Mike Shimmens
Executive Director
3RNET
Mike Shimmens is the Executive Director for 3RNET, the nation’s most trusted resource for health professionals seeking careers in rural and underserved communities. Mike has led 3RNET since 2012. Mike works with a nine-member Board of Directors, leads a staff of four, and empowers the National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network of 54 organizational members to further 3RNET’s mission to improve rural and underserved communities’ access to quality health care through the recruitment and retention of quality health care professionals.
Mike has over 20 years of experience in the recruitment of health care professionals. Prior to leading 3RNET Mike worked for six years at the Missouri Primary Care Association as Director of Recruitment and Workforce Development. There he assisted 21 Community Health Centers and other Missouri hospitals and clinics in their health professional recruitment efforts through the Missouri Health Professional Placement Service.
Mike's first recruitment position in health care was as Director of Medical Staff Development at St. Mary's Health Center in Jefferson City, Missouri. He served in this role for nine years and recruited for all physician specialties and advanced practice nurses at this 167-bed hospital and affiliated clinics.
Mike has been a member of the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) since 1997 and maintains their certification of Certified Physician/Provider Recruitment Professional (CPRP).
Mike has a Bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University and a Master’s degree from Western Illinois University.
Mike has over 20 years of experience in the recruitment of health care professionals. Prior to leading 3RNET Mike worked for six years at the Missouri Primary Care Association as Director of Recruitment and Workforce Development. There he assisted 21 Community Health Centers and other Missouri hospitals and clinics in their health professional recruitment efforts through the Missouri Health Professional Placement Service.
Mike's first recruitment position in health care was as Director of Medical Staff Development at St. Mary's Health Center in Jefferson City, Missouri. He served in this role for nine years and recruited for all physician specialties and advanced practice nurses at this 167-bed hospital and affiliated clinics.
Mike has been a member of the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) since 1997 and maintains their certification of Certified Physician/Provider Recruitment Professional (CPRP).
Mike has a Bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University and a Master’s degree from Western Illinois University.
Mark Barclay, MS, FASPR
Director of Member Services
3RNET
Mark Barclay is the Director of Member Services for 3RNET, the nation’s most trusted resource for health professionals seeking careers in rural and underserved communities. Mark serves as the primary support contact for 54 3RNET members, as well as the 5,000+ rural and underserved employers across the country that use 3RNET to improve their recruitment and retention efforts.
Prior to working for 3RNET, Mark recruited for 36 Critical Access Hospitals and four FQHCs as the Workforce Specialist at the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Mark also helped establish TruServe, a web-based tracking system used by State Offices of Rural Health and Primary Care Offices nationwide.
Mark has maintained his Certified Physician/Provider Recruitment Professional (CPRP) certification from the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) since 2013. Mark has both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of North Dakota.
Prior to working for 3RNET, Mark recruited for 36 Critical Access Hospitals and four FQHCs as the Workforce Specialist at the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Mark also helped establish TruServe, a web-based tracking system used by State Offices of Rural Health and Primary Care Offices nationwide.
Mark has maintained his Certified Physician/Provider Recruitment Professional (CPRP) certification from the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) since 2013. Mark has both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of North Dakota.
Michelle Varcho
Director of Education Outreach
3RNET
Michelle Varcho is the Director of Education Outreach for 3RNET, the nation’s most trusted resource for health professionals seeking careers in rural and underserved communities. Michelle leads education-related activities for 3RNET Network Coordinators as well as rural and underserved health care employers nationwide. Michelle focuses on practical, action-oriented training around 3RNET’s recruiting for retention philosophy.
Michelle has over 25 years of experience in health-care related human resources both at the local and national level. Prior to joining 3RNET, Michelle was a Human Resources Director for a Federally Qualified Health Center in Jefferson City, Missouri, where she helped the organization grow from five employees in one location to 110 employees in four locations serving over 13 counties. Michelle created and implemented strategies and best practices to overcome the unique barriers to recruiting and retaining providers in the rural health care arena and uses the wealth of expertise she gained in this role to help inform 3RNET trainings she leads.
Michelle has an MBA from Williams Woods University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Columbia College. She has held a Sr. Professional Human Resources certification since 2003.
Michelle has over 25 years of experience in health-care related human resources both at the local and national level. Prior to joining 3RNET, Michelle was a Human Resources Director for a Federally Qualified Health Center in Jefferson City, Missouri, where she helped the organization grow from five employees in one location to 110 employees in four locations serving over 13 counties. Michelle created and implemented strategies and best practices to overcome the unique barriers to recruiting and retaining providers in the rural health care arena and uses the wealth of expertise she gained in this role to help inform 3RNET trainings she leads.
Michelle has an MBA from Williams Woods University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Columbia College. She has held a Sr. Professional Human Resources certification since 2003.
Donald Pathman
MD, MPH, Professor of Family Medicine & Director of the Program on Primary Care Research
Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Donald Pathman, MD MPH is Professor of Family Medicine and Director of the Program on Primary Care Research at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Sheps Center is a leading center of research on the U.S. healthcare system. Among its 12 research programs are the HRSA-funded North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center and the Carolina Health Workforce Research Center https://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/programs-projects/.
Dr. Pathman’s three decades of research and evaluation have focused on bolstering the effectiveness of federal, state and organization programs intended to build and support the clinician workforce of rural and underserved communities. This has included studies of clinician satisfaction and retention, loan repayment program design and outcomes including the retention of clinicians, clinician-community relationships, access to care, health disparities, and outcomes of medical education.
Dr. Pathman’s three decades of research and evaluation have focused on bolstering the effectiveness of federal, state and organization programs intended to build and support the clinician workforce of rural and underserved communities. This has included studies of clinician satisfaction and retention, loan repayment program design and outcomes including the retention of clinicians, clinician-community relationships, access to care, health disparities, and outcomes of medical education.
Jennifer Higgins
CERP
Jennifer Higgins has 15+ years of experience working in non-profit healthcare, having held roles from Director of Human Resources/Workforce Development to Chief Operations Officer. Jennifer has worked closely with 3RNet both as an employer and training consultant since 2012.
In 2005, Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Management and Business Administration from Franklin University. The majority of Jennifer’s career has been spent working as senior director in the non-profit healthcare industry, specifically Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC’s). She spent 3 years as the Workforce Development Director at the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers developing relationships and serving on project committees on both local and national levels. In 2013 Jennifer obtained a certification in Retention with offered her an extended view of how to narrow the front door to close the back door.
In 2005, Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Management and Business Administration from Franklin University. The majority of Jennifer’s career has been spent working as senior director in the non-profit healthcare industry, specifically Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC’s). She spent 3 years as the Workforce Development Director at the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers developing relationships and serving on project committees on both local and national levels. In 2013 Jennifer obtained a certification in Retention with offered her an extended view of how to narrow the front door to close the back door.
Marc Overbeck
Director
Oregon Primary Care Office
Marc Overbeck has been a national leader among Primary Care Office directors, having served twice as the Chair of the PCO National Committee, a group representative of the 54 state and territorial Primary Care Offices in advocating the work and needs of PCOs with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and others. He currently serves as the Primary Care Organization representative on the Board of Directors for the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU).
As Director of the Oregon Primary Care Office, Mr. Overbeck leads a team of people dedicated to promoting access to quality health services for all people living in the state. He is responsible for the development of health professional shortage designations in Oregon, developing primary care needs assessments for the state, and enhancing the capacity of a coalition of partners in Oregon to facilitate health care workforce recruitment and retention in underserved areas. In his position, Mr. Overbeck has focused on special populations such as migrant and seasonal farmworkers, the homeless, low-income individuals, and the uninsured. He and his office oversee a multi-million program established by the Oregon legislature to expand the size and diversity of Oregon’s healthcare workforce.
Mr. Overbeck’s background in developing and nurturing public sector partnerships is extensive. He is the recipient of a Hammer Award from former US Vice President Al Gore for his leadership in The Oregon Option, an innovative federal/state partnership that exchanged federal regulatory relief for enhanced performance outcomes in employment and training programs, and also served as the legislative director to Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts in the early 1990s. From 1997-2000, Mr. Overbeck was the first coordinator of Oregon’s one-stop career center system, which has developed over three decades to become the primary vehicle for labor exchange in the state. From 2001-2003, he served as Interim Executive Officer of the Oregon Child Care Commission, and led a coalition of public and non-profit groups to successfully advocate for enhanced child care regulation. And, from 2006-2008, Mr. Overbeck led a series of listening sessions around the state as Executive Staff to the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services to promote planning for the future of long-term care in Oregon.
Mr. Overbeck earned his Bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Willamette University, and also studied at Birkbeck College, University of London – where he served as a Hansard Scholar. Mr. Overbeck is active in his spiritual community, currently serving as President of his congregation. He also leads courses and programs for Landmark Worldwide, a global personal and professional growth, training and development organization.
As Director of the Oregon Primary Care Office, Mr. Overbeck leads a team of people dedicated to promoting access to quality health services for all people living in the state. He is responsible for the development of health professional shortage designations in Oregon, developing primary care needs assessments for the state, and enhancing the capacity of a coalition of partners in Oregon to facilitate health care workforce recruitment and retention in underserved areas. In his position, Mr. Overbeck has focused on special populations such as migrant and seasonal farmworkers, the homeless, low-income individuals, and the uninsured. He and his office oversee a multi-million program established by the Oregon legislature to expand the size and diversity of Oregon’s healthcare workforce.
Mr. Overbeck’s background in developing and nurturing public sector partnerships is extensive. He is the recipient of a Hammer Award from former US Vice President Al Gore for his leadership in The Oregon Option, an innovative federal/state partnership that exchanged federal regulatory relief for enhanced performance outcomes in employment and training programs, and also served as the legislative director to Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts in the early 1990s. From 1997-2000, Mr. Overbeck was the first coordinator of Oregon’s one-stop career center system, which has developed over three decades to become the primary vehicle for labor exchange in the state. From 2001-2003, he served as Interim Executive Officer of the Oregon Child Care Commission, and led a coalition of public and non-profit groups to successfully advocate for enhanced child care regulation. And, from 2006-2008, Mr. Overbeck led a series of listening sessions around the state as Executive Staff to the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services to promote planning for the future of long-term care in Oregon.
Mr. Overbeck earned his Bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Willamette University, and also studied at Birkbeck College, University of London – where he served as a Hansard Scholar. Mr. Overbeck is active in his spiritual community, currently serving as President of his congregation. He also leads courses and programs for Landmark Worldwide, a global personal and professional growth, training and development organization.