Winter 2026 Newsletter

A Message from your Board

Message from the President Michelle Lour, BSN, MHSA

We’re excited to connect with you as we continue our shared commitment to safer, more reliable, and higher‑quality care. The new year brings KARQM Board changes including last year’s President Tereasa DeMeritt moving to the Past President role. Thank you Tereasa for your previous and continued time and dedication to KARQM. Special thanks to Past President Liz Carlton who after many years of leadership has officially stepped down from the KARQM Board. Your enthusiasm, knowledge and mentorship have been invaluable to the organization and to the furtherment of safe, quality care across Kansas.

New Board Members

Jarrod Weir

Jarrod Weir serves as the South-Central District Chair for KARQM and is the Quality & Risk Manager at Caldwell Regional Medical Center in Caldwell, Kansas. His educational background includes an Associate’s Degree in Healthcare Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management, and additional certifications, including Social Service Designee. With more than 20 years of experience in patient care and healthcare operations, Jarrod’s career spans long-term care, labor and delivery, surgery, acute care, and emergency services. Passionate about ensuring safe, high-quality care, Jarrod is deeply committed to supporting and strengthening healthcare delivery in rural communities. His work is driven by a belief that every patient deserves excellence in care and safety.

Jarrod resides in Wellington, Kansas, where he was born and raised. Outside of work, he is a devoted single parent and legal guardian to his two nephews and niece, ages 14, 10, and 4, and is currently working toward adoption. While free time is limited, Jarrod is rarely without a book, and some of his favorite moments are spent gathered with the kids on a Saturday night, sharing popcorn and watching classic 1990s movies—fondly referred to as “old-timer movies” by his 14-year-old.

Melissa Jones, BSN, RN CPHQ

Melissa serves as the Southeast District Chair for KARQM and is the Quality, Risk, and Compliance Director for Greenwood County Hospital in Eureka, KS.  She brings 30 years of experience in rural healthcare and moved into the Quality/Risk role 10 years ago.  

Melissa received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Emporia State University and recently achieved her Certification in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ).  She has also served on the KHA Patient Safety Committee for the past three years.  Melissa is passionate about working alongside her team to provide safe, high-quality care for both patients and staff.   

Outside of work, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband on their cattle ranch and loves to travel.  She has two adult children who serve in the military, which creates many opportunities for travel, and especially enjoys visiting Florida to spend time with her two granddaughters.     

Terry Siek, MSN, RN NEA-BC

Terry Siek is the Director of Clinical Services for the Kansas Hospital Association. He recently transitioned into this role after more than 36 years at Hays Medical Center, where he served as Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services. Throughout his career, Terry has played a pivotal role in advancing nursing practice, building leadership capacity, and guiding organizations through major clinical and cultural transformations. He is known for his approachable leadership style, steady decision-making, and ability to create environments where nurses feel supported and empowered. Terry’s influence extends beyond individual institutions, contributing to nursing workforce development and community health initiatives across Kansas.

Terry was born in WaKeeney and raised in Ransom.  He attended Kansas State University and graduated with both a BSN and MSN from Fort Hays State University.  He and his partner split their time between Topeka and Hays.  He is the youngest of 3, with a sister and a brother.  He has 6 nieces and nephews and 18 great nieces and nephews with another on the way.  In his spare time, he enjoys family gatherings, watching sports and going to live theater events. 

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Conference Recap

Thank You for Attending the Fall 2025 Conference

Thank you to everyone who attended the Fall 2025 Conference. With more than 110 participants, the event was a tremendous success, featuring engaging speakers, meaningful discussion, and valuable opportunities for networking and professional development.

We were pleased to welcome a distinguished group of presenters. Cameron Charity, Education Outreach & Outreach Coordinator, provided an overview of the Kansas Board of Healing Arts, including the anatomy of the complaint and investigation process, review committees, outcomes, and board actions. Cameron also highlighted the Provider Wellness Program, outlining available resources and the overall process. Linda Davies delivered an informative overview of the Kansas Board of Nursing, walking attendees through the life cycle of a complaint and the Nurse Licensure Compact. Most notably, she reviewed the NURSYS eNotify system and explained how understanding license nomenclature can help identify nurse impostors. Stephanie Becraft, LCAC, presented an in-depth review of the KNAP program, offering practical insight into its structure and purpose. Cecilia Sherraden, RN, KDHE Risk Management Assistant Program Manager, shared an overview of risk management reporting forms, current reporting trends, and survey processes. The conference concluded with a robust and engaging expert panel discussion, “Bridging the Gap Between Quality & Risk,” facilitated by Susan Runyan of Runyan Health Care Quality Consulting. The discussion focused on building a culture that integrates quality and risk to foster continuous improvement and promote staff engagement across organizations.

During the lunch break, districts gathered for meetings and had the opportunity to network with fellow KARQM members. The annual board meeting was also held, during which current board members were reelected with no opposing nominations from the floor. Cody Utz (Secretary), and Shawna Blanka (Vice President) were all reelected to another term. In addition, Sarah Hoy was elected as President-Elect, with her term beginning in January 2026. Sarah currently serves as the SEK District Chair.

The conference concluded with the presentation of the Faith Ball Scholarship. The $2,500 scholarship was awarded to Dawn Stasser to support attendance at a national seminar, conference, or pursuit of a quality or risk professional certification. Members were also introduced to the new Catalyst Award, including an overview of the application process, which is open now for awards at Spring Conference. As always, the event wrapped up with a book giveaway featuring valuable reference materials for quality, safety, and risk leaders. A full list of previously offered books can be found on the website under the Book Club section. Special thanks to Liz Carlton for providing this outstanding opportunity for leadership and professional development.

We sincerely appreciate conference survey feedback, which helps guide the planning of future events. Most importantly, thank you for your patience and flexibility throughout the conference as program changes occurred. Your adaptability reflects the collaborative spirit of our professions. Your Board remains committed to balancing timely and relevant topics across risk, quality, and safety, ensuring opportunities to learn, share perspectives, and spark meaningful discussion. Patient safety remains our shared goal—and when we intercept effectively, our patients, families, and communities all benefit. Highlights from the feedback included positive comments on networking and collaboration opportunities, interactive panel discussions, insights from KDHE, the Board of Healing Arts, and KNAP, and the always-popular book giveaway.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support.

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Scholarships

KARQM Catalyst Award

Receiving applications now with a deadline of February 28th. These scholarships will be awarded at the upcoming Spring Conference on April 8th.

The KARQM Board is proud to offer two scholarships designed to support members pursuing certification in risk management, healthcare quality, or patient safety. Each recipient will receive up to $1,000 to cover expenses directly related to obtaining certification. 

Why Certification Matters: Achieving certification in risk, quality, or safety reflects a deep commitment to improving patient outcomes, strengthening healthcare systems, and advancing safer care. Here's how certified professionals make a difference:

Eligibility Criteria: 
To apply for the KARQM Catalyst Scholarship, applicants must meet the following requirements: 

How to apply:
Eligible members may apply by completing the KARQM Catalyst Award Application.

Apply Here  

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Mentor Program

The Mentor Program remains one of the key benefits of KARQM. Providing access to a Risk or Quality experts as individuals come to our field of work is essential for success. With online membership renewal, the chance to sign up for mentoring or to become a mentor has become difficult. New members can sign up when joining. 

To continue to give everyone the chance to volunteer to be a mentor, be mentored if you originally didn't sign up when you joined, or with a job change, KARQM provides an application form early in the year. 

Apply Here  

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Calendar of Events

KARQM Spring Conference

The Kansas Association for Risk and Quality Management (KARQM) invites you to join us for our biannual Conference, a premier gathering of healthcare professionals dedicated to advancing excellence in risk management, quality improvement, and patient safety.

We look forward to welcoming both new and returning members to this enriching event. Join us in Salina, KS on April 8, 2026, as we learn, connect, and lead the way toward safer, more resilient healthcare systems across Kansas. Registration closes March 26th.

 Register Now 

2026 KU Care Collaborative Annual Summit

We were happy to collaborate with The University of Kansas Medical Center to coordinate our conferences to be back to back and the same location.

Annual Summit is April 9, 2026 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Salina, KS. Course Description: The Care Collaborative Annual Summit brings together member hospitals to discuss the best practices and the standardization of treatments for heart disease, stroke, sepsis, and diabetes to advance patient care across Kansas and reduce healthcare costs. 

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