PURPOSE
The purpose of Healthfirst is to improve the reproductive health, mental health, and nutritional health within our communities.
MISSION
Healthfirst is dedicated to providing quality, confidential reproductive health care, mental health care, education and nutrition counseling that is affordable and accessible through direct care and strategic partnerships.
CORE VALUES
Healthfirst fulfills its purpose and mission through:
- Providing confidential services;
- Treating all with respect and dignity;
- Empowering through education;
- Maintaining honesty and integrity;
- Being kind, caring & empathetic; and
- Committing to innovative, high quality, evidence-based services.
MEET OUR TEAM
Dr. Jessica Scharfenberg
Chief Executive Officer
After graduating from Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin, Jessica began her career as a registered nurse in the emergency room of a critical access hospital in central South Dakota. This is where her passion for public health began.
Jessica transitioned into public health while working for the South Dakota Department of Health as a Public Health Regional Manager, before moving back home to Wisconsin. She obtained her master’s in Public Health from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, with an emphasis in policy and administration.
Since Jessica loves a good challenge and continual learning, she returned to school to pursue her doctorate with the goal of bridging her healthcare background with business. She graduated from Walden University in May of 2023 with her Doctorate in Business Administration with an emphasis in leadership where she completed her research on the Relationship Between Nurse Managers' Cultural Humility Practices and Nurse Retention.
Jessica brings a variety of hands-on, public health experience to her leadership at Healthfirst and believes prevention is the best medicine. “When we focus on the health of our community, together as a community we reap great success.”
In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time in the great outdoors with her husband and two sons. From hunting to fishing and hiking, she is always on the go with her boys.
LeeAnn Isham-Her
Chief Operating Officer
LeeAnn started her education at Northcentral Technical College where she obtained her associate degree Nursing. She then pursued her bachelor’s degree in nursing from UW-Oshkosh and ultimately went on to complete her Masters in Nursing Leadership and Management through Capella University. Throughout her educational and professional journey, she has worked in many different settings such as clinic, hospital, home health, and academia. LeeAnn has a worked in healthcare for her entire life and loves to combine her passion of healthcare with education.
LeeAnn and her husband, Josh, live in Wausau with their three children. In her free time, LeeAnn enjoys spending as much time with her family as possible while doing things like camping, fishing, and traveling.
Jerry Lyon
Chief Financial Officer
Jerry is an energetic and proactive leader with extensive non-profit management experience. Through his previous work with Special Olympics and Big Brothers Big Sisters, his leadership has been on the forefront of strategic planning, program growth, implementation of new programming, special events, communications, and staff and volunteer management, on a local, statewide, and national level. Jerry received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.
Jerry and his wife have two children. He refuses to miss watching them play on the basketball court, softball diamond, or golf course. He also enjoys coaching, playing golf, and muskie fishing.
Nate Zurawski
Service Line Manager
Reproductive Health
Nate brings a unique blend of leadership experience from hospitality and golf club management to non-profit work and leading public health initiatives. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from UW-Stevens Point. After several successful years in hospitality and golf management, Nate transitioned to public service, most recently serving as a Program Manager at the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service.
In this role, Nate was instrumental in building partnerships with community organizations and public health networks through collaborative efforts with the Hmong and Hispanic Communication Network (H2N) and the Rural Resiliency Network (R2N). His work focused on improving health outcomes in Marathon and neighboring counties by providing essential resources and tools to underserved communities.
Nate’s approach to his work is deeply rooted in the belief that he has some responsibility to the collective well-being of his community. He views his role as a privilege and is dedicated to leveraging his skills and experiences to serve others effectively.
In his personal time, Nate enjoys golfing, hiking, kayaking, and playing with his dog, Flex. His commitment to both his professional responsibilities and personal passions reflects his belief in living a balanced and fulfilling life.
Stephanie Peterson
Service Line Manager
WIC
Stephanie completed her bachelor’s degree in human biology with an emphasis in nutritional science at UW-Green Bay. She went on to start her career as a Registered Dietitian in South Carolina working in critical care. After several years in the critical care setting, Stephanie came to Healthfirst looking to transition into a more community-focused, preventative health role. Early in her career at Healthfirst, she assumed a participant-centered role and was an integral part of distributing WIC benefits to qualifying community members. Over time, she has grown within Healthfirst and found comfort and passion in being a proactive force promoting nutrition education and fighting food insecurity in our community.
In her free time, Stephanie loves to stay active by going to the gym, playing sports, or getting outdoors and going for hikes with her dog, Ace. She also loves to cook, bake, and spend quality time with family.
Jalessa Perez
Service Line Manager
Mental Health
Jalessa holds a master's in clinical psychology from Case Western Reserve University & a BA in Psychology from Millsaps College. During graduate school her research specialized in analyzing risk and protective factors for depression and suicide within Veteran populations and people who have completed suicide. Jalessa has had an eclectic background working in various mental health roles such as community mental health worker, crisis professional, and care coordinator. She strongly advocates for access to quality mental health care, social justice , and LGBTQA+ rights.
In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading and playing Dungeons and Dragons.