Livingston HealthCare’s Leadership Team
Meet the Leaders of Our Day-to-Day Operations
Livingston HealthCare is managed by a team of highly-trained, experienced
professionals. These leaders answer to a
board of directors populated by community members. Check out their profiles below to get
to know more about who they are and what they do. The managers and board
of directors work together to set the strategic objectives of Livingston
HealthCare and help keep the organization focused on its mission to serve
through quality healthcare.
Bruce Whitfield, Chief Executive Officer
Bruce Whitfield joined Livingston HealthCare as Chief Executive Officer
in February 2023. Bruce has over 30 years of healthcare experience and
has worked for several health systems within Montana.
For the past 10 years, Bruce worked for Logan Health as Chief Executive
Officer at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center in Libby, MT and also as President
of the Outreach Network based out of Kalispell, MT. His other experience
includes positions at Providence Health and Services and Sisters of Charity
of Leavenworth Health System. Bruce has a Masters of Business Administration
from the University of Montana, is a Fellow of the American College of
Healthcare Executives and is a Certified Public Accountant.
In his spare time, Bruce enjoys all of the many outdoor activities that
Montana offers, especially hunting, fishing and boating.
Kris Kester, VP of Finance and Operations
Kris Kester became the Vice President of Finance and Operations in July
of 2021, after serving as Finance Director at Livingston HealthCare since
July of 2019, and Controller since 2018. Kris’s diverse background
includes serving as a Medicare Auditor with Noridian as well as Controller
and Director of Human Resources for the University of Providence—a
ministry of Providence Health and Services in Great Falls, MT.
Kris has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Montana State University
- Bozeman, as well as a Master’s of Business Administration degree
focused in Healthcare Administration from the University of Arkansas–Grantham.
Kris holds certifications in Grants Management Accounting, Change Facilitation,
and Healthcare Financial Management. In his spare time, he serves on various
boards and committees in the community and enjoys all of the winter and
warm weather activities the area offers.
Stacy Kohler, RN, VP of Patient Care Services
In October 2022, after serving since 2019 as Livingston HealthCare's
Director of Nursing, Stacy Kohler became the VP of Patient Care Services.
Stacy holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Cardinal Stritch University
and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Arizona. She
has been a member of Livingston HealthCare's nursing team for more
than 15 years, working as a nurse in the Emergency Department (ED) and
the ICU as well as serving as the Livingston HealthCare Trauma Coordinator
and ED Manager. Her professional focus, equal access to quality health
care for all, was cultivated early in her career when she began working
as an ED and ICU nurse. Today, Stacy continues to dedicate herself to
serving our patients and community while providing support to our team.
Outside of work, Stacy enjoys exploring the surrounding area with her family
and rooting for her children as they play their current sport of choice.
Larry Fagerhaug, Interim VP of Human Resources
Larry Fagerhaug has worked in the Healthcare industry for the last 42 years,
with the last 15 years as an executive in Human Resources. He holds a
Master of Business Administration from Capella University. He and his
high school sweetheart, Rose, live in Missoula, Montana, They enjoy music,
travel and living the good life in Western Montana.