Leadership team
Leadership team
Helen Strike
President
- As the president of River Falls Area Hospital and Allina Health United Hospital – Hastings Regina Campus in Hastings, Minn., Helen Strike provides leadership for hospital operations, patient experience, staff and physicians, and strategic planning. Helen previously served as president of Allina Health Mercy Hospital – Unity campus from 2013 through 2016.
- Helen was a registered nurse before she moved into leadership roles. She has also held positions at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul, Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville and Regions Hospital in St. Paul. She has also done consulting work for Navigant Consulting and, most recently, Press Ganey. She began her current role in June 2019.
Jen Loesch
Director of Patient Care Services
- Length of service: since May 2004
- Previous experience: director of quality, safety and performance improvement at River Falls Area Hospital.
Carrie Torgersen, MD
Director of Medical Affairs
- Medical School: University of Minnesota
- Residency: North Memorial Medical Center
- Dr. Torgersen is board certified in family medicine and has been serving the River Falls community since 2008.
- Practice philosophy: positive patient relationships result in better care and outcomes
- Dr. Torgersen has served on the Physician’s Governance Counsel and as the department head of the Maternal Child Committee at the hospital. She currently serves as the Medical Director for River Falls Hospital since 2017.
Cyndy Bayer
Manager of Quality, River Falls Area Hospital and Allina Health United Hospital – Hastings Regina Campus
- Length of service: since 1997
- Previous experience: quality and risk manager and nursing leadership roles at River Falls Area Hospital since 2000
Linda McElmurry
Director of Human Resources, River Falls Area Hospital and Allina Health United Hospital – Hastings Regina Campus
- Length of service: since July 2018
- Previous experience: 27 years in human resources field including HR manager at Carlson School of Management and senior HR generalist at Mercy Hospital, Allina
Brandi Poellinger
Community Benefit & Engagement Manager, River Falls Area Hospital and Allina Health United Hospital – Hastings Regina Campus
- Length of service at Regina Hospital: since 2015
- Previous experience: 15 years in community health, marketing and work site wellness at Regina, River Falls and Osceola Medical Center
Jason Bainbridge
Director of Operations, Allina Health United Hospital – Hastings Regina Campus and River Falls Area Hospital
- Length of service at Allina Health United Hospital – Hastings Regina Campus: December 2005
- Previous experience: Registered nurse for 16 years. Manager of surgery, endoscopy, pain center, outpatient infusion and cancer center at Regina Medical Center.
- Director of Operations since July 2019