04/29/2026
Congratulations to WHA members, Jason Amrich, CEO of Gunnison Valley Health, Will Cook, President & CEO of Vail Health, Soniya Fidler, President of UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, Kim Lucero, CEO of Mt. San Rafael Hospital, and Jeff Mengenhausen, CEO of Montrose Regional Health, for being named on Becker’s list of 146 rural hospital and health system presidents and CEOs to know!
https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/146-rural-hospital-and-health-system-presidents-and-ceos-to-know-2026/?origin=CEOE&utm_source=CEOE&utm_medium=email&utm_content=newsletter&oly_enc_id=5990I5330367J1Z
Jason Amrich. CEO of Gunnison (Colo.) Valley Health. As CEO of Gunnison Valley Health, Mr. Amrich leads a comprehensive rural health system in Colorado, encompassing a critical access hospital, specialty clinics, paramedic services and more than 500 employees. He has implemented groundbreaking initiatives to ensure that advanced care is available in remote communities, including an Epic EHR transition, service line expansions, surgical robotics and AI scribes. Mr. Amrich also spearheaded a $12 million campaign for a new paramedic station and introduced Lean and just culture practices to improve quality, safety and accountability. His leadership has unified orthopedic and primary care services, preserved the legacy of local providers and built lasting partnerships with community stakeholders. The system has earned numerous recognitions under his tenure, including CMS 5-star ratings, American Heart Association awards and a Baby-Friendly designation.
Will Cook. President and CEO at Vail (Colo.) Health. Mr. Cook oversees the ex*****on of the system’s strategic pillars of affordability, accessibility, population health and sustainability to forward Vail Health’s mission of elevating health across rural mountain communities. During his tenure as president and CEO, he has focused on expanding access to high-quality, affordable patient care, led the integration of primary and specialty care with the addition of Colorado Mountain Medical, oversaw the completion of a $350 million hospital renovation, and expanded operations in neighboring counties, including the opening of two new ambulatory surgery centers and a comprehensive outpatient medical center. He is passionate about addressing the community’s behavioral health crisis, leading the launch of the Vail Health Behavioral Health Innovation Center and the opening of both an outpatient behavioral health clinic and a 28-bed inpatient behavioral health hospital.
Soniya Fidler. President of UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center (Steamboat Springs, Colo.). As president of UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, Ms. Fidler is responsible for the long and short-term strategic planning of the hospital, leading strategic, growth and operational objectives on a broad basis across hospital operations. She leverages her expertise and administrative knowledge to facilitate, measure, evaluate and interpret the needs of patients and performance of staff while directing activities accordingly. She has led several major projects for the hospital including a partnership with Steamboat Orthopaedic & Spine Institute to create Steamboat Surgery Center. Ms. Fidler has also helped develop a relationship with Old Town Hot Springs to benefit patients and the community as well as a new partnership with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield that enabled a more affordable insurance plan. She also was instrumental in cementing a longtime partnership with Steamboat Resort with the opening of an urgent care clinic at the base of the ski mountain.
Kim Lucero. CEO of Mt. San Rafael Hospital (Trinidad, Colo.). Ms. Lucero serves as CEO of Mt. San Rafael Hospital and Clinics, bringing a deep commitment to innovation, quality and community connection. She has reshaped the trajectory of the organization by ensuring sustainable growth, operational excellence and improved patient access. Under her leadership, Mt. San Rafael Hospital and Clinics was named a “Top 100 Critical Access Hospital” by the Chartis Center for Rural Health in 2025. Ms. Lucero has spearheaded major advancements across the enterprise, including digital transformation, AI-driven clinical innovation, employee engagement and a long-range master facility plan to meet future community needs. Her leadership has also positioned the hospital as a model for cybersecurity readiness and care delivery in rural America.
Jeff Mengenhausen. CEO of Montrose (Colo.) Regional Health. Mr. Mengenhausen has led Montrose Regional Health, an independent rural hospital in western Colorado, since September 2021, and is the only former U.S. Navy SEAL currently serving as a hospital CEO in the country. In his first four years, Mr. Mengenhausen oversaw completion of a four-story, 90,000-square-foot ambulatory care center, hired more than 120 new providers, launched a digestive health service line with 24-hour coverage, opened a neurology clinic and outpatient infusion center, and expanded the San Juan Cancer Center into a new state-of-the-art facility. In 2025, Montrose Regional Health earned Chartis “Top 100 Rural and Community Hospital” recognition, Healthgrades “Outstanding Patient Experience” and “Patient Safety Excellence” awards, and a “Women’s Choice Award” for best hospital obstetrics. Mr. Mengenhausen has made leadership development a central priority, conducting six full-day offsite trainings for more than 85 leaders in 2025 and completing more than 20 human resources and leadership development programs across the organization. He previously served as CEO of Madelia (Minn.) Health and serves on the boards of Western Slope Health Alliance and the Montrose economic development committee.
