includes serving at hospitals in Georgia and Tennessee as well as working in corporate settings.
Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Shorter University in Rome, GA, and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University. As a founding board member of End Slavery Tennessee, she has worked to prevent human trafficking and restore survivors. Previous community service has included work with various Kiwanis Clubs and United Way organizations.