Livingston HealthCare’s Leadership Team

Deb Anczak, Chief Executive Officer

Deb began her role as Livingston HealthCare's CEO in October 2018, after having served as Interim CEO since January of the same year. She has been a pharmacist for 25 years and in administrative roles for the past 13 years, most recently serving as Livingston HealthCare's Performance Improvement Director. In this role, Deb was responsible for managing and coordinating efforts to improve organization-wide performance and quality. She served as Pharmacy Manager at Livingston HealthCare for seven years. Prior to her time in Livingston, she was Director of Pharmacy at Billings Clinic. She has also served in pharmacy and administrative roles at healthcare institutions in Wisconsin and Idaho.

Scott Coleman, MD, Medical Director

Scott Coleman, MD, is a Board Certified Family Medicine physician who practices family medicine and obstetrics at Livingston HealthCare. He was selected to fill the role of Medical Director for Livingston HealthCare in October 2013, at which time he joined the Livingston HealthCare Board of Directors. Dr. Coleman received a degree in Microbiology from the University of Tennessee, followed by his MD from the University of South Dakota. After the completion of his MD, Dr. Coleman served as a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy for six years, receiving the Navy Achievement Medal for Outstanding Performance as a Resident. In 2005, he moved to Park County to be closer to family. Dr. Coleman is presently a Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Corp of the Montana Air National Guard.

Chris Darnell, Vice President of Operations

Chris serves as Vice President of Operations for Livingston Healthcare. With more than 20 years of healthcare experience, he has held leadership positions at a major academic medical center, a community for-profit hospital, and most recently Bozeman Health where he was the Hospital Administrator for Big Sky Medical Center. He also has a bachelor’s degree in Economics, a master’s degree in Health Sciences, and a doctorate in Health Administration.

Additionally, Chris is married and has two children, a golden retriever and a cat. While he stays active in the community as a volunteer coach and serving on various local Boards, he also enjoys skiing and many of the other outside activities associated with the area.

Vicki Axtell, Human Resources Director

Vicki Axtell became Director of Human Resources at Livingston HealthCare in the summer of 2015. As Human Resources Director, Vicki leads LHC’s talent acquisition, organizational development, benefits administration, employee health, and human resources information system initiatives.

Vicki is an accomplished transformational leader with more than 15 years of human resources experience. She has led initiatives that have successfully improved employee satisfaction, organizational development, retention, and staff engagement. Vicki has provided Human Resources services to tourism, retail, city municipality, and health care agencies.

Vicki came to Livingston from the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vermont. Prior to that Vicki was the Director of Human Resources at the Vermont League of Cities and Towns in Montpelier, Vermont and Director of Human Resources at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont.

Vicki earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Kris Kester, Chief Financial Officer

Kris Kester became the Finance Director at Livingston Healthcare in July of 2019, after serving as the Controller since January of 2018. Prior to coming to LHC, Kris was a Medicare Auditor for Noridian and most recently was the 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 degree in Business Administration with a focus in Healthcare Administration from Grantham University in Lenexa, Kansas, and is a Certified Grants Management Accountant. As Finance Director, Kris oversees finance, payroll, accounting, patient financial services, medical records, coding and transcription departments.

Outside of LHC, Kris is active in the community as a member of the Bozeman Symphonic Choir, serves on the board for CASA of Park and Sweet Grass Counties, previously served on the Board of Regents for Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA, for 6 years, and enjoys time with family and the many outdoor activities that the area has to offer.