Dr. Dave Akkerman, MD
Board Member
Dr. Dave Akkerman is a retired Family Physician at Essentia Health in Fargo, ND. He obtained his medical degree from the University of South Dakota-Vermillion.
In addition to serving as a Dakota Medical Foundation Board Member, he serves on the DMF Executive, Governance, and Finance & Investment Committees.
He enjoys oenology, the science dedicated to the study and knowledge of wines.
Dr. Barbra Brookshire, OD
Board Member
Barbra co-owns Eyecare Associates clinics in Fargo and West Fargo, ND. She attended Illinois College of Optometry and is an adjunct clinical professor at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.
Barbra serves on the Dakota Medical Foundation Executive Committee. She has served as the Vice Chair for the Lend A Hand Up Board of Directors. Her favorite sport is basketball, and she enjoys playing it with both her kids.
Julene Brown, RN
Board member
Until her retirement, Julene served as the Chief Compliance Officer of Organizational Integrity and Compliance for Essentia Health. She has extensive experience in nursing, leadership, and management.
In addition to the DMF Board, Julene serves on the Lend A Hand Up Board of Directors. Julene enjoys staying active with her eight grandkids and traveling to her townhouse in Mesa, Arizona.
Chris Kennelly, JD
Secretary
Chris is the owner of and an attorney at Kennelly Business Law. He practices extensively in real estate and estate planning. He also owns Frontier Title Group, consisting of four title companies in ND.
He leads as the Dakota Medical Foundation Board Secretary, a member of the Executive Committee, and as the Chair of the Governance Committee. In the past, Chris has served on the Lend A Hand Up Board of Directors.
Jessica R. Kuhn, DNP
Board member
Jessica is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner with ima Healthcare in Fargo, ND, specializing in ADHD/behavioral health, children with special healthcare needs, neonatal care, and bowel/bladder problems.
Jessica serves as Vice Chair of the Lend a Hand Up Board and on the DMF Executive Committee. She resides in Harwood, North Dakota, with her children.
Dr. Rob Lauf, DDS
Board Chair
Rob is a Doctor of Dentistry and owns Goose River Dental Associates, P.C., in Mayville, ND. He serves on the CDCA/WREB/CITA Board of Directors and is a Dental Examiner.
Rob is the President of the North Dakota Dental Foundation and serves on the NDSU Foundation Board of Directors. Rob is DMF’s Board Chair and a proud grandfather to his grandchildren, Ellis, Iris, and Bobby.
Dr. Susan Mathison, MD
Past Chair
Dr. Susan Mathison is the Founder and CEO of Catalyst Medical Center and Clinical Spa in Fargo, North Dakota. She graduated from Stanford University and UT Southwestern Medical Center.
She is a Past Board Chair of the Foundation and serves on the Executive, Governance, and DMF Center for Excellence Committees. Dr. Susan also serves on the Impact Foundation Board of Directors.
Nola McNeally, JD
Vice Chair
Nola is the General Counsel/Advisor at Edgewood REIT. Previously, she worked as an attorney within the firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP for 10 years and as an Officer at the Fredrikson & Byron P.A. law firm.
Nola serves as Vice Chair of the Board, as Chair of the DMF Center for Excellence Committee, and as a member of the Executive Committee. She loves to travel, and her favorite destination is Paris.
Kim Meyer
Board Member
Kim was the Executive VP and Chief Human Resources Officer at Gate City Bank. She has degrees from Minnesota State University Moorhead, the Graduate School of Banking, HR Management School and Stonier Graduate School of Banking.
Kim serves on the DMF Governance and Finance/Investment Committees and loves spending time with her Bernedoodle dog, Izzy.
Eric Monson
Board Member
Eric is the former Director at Sagency in West Fargo, ND. He previously served as a Sr. Vice President at Banner Health and the Chief Executive Officer for Novus, LLC and the Anne Carlsen Center.
He is the Chair of the DMF Finance & Investment Committee and also serves on the Executive, Governance, and DMF Center for Excellence Committees. He is a Project Consultant for the Impact Foundation.
Jennifer Thompson, JD
Board Member
Jennifer is a Managing Partner of H.A. Thompson & Sons. From 2002 to 2013, she worked as the Director of Development for Dakota Medical Foundation.
Jennifer holds a J.D. from the University of North Dakota and serves on the Lend A Hand Up Application Committee and Board of Directors.
Jennifer also serves on the Dakota Medical Foundation Executive Committee and in the community on the Fargo Youth Hockey Association Board of Directors.
J. Patrick Traynor, JD
Pat is the Executive Director of Dakota Medical Foundation and an ex-officio member of its Committees and Board (non-voting). He is also the Executive Director of the Impact Foundation.
Until 2000, Pat was the Executive Director and CEO of the North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau. He has also worked as an attorney in Fargo, ND.
He is an avid hunter, an ambassador of generosity, has three grown sons, and lives in Fargo with his wife, Jamie.
