Our team of leaders – made up of dedicated, focused and experienced administrators – is guided by respect, compassion, and humility. Working with each other and with a network of experienced caregivers, their focus on the wellness of our communities is making a difference for patients, healthcare providers, employees, and the tribal nations of the Great Plains.
Leadership
Jerilyn Church
CEOJerilyn Church is the Chief Executive Officer of the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board. Church joined GPTCHB in 2012, ushering in an organizational restructuring to meet the health-related needs of the tribal nations the organization serves through the provision of technical assistance, policy analysis, and advocacy, as well as acting as a liaison between the health board and Indian Health Service to help identify and meet the needs of GPTCHB constituents.
Born and raised on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation – one of the reservations served by GPTCHB – Church obtained her bachelor’s degree in social work with an emphasis in American Indian studies from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. From there, Church pursued her master’s degree at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, receiving a full fellowship in child welfare with an emphasis in human services management.
Upon completion of her education, Church became the Executive Director for the American Indian Health and Family Services center in southeast Michigan, which provides behavioral health, social services, health education and youth programming to an estimated 57,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives. Under her leadership, the organization tripled its budget and doubled its staff to expand and meet the needs of those it serves.
Sunny Colombe
Senior Vice President of Financial OperationSunny Colombe is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. She received her master’s degree in business administration from National American University. Prior to joining GPTCHB in 2011, Colombe served as a health system administrator at the Rosebud Indian Health Service. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her three children.
Mark Harlow
Chief Medical OfficerDr. Mark Harlow is an orthopedic surgeon who moved to South Dakota in 1991. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin and has been in practice for more than 20 years. As an orthopedic surgeon, he diagnosed and treated ailments affecting muscles, bones, and joints, including sports injuries, degenerative diseases, tumors, infections, and birth defects. Dr. Harlow also serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Cornerstone Rescue Mission, Medical Director for the Special Olympics of South Dakota, and on the Board of Directors for the South Dakota State Medical Association. He is a faculty member at the Sanford School of Medicine and at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Todd Warren
Chief Health Administrator (Interim)Todd Warren grew up in Crawford, Nebraska, where his parents operated a small-town drugstore. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1990. After graduation, he served in the United States Air Force for six years before transferring his commission to the U.S. Public Health Service. He served the people of the Wind River Reservation for nine years, where he worked as a staff pharmacist and later as chief pharmacist. He was then assigned as the pharmacy director at the Rapid City Service Unit for 13 years. He has been with GPTCHB since July 2019. Warren is married with two grown children and two grandsons. He likes spending time with his family, camping, and fishing.
Craig Grunenfelder
Director of Facilities Operations Fawn Janis
Director of Quality Insurance Rikki Lynn Schad, RN, BSN
Director of NursingRikki Lynn Schad is from Lantry, South Dakota, and is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. She has received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from South Dakota State University and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration. Prior to her work at Oyate Health Center, she served in nursing management at Rapid City Regional Hospital and the Cheyenne River Service Unit. In her spare time, Schad enjoys traveling, biking, camping, and hiking with her husband and three children: Sydney, a graduate student at Columbia University, and twins Matthew and Mya, who are both seniors at Rapid City Central High School.
