Advisory Committee

Director of Talent & Strategic Development, Hemphill County Hospital District

A native of rural Texas, Kristin Mauldin brings extensive experience in healthcare administration, professional education, and community engagement. As Director of Talent & Strategic Development at Hemphill County Hospital District, she leads strategic planning, talent initiatives, and grant programs to support the district’s mission and strengthen rural healthcare. Kristin is also deeply involved in enhancing clinical learning opportunities for healthcare students, helping to cultivate the next generation of rural health professionals. She is committed to fostering partnerships and initiatives that improve health outcomes and create meaningful opportunities for patients, staff, and the broader community.

John Henderson is the president/CEO of TORCH (Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals). He works for the 157 rural Texas Hospitals – primarily in the areas of advocacy and education. Prior to joining TORCH in April of 2018, John served as CEO at his hometown hospital (Childress Regional Medical Center) for 16 years. During that time, he served as chairman of both the TORCH and Texas Hospital Association (THA) boards.

Denaé Hebert, MBA/HCA, CHC, CRHCP is the Executive Director of the Louisiana Rural Health Association, leading the organization’s mission to provide a unified voice that promotes and enhances the quality of rural health in Louisiana.  As part of her efforts to advocate on behalf rural providers in this role, Denaé was honored to be named as one of the National Rural Health Association 2025 Rural Health Fellows.

She previously worked for over six years in hospital Corporate Compliance and three years as the manager for the Rural Health programs and Telehealth initiatives of the Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health within the Louisiana Office of Public Health.

Denaé holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Millsaps College and a Master of Business Administration/Healthcare Administration from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.  She is a Louisiana Notary Public, Certified in Healthcare Compliance, and Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional.

In her free time, Denaé volunteers for local events and festivals, serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, and works to increase awareness of and access to lung cancer screenings through a family-led non-profit.

Having lived the majority of her life in rural Louisiana, Denaé has a passion for supporting rural providers and ensuring all patients have access to high-quality care close to home.

Albert Ruiz has over 27 years’ experience working in rural healthcare, informatics, cybersecurity, and technology-driven solutions. Working across rural communities, Albert has championed initiatives that bridge the gap between rural populations and quality healthcare access. His work focuses on leveraging data, policy, digital tools, and innovative care models to improve health outcomes.

Albert is currently with the Texas State Office of Rural Health where he works with multidisciplinary teams to design and deploy scalable health programs that support care coordination, patient engagement, and population health management. His approach combines a deep understanding of rural health challenges with a passion for using technology to drive efficiency for hospitals, rural health clinics, and rural public health networks.

Chief Nursing Officer | Yoakum County Hospital

Jenny Hensler brings 29 years of dedicated nursing experience with a specialized background in Labor & Delivery, Maternal Fetal ICU, and Nursing Administration. As Chief Nursing Officer at Yoakum County Hospital, a critical access rural facility, she is a passionate advocate for advancing healthcare access and quality in rural communities.

In addition to her leadership in nursing, Jenny founded and directed a nonprofit organization that provides compassionate support to families experiencing fetal loss—covering funeral and burial expenses, and offering meaningful keepsakes such as clothing and professional photographs.

Jenny’s career is defined by her unwavering commitment to rural health, ensuring families receive the highest standard of care close to home. Jenny is eager to champion bold, forward-thinking solutions that strengthen access and reimagine the future of rural health.

Chrisey Smith has over 23 years of experience in healthcare administration. Of which, were directly related to transplant administration support and implementing Project ECHO programs throughout Louisiana, other states, and countries. As the Healthcare Innovation Supervisor, she oversees diverse initiatives related to the state’s prevention efforts, risk reduction, and telehealth efforts to increase healthcare access in Louisiana. Chrisey manages multiple Project ECHO programs, including those addressing diabetes, dental health, population health, housing insecurity, hepatitis, substance use disorder, stigma reduction in medicine, Hepatitis C elimination, and brain health related to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

She serves as Louisiana Site Coordinator for TexLa Telehealth Resource Center helping rural communities implement, improve, or expand telehealth services in their hospital, clinic, or private-owned practice. She received her MBA from Louisiana State University at Shreveport. Chrisey’s work in distance education, provider education, and evidence-based learning equips healthcare workers with knowledge and skills to address public health issues and increase access to healthcare in rural and underserved areas. Her extensive skill set includes program development, coordination, implementation, collaboration, research, grant management, education accreditation, needs assessment, evaluation metrics, and technical assistance.