Tuba City, Arizona – Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation (TCRHCC) Board of Directors has appointed Lynette Bonar, RN, MBA, BSN, as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Lynette Bonar,Chief Executive Officer
Bonar has more than 33 years of experience in the health care field. Her experiences include 29 years of clinical experience in Skilled Nursing, Endoscopy, Labor and Delivery, Radiology Oncology, and Case Management Coordination, Surgery, Med Surgery, Home Health Hospice, and 10 years of hospital management and operation.
“I am committed to providing quality care. I believe we can move into the future successfully as long we continue to communicate, collaborate, and treat each other respectfully,” said Bonar. “I look forward to working with the entire TCRHCC team to provide outstanding quality care, excellent customer service and strong financial results. Together, we will be successful. I am committed to work toward making TCRHCC the premier Health Care system in Northern Arizona.”
Prior to being appointed as CEO, Bonar served as TCRHCC’s Case Management Supervisor, Interim Contract Health Supervisor, and Assistant Director of Nursing from 2003 to 2009. She was then appointed to Chief of Support Services, Chief Operating Officer, and then as Associate Executive Officer from 2010 to 2014.
She also has an honorable discharge as a Sergeant from the U.S. Army and served in the US Army Reserves a total of 6 years.
“She is very accomplished and we are very excited to have her lead the TCRHCC team,” said Tanya Riggs, Chief Human Resources.
The Board worked collaboratively to identify a new leader who shares TCRHCC’s regional vision and commitment to keep health care local. She’ll succeed the retiring Joseph Engelken, who was CEO since 2005.
Engelken worked to improve health operations and the financial performance of the hospital system, including working with senior leadership and the Board to enact a successful strategy for the hospital’s financial and clinical growth between 2005 and 2014.
“Former CEO, Mr. Joe Engelken will serve in the role as Senior Advisor until his retirement on May 31, 2015,” added Riggs. “We sincerely appreciate Mr. Engelken’s continued support.”
“The TCRHCC Board of Directors is pleased to have Lynette join the executive leadership team at TCRHCC,” said Christopher Curley, president of the Board of Directors of TCHRCC. “She has strong hospital leadership experience and will bring much to our team. We are committed to delivering high quality, viable health care locally to the communities we serve, and she encompasses the same vision.”
During the most recent years, TCRHCC has earned numerous accreditations, including the highest national certification from The Joint Commission for Hospital Accreditation Program (2013), Home Care Accreditation Program (2013), and Laboratory Accreditation Program (2012). TCRHCC is an example of a growing 93-638 self-governance health system team, with an entrepreneurial Board of Directors that also works closely with the Indian Health Services to provide stewardship. Since its inception as a 638 system in 2002, TCRHCC’s annual patient visits grew from 160,000 per year to 733,000 in 2014, provided by a dedicated regional Health Care Team.
Bonar has been a key leader in bringing numerous new health services to the greater TCRHCC Community and the Western Navajo Nation, such as the new MRI and the opening of a new three-story, 34,000 sq. ft. Outpatient Primary Care Center to expand services in Internal Medicine, Family and Same Day Appointment, OB/GYN, Pharmacy and Diabetes treatment and other clinical services.
Sacred Peaks Health Center, a satellite health clinic of TCRHCC, has provided residents and students of the Flagstaff area with access to quality care since 2010. The new satellite clinic opening up in the LeChee Chapter community is another example of community-based care, and it will be in the same building on the LeChee campus as the TCRHCC pharmacy mail-order.
Bonar was also key in the introduction of two mobile primary care and dental units in the Tuba City regional service area under the HRSA Community Health Center program. These mobile units provide primary care to the Chapter Communities within TCRHCC’s regional system, and they illustrate both Leadership and the Board’s commitment to “community-based” health care, or bringing services to the community level whenever possible. The mobile units visit the chapter houses 1-3 times a month, providing non-emergent primary care.
“There is much work to do here. The government continues to test our abilities, but I know we can adapt and that we are all dedicated to our community,” Bonar added. “I thank every one of you for the service you provide and sincerely appreciate your support in the past and into the future.”
Bonar is Holtsooi (Meadow People) and born for Tl’izil’ani (Many Goats). Her maternal grandfather is T’odich’ii’nii (Bitter Water), and paternal grandfather is T’achii’nii (Red Running into the water). Her father is Kee Yazzie June of the Kaibeto June family, and her mother is Lorraine June from Churchrock NM, of the Eskeets family. She was born in NM, but grew up in Southern California.
