About Us

Nevada Primary Care Association (formerly Great Basin Primary Care Association) (NVPCA) is the federally designated Primary Care Association for the State of Nevada. NVPCA is dedicated to assisting health centers and other community health providers with the implementation of solid business practices and community-responsive programs in an effort to improve service delivery effectiveness and efficiency. Our work is based on maximizing resources, developing a strong intersection between medical care and public health at the community level, and using sound business sense in developing the capacity to serve those who do not have access to mainstream health care.

We are a non-profit membership organization that was founded in 1995. We serve Section 330 funded and prospective Federally Qualified Health Centers, tribal health centers, other primary care clinics, and community health providers throughout the State of Nevada. These organizations are located in the Reno, Sparks, Carson City, and Las Vegas metropolitan centers, as well as the frontier and rural Nevada counties that make up 87 percent of the state's landmass. NVPCA supports collaboration and coordination among existing health centers and other community health providers to improve and expand access to comprehensive primary care services throughout the state.

Our goal is to provide our members with current and accurate information necessary to service Nevada’s population, including, underserved and low-income residents. The training and technical assistance services we offer include facilitating information exchanges, outreach programs, support services, access to government resources, and speaker symposiums.

Meet the team

View our financial report by email at Info@nvpca.org or look up on GuideStar.

MEET THE TEAM

Contact Us

NANCY BOWEN

Chief Executive Officer

Nancy specializes in:

Organization and Staff Development
Strategic Planning
Change Management
Community Development
Governance

Nancy Bowen has a Masters of Applied Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Ms. Bowen has an extensive background in nonprofit healthcare administration, finance, and federal grants.

KAREN FORD MANZA

Director of Strategic Partnerships

Karen specializes in:

Primary care integration
Reproductive and mental health advocacy and access
Resource identification and development
Program optimization, management, monitoring, and compliance

Karen Ford Manza has a Master’s in Public Administration and Policy specializing in not-for-profit and public financial management. Karen has extensive experience with community-based and community-driven health care, operations, strategy, and executive leadership.

STEVE MESSINGER

Policy Director

Steve specializes in:

Legislative Affairs
Geographic information systems (mapping and spatial analysis)
Information Technology
Research, Data, Policy, and Process Analysis

Steve Messinger is a graduate of the Master's program in Economics at the University of Nevada, Reno where he also received undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Economics. His focus is on maintaining funding for health centers and streamlining policy at the federal and state level. He is also the Chair of the Subcommittee on Health Center Financing for the National Association of Community Health Centers.

KIMBERLY LAMBRECHT

Director of Health Center Informatics

Kimberly specializes in:

Clinical and Operational Support
Population Health Management
Quality Improvement

Kimberly Lambrecht has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Kimberly has over 20 years of healthcare experience and 15 of those years has been working in or with Community Health Centers. Her experience as Regional Director of Operations and Associate Nursing Director of Specialty Clinics, in two large FQHCs, has given her a strong clinical and operational background in working with Community Health Centers.

NANCY BARKLAGE

Director of Admin and Finance

Nancy specializes in:

Board Support
Financial Reporting
Membership

As a co-founder of a natural household cleaning products company, Nancy brings a strong entrepreneurial spirt to her work, as well as operational, human resources, financial, and customer service experience.

LISA SCURRY

Executive Assistant

Lisa specializes in:

Administrative Support
Office Management
Board Support

Lisa Scurry spent 30 years of her professional life in the public sector in first public education and lastly as director of a licensure board in Nevada. Her background includes policy development and Board support; and has experience as a paralegal and project manager.

JONATHAN McDOWELL

Business Intelligence Manager

Jonathan specializes in:

Health Information Systems
Information Technology Management
Emergency Preparedness
Data Organization, Preparation, and Analysis

Jonathan McDowell attended Louisiana State University, Shreveport and earned a Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Project Management. Jonathan is certified as a Lean Practitioner (CLP), Six Sigma Green Belt (CSSGB), Certified Associate of Project Management (CAPM) and in Ethical Leadership.

DAWN GENTSCH

Program Consultant

Dawn specializes in:

Board Governance
Community needs assessment
Patient-Centered Medical Home
Adolescent Health

Dawn Gentsch has a Masters in Public Health and is a Patient-Centered Medical Home Certified Content Expert.

BRANDI JOHNS

Training & Development Manager

Brandi specializes in:

Membership
Training events
Conference planning
Graphic design
SSHIX Call Center and enrollment questions

Brandi Johns has an Associates in Graphic Design. After graduation, she joined AmeriCorps NCCC where, for two years, she traveled across the country helping various non-profit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the Boys and Girls Club.

REEMA NAIK

Program Manager for Performance Improvement

Reema specializes in:

Health Information Technology
Data and Process Analysis
Workforce Development

Reema Naik has a Master of Public Health from the University of Nevada, Reno. Reema provides education, technical assistance, and training on workforce development and quality and performance improvement strategies for community health centers. Reema is also a coach for the Health Center Control Network in Arizona, which is a network of health centers that work together to improve access to care, enhance the quality of care, and achieve cost efficiencies through the provision of management, financial, administrative, technological, and clinical support services. She is also a Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

CLARA UMBE-ORJI

Senior Reproductive Health Care
Program Manager

Clara specializes in:

Health Education Planning and Implementation
Program Training and Management
Assessment of Needs and Capacity
Evaluation and Research
Adolescent Health

Clara Umbe has a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Illinois, Springfield. Clara is a certified Health Education Specialist and a certified Family Planning Health Worker. Clara has experience with planning, implementing, managing, and evaluating evidence-based programs designed to meet the needs of the underserved population. She is an advocate for improved health resources, policies, procedures, and services that promote health. In her free time, Clara enjoys kickboxing and dancing.

CHRISTINA GARZA

Reproductive Health Care Program Manager

Christina specializes in:

Program Monitoring
Health Education Research
Reproductive and Adolescent Health
Creating and Implementing Policies and Procedures

Christina Garza has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Nevada, Reno. Christina has experience with producing and implementing training plans, workflow analysis, and composing policies and procedures. Some of her professional interests include reproductive health in minority populations, access to healthcare in rural communities, and medical ethics. Christina provides education, training, and technical assistance for Reproductive Health Programs and is a certified Family Planning Health Worker. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, listening to music, and painting rocks.

JAMES GODWIN

Media Manager

James specializes in:

Communications
Social Media
Media Relations
Grassroots Advocacy

Jim Godwin has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from San Francisco State University. He is passionate about the Community Health movement and is thankful to devote his time to this mission/purpose driven organization. Jim spends his free time with comic books and his son.

OUR MEMBERS

Organizational Members

Associate Members

Our Members

Membership

MEMBERSHIP

Overview

Primary Care Associations (PCAs) are state or regional nonprofit organizations that provide training and technical assistance (T/TA) to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and other safety-net providers. This T/TA is based on statewide and regional needs to help health centers improve programmatic, clinical, and financial performance and operations. PCAs can help FQHCs and look-alikes plan for the growth of health centers in their state, as well as develop strategies to improve patient health outcomes, and recruit and retain staff.

The Nevada Primary Care Association (NVPCA) is a non-profit membership trade association comprised of health centers and other safety net providers in Nevada. Established in 1995, NVPCA’s mission is “to advocate for, broaden and strengthen the health center network.” NVPCA fulfills its mission by providing technical assistance and training, advocacy and policy, and program management to our members. Our members provide comprehensive, one-stop primary, behavioral and oral health care. Members focus on prevention and chronic disease management designed to ensure the effectiveness of medical care.

Support for NVPCA comes from its membership, federal and state funding awards and other grants and contracts.

Membership Benefits

NVPCA offers its members opportunities to network and works cooperatively with other agencies and associations to develop strategies, policies, and programs that lead to the efficient and effective delivery of primary health care to the underserved.

The association provides technical assistance and training to its members in several areas, including advocacy/policy, workforce, quality and performance improvement, health center development and expansion, and marketing.
Nevada PCA also undertakes special projects with an emphasis on creating opportunities for growth and developing solutions to address its members’ challenges.

Advocacy/Policy: Grassroots advocacy network, State and federal policy and legislative efforts
Data Analysis and Mapping
Patient-Centered Medical Home Consultation
Quality/Performance Improvement: UDS and clinical content standardization and training, Meaningful use, FTCA and HRSA quality requirements, Oral and behavioral health, Pharmacy and 340B
Workforce: Workforce development
Emergency Preparedness
Marketing & Fundraising: Communications, PCA marketing, Health Center Marketing
Health Center Development & Expansion: Planning, Site and Services, New start support, Data Analysis and Mapping
Training and Technical Assistance: Advocacy, Quality and performance improvement, Marketing and fundraising, Health Center development and expansion, Recruitment/Workforce development

Become a Member

Organizations interested in becoming members of NVPCA should contact Nancy Barklage, Director of Administration, at barklagen@nvpca.org. An application and other requested documentation will be reviewed by the Chief Executive Officer of NVPCA. Memberships are organized into three levels: Organizational, Associate, and Corporate. Corporate memberships not available at this time.

Organizational Members of NVPCA are Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), which can be Community Health Centers, Tribal Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, and Health Care for the Homeless Programs and Health Services for Residents of Public Housing Programs which serve Nevadans, among others and FQHC Look-Alikes. Organizational members are eligible for election to the Board of Directors and selection for membership on board committees. This is a voting membership.

Associate Members of NVPCA are providers of primary health care who do not meet the above criteria to become organizational members; or other organizations that demonstrate a commitment to the mission of NVPCA through programs or activities that support the provision of comprehensive primary health care services to underserved populations regardless of the patient’s ability to pay (e.g., on a sliding fee scale). Associate members are eligible for election to the Board of Directors and selection for membership on board committees. This is a voting membership.

Corporate Members of NVPCA are nonprofit or for-profit entities that have an interest in supporting primary health care services in Nevada and are interested in advocating for and supporting NVPCA’s goals to improve access to health care for Nevada’s underserved populations while improving their health and wellbeing. Corporate members do not participate on the Board of Directors. This is a non-voting membership. Corporate memberships not available at this time.

ABOUT US