Our Team
Our Team
Our leaders share a deep commitment to quality, compassionate end-of-life care that makes a difference in the lives of area residents and makes this region a better place to live. Our leaders come from diverse backgrounds, but all share a common mission and have deep roots within our community.
Dale R Gray, MD, has been an internal medicine physician for 37 years, 22 of those years in private practice in Rockford. He brings six years of hospice experience to Northern Illinois Hospice. In his role as medical director, he is responsible for the medical component of the hospice program.
He graduated from Houghton College (NY) in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Summa Cum Laude. He earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois. He then completed his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Rochester, Rochester General Hospital, and served a year as Chief Resident. Early in his career, he helped open the Crusader Clinic office on Kishwaukee Street in Rockford, worked as a staff physician at the Rockford Clinic, and helped start the Hospitalist Program at Rockford Memorial Hospital, serving as its medical director. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Wollstadt brought a wealth of experience to Northern Illinois Hospice, since 2019. He had previously worked as a hospice physician for several years. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford. In addition, Dr. Wollstadt served as Director of the University Primary Clinic in Mount Morris and staff physician for KSB Hospital Primary Care Clinic.
Dr. Wollstadt retired as Medical Director at Pinecrest Manor Nursing Home, Mount Morris, and in Spring 2022 retired from seeing nursing home patients. Dr Wollstadt’s publications include Medical Education in the Ambulatory Setting: An Evaluation as well as numerous peer-reviewed articles. He is board certified in Internal Medicine with a specialty in Geriatrics. He has earned a Master of Science from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and attended medical school at the University of Pittsburgh.
Lauren Ives, MD, joined Northern Illinois Hospice in 2019. Board certified in Family Medicine, Dr. Ives’ practice is located at SwedishAmerican’s Valley Clinic in Rockford. She completed medical school at Ross University School of Medicine and residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. As a family physician, Dr. Ives cares for the entire family from pediatrics through geriatrics. She especially enjoys seeing entire families as a part of her care and learning not only about their medical ailments but also their unique stories and personalities. She finds purpose in supporting patients and their families through their hospice transition and making the journey is as easy as possible for them. Dr. Ives and her husband grew up in northern Illinois and are happy to raise their family in Rockford. She is a fan of Disney, traveling and reading.
Dr. Ross is a physician who was in private practice for over 30 years and now serves as a Clinical Associate Professor and Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford. A graduate of Loyola Stritch Medical School, he completed his family practice residency at Rockford Medical Education Foundation and his faculty development fellowship at Michigan State University’s Office of Medical Education Research and Development.
Dr. Weis is a family medicine physician with Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group. A graduate of Rush University Medical College, she completed her family medicine residency at West Suburban Medical Center.
As Northern Illinois Hospice’s Nurse Practitioner, Stephanie provides direct medical care to patients as well as direction and guidance to the hospice program and clinical staff. She consults and collaborates with Dale R. Gray, MD, Northern Illinois Hospice’s Medical Director, and patients’ attending physicians.
Stephanie Krogull, DNP, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, joined Northern Illinois Hospice in 2024. She has more than five years hospice experience and also worked at UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital as an RN for seven years in the Medical/Surgical, Inpatient Hospice, and Surgicare departments. Stephanie graduated from OSF Saint Anthony College of Nursing in 2011 with her RN-BSN degree and in 2019 with her Doctor of Nursing Practice (Adult Gerontology).
Lisa Novak
lnovak@niha.org
Chief Executive Officer
Sheila O’Leary MAHS
soleary@niha.org
Volunteer Coordinator
Kim Ellis MS
kellis@niha.org
Controller
Tonya Cooper RN, CHPN
tcooper@niha.org
Team Leader
Rebecca Girardin RN
rgirardin@niha.org
Team Leader
Thelma Busker SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CHCR
tbusker@niha.org
Director of Human Resources
Kristine Daub RN, BSN
kdaub@niha.org
Director of Patient Access
Jean Klemme BSN
jklemme@niha.org
Director of Quality, Compliance, & Education
Nora Clapsaddle MSN, RN
nclapsaddle@niha.org
Director of Clinical Services
Noel Nickel MBA
nnickel@niha.org
Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer
Cynthia Holda M.Div
cholda@niha.org
Bereavement Coordinator/Spiritual Counselor
Jen Conley MT-BC, LPC
jconley@niha.org
Music Therapist/Bereavement Coordinator
Susan Lundin
slundin@niha.org
Director of Northern Illinois Hospice Foundation
Bobby Mellon
rmellon@niha.org
Information Technology & Facilities Manager
Brian Reck MBA
breck@niha.org
Director of Marketing & Community Engagement
Jon Aldrich, CPA, CFP®
Focus Financial Advisors
Allie Branca, CFP®, AAMS®
McKinney Asset Management of Raymond James®
Michelle Camacho
Senior Director, NFP
E. Thomas Carey, Pharm. D.
Director of Pharmacy Services, UW Health Northern Illinois Region
Bob Clarke
Chairman, Furst Group and NuBrick Partners
Nicole Fisch
Director of Community Banking, FNBO
Betty LaFrance, Ph.D.
Northern Illinois University
Kathy Lundy
Retired – Chem Processing, Inc.
Scott Olson
Olson Funeral & Cremation Services, Ltd.
Jerry Paris
Business Consultant
Betsy Pierson, CFA®
Midland Wealth Management
Thomas Schiller, MD, MBA
Family Physician
Gary Tiffany, MSFS, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF
Retired – Pekin Life Insurance Company
Carl Towns
Retired – Human Resources Professional
Lisa Novak – ex officio
Chief Executive Officer
Northern Illinois Hospice Executive Committee
Thomas Schiller MD, MBA, President
Scott Olson, Vice President
Betty LaFrance, Ph.D., Secretary
Jon Aldrich, CPA, CFP®, Treasurer
Allie Branca, Foundation President
Jerry Paris
Gary Tiffany
Lisa Novak, Chief Executive Officer – ex officio
Kim Ellis, Controller – ex officio
Julie Altenbernd
Rock River Environmental Solutions
Keri Benhoff
FurstExecs
Allie Branca, CFP®, AAMS®
McKinney Asset Management of Raymond James®
Elizabeth W. Davies, Ph.D.
Rockford University
Dennis Goble
Integra Business Systems
Barbara Holmstrom
Community Volunteer
Julie Humpal
RE/MAX Property Source
Steven Johnson
M3 Insurance
Derek Kiley
Integrated HomeCare Services
Susan Lundin – ex officio
Director of Northern Illinois Hospice Foundation
Lisa Novak – ex officio
Chief Executive Officer
Bruno Oliveira
Moving Guys
Jerry Paris
Business Consultant
Laura Pena
GreenState Credit Union
Thomas Schiller, MD, MBA
Family Physician
Gary Tiffany
Retired – Pekin Life Insurance Company
Kelly Walsh
UW Health
Steven J. Elsberg
Emeritus
Mike Schappert
Emeritus
Bill Thiede
Emeritus
Michael J. Tulley
Emeritus
Northern Illinois Hospice Foundation Executive Committee
Allie Branca, President
Julie Humpal, Vice President
Keri Benhoff, Secretary
Laura Pena, Treasurer
Jerry Paris
Gary Tiffany
Lisa Novak, Chief Executive Officer – ex officio
Susan Lundin, Director of Northern Illinois Hospice Foundation – ex officio