Press Releases

Sara Gibson

MD, Mountain ECHO Medical Consultant

Sara Gibson, MD, has been a psychiatrist in rural community mental health for 26 years, and has had her DEA MAT waiver since 2006. She founded and has continuously been the Medical Director for the Steward Health Choice Arizona’s (SHCA, formerly NARBHA) nationally recognized Telemedicine program for 22 years. She regularly presents nationally on clinical initiatives in telemedicine.

Dr. Gibson is also Medical Director for Little Colorado Behavioral Health Centers in rural Apache County, Arizona. Dr. Gibson completed her psychiatric residency at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center where she was also Chief Resident, and completed medical school at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine on a designated rural medicine track. She is passionate about providing highest quality and timely medical services to underserved persons, educating on nonpharmacological interventions for health and mental illnesses, and singing opera, hiking, and doing yoga.

Lauren Lauder

MSW, LISAC, Mountain ECHO Subject Matter Expert

Lauren Lauder has worked in the behavioral health field for more than 15 years. Lauren received her Master of Business Administration from the University of West Georgia, Master of Social Work from New Mexico Highlands University, and Bachelor of Social Work degree from Northern Arizona University. Lauren is licensed as an independent substance abuse counselor. Lauren is employed at The Guidance Center as the Chief Executive Officer.

One of the core values that Lauren holds is that everyone’s recovery journey is unique and we are in the business of helping others through their journey of recovery. In her spare time Lauren enjoys reading, being outdoors, and family time.

John Ryan Kivela

MA, Mountain ECHO Research Consultant

Ryan Kivela is the Director of Adult & Crisis Services for Steward Health Choice Arizona (SHCA) in Flagstaff, AZ. He has over 10 years of experience in behavioral and integrated healthcare management. He is specifically interested in developing Evidence Based Practices, including Assertive Community Treatment, Supported Employment and Medication Assisted Treatment.

Ryan’s team is a grantee of the State Targeted Response (STR) to the Opioid Crisis and is currently establishing new resources for the care of individuals in Northern Arizona suffering from opioid use disorders (OUD). This ECHO hub is an expression of the needs of the Northern Arizona community, and its support of the people that our spoke sites and partners provide.

Ryan was raised in upstate New York. His first name is John, but his mom has called him Ryan since birth. He attended Iona College in New Rochelle, NY and loves the Celtic Culture that thrives there. Having moved to the Mountains of Arizona in 2002, Ryan enjoys hiking and backpacking the beautiful terrain that surrounds his Flagstaff home.

Jennifer Pierce

BA, Mountain ECHO Information Technology

Jennifer Pierce has been the Telemedicine manager for Steward Health Choice Arizona, formally known as NARBHA, for the last five years and has been working in telemedicine for 6 years. She is an active member of the American Telemedicine Association and the Northern Arizona Telehealth Alliance and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Enterprise from NAU and an Associate of Business from Pima Community College.

Rose Planteen

MPH, CPhT, Mountain ECHO Clinic Coordinator

Rose attended Northern Arizona University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in 2009 in Chemistry with an emphasis in Pre-Professional Health. She worked as a Certified Pharmacy Technician for ten years in retail pharmacy, community behavioral health pharmacy, and finally at Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral Health Authority (NARBHA), now Steward Health Choice Arizona, reviewing pharmacy Prior Authorizations and completing pharmacy reports for the Medicaid line of business.

With a new desire to impact health disparities and underserved populations, she completed her Master’s in Public Health in December 2017. During her Master’s program, she worked at a Federally Qualified Health Clinic (FQHC) in care management providing assistance to individuals in transitions of care, coordination of care, and health coaching. She now works at Steward as the Program Manager for Northern Arizona’s part in the Opioid State Targeted Response Grants, STR and SOR, from SAMHSA. The grant works to increase access to treatment for under and uninsured individuals living with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD).