Kittitas Valley Healthcare CEO wins the prestigious Joe Hopkins Memorial Award from the Washington State Hospital Association
Ellensburg, WA, November 1, 2022 –Julie Petersen, Kittitas Valley Healthcare CEO was awarded the 2022 Joe Hopkins Memorial Award at the Washington State Hospital Association’s (WSHA) Annual meeting on Monday, October 17. The Joe Hopkins Memorial Award was created in 1987 to acknowledge an individual who displays the spirit of Joe Hopkins’ vision and dedication to Washington’s hospitals.
Julie began her career in health care almost 40 years ago as a staff accountant for Group Health Cooperative in Seattle. Since 2016, she has served as the CEO of Kittitas County Public Hospital District No. 1 and Superintendent of Kittitas County Public Hospital District No. 2 serving Upper Kittitas County. Julie has been a member and Chair of the WSHA Rural Committee and is the past president of AWPHD and past chair of WSHA. The American Hospital Association (AHA) invited Julie to be a member of its Task Force on Ensuring Healthcare for Vulnerable Communities and to represent small and rural hospitals on the AHA Regional Policy Board for Region nine.
Julie has been a strong leader for rural hospitals and all hospitals in Washington for decades, and she is particularly dedicated to ensuring rural residents have access to high-quality care in every community in Washington. When Julie returned to Ellensburg in 2016, Medical staff development and Board development were high on her list of priorities and resulted in the first medical staff development plan for Kittitas Valley Healthcare.
Additionally, Julie was also focused on improving partnerships with local private practices, Community Health of Central Washington, Central Washington University and our regional referral centers so KVH could serve more of our community here at home. As a result of this continuing work, access to healthcare in our rural county is stronger. In recent years Julie has led KVH through a worldwide pandemic and has been a key partner with other community agencies in caring for the residents of Kittitas County.
“Julie is a practical visionary,” stated Michele Wurl, Chief Public Relations Officer at KVH. “Whether focusing on bringing services to the bedside, resources to the workforce or partners to the table, she is skilled at looking forward and working with all partners to make a vision reality. Julie sets the tone for Kittitas Valley Healthcare through her dedication, hard work, tireless commitment and constant compassion for her employees and community.”
Media Contacts:
Michele Wurl, Chief Public Relations Officer
509.933.8838
mwurl@kvhealthcare.org