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In this special episode of Rural Health Leadership Radio™, we honor our Veterans. Veteran’s Day is right around the corner, and to recognize our Veterans living in Rural America we’re having a conversation with Hilda Heady.
Hilda has 50 years of experience as a rural health leader, Hilda has had a variety of roles serving rural America including being a direct service professional, a health professions’ educator and as an advocate for rural families and rural women’s health care. Hilda is also a strong advocate for Veterans.
“I began to notice this pattern of a number of veterans who lived in rural areas that we served.”
Hilda Heady’s work and advocacy is focused on how best to inform policies and practices which impact rural people and the service institutions in their communities.
“Not everyone has a sense of service, is as patriotic and believes in service to family and community like rural people do.”
She served as a charter member of the VA Secretary’s Rural Health Advisory Committee from 2008 to 2013 and as the 2005 President of the National Rural Health Association. For 18 years, she was the associate vice president for rural health at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at WVU, and for seven years the senior vice president with Atlas Research, a service disabled veteran owned small business.
Hilda is a frequent national speaker on rural culture and resilience, and issues faced by rural veterans and their families.