Our Team

Collaborative Guidance

The Community Health Worker Collaborative of South Dakota is guided by the South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH), Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion – specifically the Diabetes Prevention and Control and Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Programs.

The CHWSD is coordinated by Sage Project Consultants of Sioux Falls and Vermillion, SD.

Team

Ben Tiensvold

Community Outreach Coordinator

Ben has served as the lead contact for the CHWSD since its inception in January 2020. He has led the CHWSD through significant growth over the first three years, in part due to the CDC Health Disparities Grant funding the SD Department of Health received in June of 2021. Additionally, for the past nine years, Ben served as the Coordinator for the South Dakota Diabetes Coalition (SDDC). Ben is passionate about the CHW profession and works to be an ally for all CHWs. Ben previously worked with the SD Department of Health in 2015 and 2016 on Community Health Worker-related introductory projects. This work led to key recommendations for CHWs (which the South Dakota Department of Social Services then used to develop CHW Medicaid reimbursement). Ben has Bachelor of Arts degrees in Communication Studies and Public Relations from Southwest Minnesota State University and recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Public Health from New Mexico State University.

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Julie Klinger-Ten Haken

Community Outreach Coordinator – Community Based Organizations

Julie began her professional career as a Social Worker with the South Dakota Department of Social Services in Child Protection and then worked at Lutheran Social Services in the Adoption program as a Social Worker. After several years at LSS, Julie pursued her master’s degree in Social Work from Iowa State University and then became the adoption program director at LSS.  Julie also has worked in the field of human trafficking as the Director of Operations and Grants Manager at Call to Freedom prior to joining the Community Health Worker Collaborative team. Julie works with community-based organizations regarding CHW program development.
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Julie Klinger-Ten Haken

Community Outreach Coordinator – Community Based Organizations

Julie began her professional career as a Social Worker with the South Dakota Department of Social Services in Child Protection and then worked at Lutheran Social Services in the Adoption program as a Social Worker. After several years at LSS, Julie pursued her master’s degree in Social Work from Iowa State University and then became the adoption program director at LSS.  Julie also has worked in the field of human trafficking as the Director of Operations and Grants Manager at Call to Freedom prior to joining the Community Health Worker Collaborative team. Julie works with community-based organizations regarding CHW program development.

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Sharon Chontos

CDC Evaluation Liaison

Sharon Chontos serves as the CDC Evaluation Liaison for the CHWSD. Sharon has over 15 years of experience in grant management, evaluation, and consulting experience with public agencies, non-profits and for-profits, and universities. Sharon works to assist organizations with CHW Programs to evaluate their programs to ensure program sustainability. She also works as the liaison between the CHWSD and the SD DOH and the CDC. Sharon holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the South Dakota Schools of Mines and Technology and is currently pursuing her Masters of Science in Program Evaluation from Michigan State University. Additionally, Sharon helps organizations to calculate the ROI for their CHW program and calculate and evaluate patient and organization successes.

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Tracy Bieber

Program Integration Nurse Consultant

Tracy has served as a nurse in a variety of capacities including pediatrics, post-anesthesia care unit, clinical services, infection prevention, and immunizations. She most recently worked as the Director of Clinical Services for Sanford Health World Clinics. Tracy’s skillset falls within solutions-oriented planning, in-depth understanding of best practices affecting positive patient outcomes, and identifying quality-focused and efficiency-driven workflows. Tracy has always had a passion for public health and received her master’s degree in public health from the University of South Dakota in 2021. She looks forward to working with healthcare organizations and supporting a partnership with their local community resources.
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Tracy Bieber

Program Integration Nurse Consultant

Tracy has served as a nurse in a variety of capacities including pediatrics, post-anesthesia care unit, clinical services, infection prevention, and immunizations. She most recently worked as the Director of Clinical Services for Sanford Health World Clinics. Tracy’s skillset falls within solutions-oriented planning, in-depth understanding of best practices affecting positive patient outcomes, and identifying quality-focused and efficiency-driven workflows. Tracy has always had a passion for public health and received her master’s degree in public health from the University of South Dakota in 2021. She looks forward to working with healthcare organizations and supporting a partnership with their local community resources.
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Vicki Palmreuter

Tribal Liaison and Program Assistant

Vicki has extensive healthcare experience in population and community health. She is a certified master trainer in chronic disease self-management education, a lifestyle coach for the national diabetes prevention program, and has a background in tribal health and business development. Prior to her current role, during her time as the community health coordinator at Monument Health, she led the community health needs assessment process and the formation of the related implementation strategies. Vicki graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, with a bachelor of arts in biology, and is certified by the HealthSciences Institute as a Chronic Care Professional. As a program manager for South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care, in her current role as a tribal liaison and program assistant with the CHWSD, Vicki supports tribal programs, health care facilities, private payors, and community-based organizations initiating or expanding community health worker programs and organizations seeking or providing reimbursement for these services.

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CHWSD Collaborative Support

The Community Health Worker Collaborative of South Dakota (CHWSD) is funded by the SD DOH to provide coordination efforts and activities to support CHWs in South Dakota. More information about the SD DOH and additional CHW initiatives can be found here:
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The CHWSD is coordinated by Sage Project Consultants, LLC, of Sioux Falls and Vermillion, SD. More information about Sage can be found here:
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