Valued Voice

On Nov. 19, WHA hosted Dr. Mike Stadler (Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Landmark Champion), Nadine Allen (Chief Quality Officer, WHA), Corey Feist (CEO & Co-Founder, Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation) and Dr. Stefanie Simmons (CMO, Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation) as they shared the five-year vision for the Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers Health Workforce Well-Being Initiative.

Dr. Stadler highlighted partnerships with WHA, the Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation and now—after today—all of you, to advance landmark workforce initiatives. Nadine Allen emphasized WHA’s long-standing commitment to workforce recruitment, retention and sustainable solutions for Wisconsin’s health care system.

Corey Feist shared a deeply personal story about Dr. Lorna Breen, his sister-in-law, who feared seeking mental health treatment due to professional stigma. Despite reluctantly seeking help, concerns about her reputation persisted and she ultimately died by suicide, highlighting this national crisis.

Dr. Simmons outlined the phases of this work. The initiative focuses on three key areas:

• Break down barriers to care for health care workers
• Learn the well-being systems approach
• Integrate well-being into operational improvement

Together, we can reduce burnout, eliminate stigma and safeguard clinician well-being across Wisconsin.

Watch the webinar recording and view the slides here.

To say connected or to learn more, visit Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers: Health Workforce Well-Being.

Save the date: Caring for Wisconsin’s Caregivers Well-Being First Champion Challenge for Credentialing Kickoff

Join us on Jan. 14, 2026, from 12-1:00 p.m. for the official launch of the Credentialing Challenge, a statewide effort to ensure credentialing applications are free from stigmatizing language and promote mental health support for health care workers. Register for the webinar here. 

Intended audience: chief medical officers, medical staff services/credentialing team colleagues and others leading workforce well-being efforts in hospitals, health systems and organizations.