Administration and Staff
ECDHD Board of Health
By law, the Board of Health must be composed of a physician, a dentist and a county supervisor or commissioner from the counties involved. In addition to these, our board includes public-minded individuals. Appointees are nominated by a committee with final approval given by the county officials. The board meets regularly to define local public health policy, monitor program activities and determine future direction.
 Nebraska Senator
Arnie Stuthman was
the first President of the Board of Health for the Platte Colfax County District Health Department. Under his leadership the department formed.
The Executive Director was hired and services were set in place. Senator Stuthman was also at the helm when Boone County was added and the department reorganized under the name of East Central District Health Department. Senator Stuthman served from 1998 until 2001.
 Theresa Hilton was the second President of the Board of Health for the East Central District Health Department. Under the leadership of Ms. Hilton the department added Nance County to the District's territory and started the Good Neighbor Community Health Center. Ms. Hilton was a founding member of the board and served as Board President from 2002 to 2004.
 Verson Olson was the third President of the Board of Directors for the ECDHD. Mr. Olson farmed in Nance County and served as President from April of 2005 to December of 2006. Mr. Olson joined the Board of Health in May of 2002.
 Alice Haenggi is the current President of the fourteen member Board of Directors for the Health Department. Ms. Haenggi has served on the board since the departments inception and took over as board President in January of 2007. Ms. Haenggi has a long history as a health professional being a Registered Nurse and the department head for the Columbus Community Hospitals Hospice program before her retirement.
GNCHC Board of Directors
The board for Good Neighbor Community Health Center is regulated by federal regulations and must meet some strict guidelines. The board must consist of nine to twenty-five members, 51% of which must be current clinic users or the parent of a child who uses the facility. In addition, the board must mirror the client population served in ethnicity, sex, race, age and economic status. While there are other restrictions on the board composition, the board is a governing board with the full authority to hire and fire the Executive Director and set the hours and services offered in the clinics operated by Good Neighbor Community Health Center.
 Columbus most experienced physician became the first Chairman of the Good Neighbor Community Health Center Board. Under his leadership, the Health Center formed
and the former free clinic became a full service primary medical care clinic. The Executive Director was hired and mental health services were set in place.
Dr. Klutman has served on numerous boards and Governor appointed committees during his lifetime and was a natural choice to serve as the first Chairman. Dr. Klutman served as chair from April of 2003 until April of 2007.
 Frank Watland is the current and second Chairman of the GNCHC. Mr. Watland has been a community board center community member since 2004 and became the Chairman in April of 2007. Mr. Watland has a ministry background and is currently employed in the local industrial community.
Staff
The ECDHD staff includes the most culturally diverse group of service providers in the four-county area. This includes bi-lingual physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, clerks and management staff. Fully one third of all the staff employed by ECDHD speaks a foreign language.
 Rebecca Rayman is the current and the first Executive Director of East Central District Health Department (formally known as the Platte-Colfax District Health Department) and under her tenure the department has grown from a one employee agency to about sixty staff. Mrs. Rayman is also the current and first Executive Director of the Good Neighbor Community Health Center which provides primary health care, mental health care and dental health care to a population comprised primarily of low income, Hispanic/Latino families. She received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of Texas at El Paso. In June of 2005 she was named "Woman of the Year" by the Nebraska State Eagles Auxiliary in appreciation for outstanding contributions to her community. In April of 2006 she received the Athena Award for outstanding business or professional woman in the Columbus community. Mrs. Rayman was named one of the 150 most influential individuals in the history of Columbus Nebraska during the towns 150th birthday celebration. Mrs. Rayman is a member of the National Association of City and County Health Officials, the State Association of City and County Health Officials, the National Rural Health Association, Nebraska Rural Health Association, and the National Public Health Leadership society. She is a Task Force Member on the MAPP committee for the National Association of City and County Health Officials. She is a board member of the Columbus Community Hospital as well as an Executive board member of the Iowa Nebraska Primary Care Association.
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