Leaders on the Rise: Katie Schellhorn

North Shore Healthcare is pleased to partner with University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) Health Care Administration (HCAD) program. HCAD offers seniors the opportunity to participate in a full-time, 12-month administrative residency to provide further insight into the field and connect what they learned in the classroom to what’s happening in the real world. Our blog series, “Leaders on the Rise,” will give you the opportunity to meet HCAD seniors whose residency is at a North Shore center and how the experience will help shape their future career.

Katie Schellhorn is currently serving as an Administrator-in-Training at Oakwood Health Services in Altoona, Wisconsin. She began working at Oakwood Health in June 2023 and will complete her residency and graduate in May 2024. She plans to become a licensed Nursing Home Administrator and Executive Director in senior care.

Why did you decide to study healthcare administration?

I was introduced to senior care at a young age, and I would volunteer with my family at a local nursing home. This exposure led me to pursue obtaining my Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification.

My older sister went through the HCAD program at UWEC and she shared her experiences with me. After taking a variety of classes at college, I knew I enjoyed HCAD classes the best. I was excited about everything that went with HCAD; the residents, regulations, policies, improvement of a resident’s quality of life and care, and learning more about older adults. Overall, being able to ensure residents are in a safe, comfortable home-like environment and ensuring they are getting quality of care was something I wanted to do for a career.

Tell us about any previous experience(s) that led to your desire to work in healthcare.

From those early experiences with my family and playing Bingo with the residents, I learned that being with seniors was fulfilling. I followed my older sibling’s footsteps and worked as a CNA at Soldiers Grove Health Services for two years. During my college years, I was a Resident Assistant/Med Passer at The Classic at Hillcrest Greens in Altoona. My work as a CNA is what grew my love for long-term care. My grandparents passed away when I was very young, and I did not have the opportunity to form meaningful relationships with them. However, while working as a CNA, I was able to make similar connections with the residents. These experiences brought me much joy.

Tell us about your experience at North Shore Healthcare during your time as an Administrator-in-Training.

Everyone at Oakwood Health Services has made me feel welcome and involved me in the daily functions. Executive Director Jon Richardson has been a knowledgeable mentor and I’ve led morning meetings. This has encouraged me to become more confident in my skills and engage with the team.

What do you hope to gain from this opportunity and experience?

What I’m looking forward to most is having new experiences and getting to spend time with each department. I am interested to see how each department plays a role in the daily care of the residents and routines of the center. I’m excited about implementing my projects to positively impact the staff and residents of Oakwood Health Services. I hope to gain knowledge and experience to help prepare me for my future role in senior care.

Hailing from Gay Mills, Wisconsin, Katie is the youngest of her three other siblings, two sisters and a brother. She enjoys running, reading, walking, getting ice cream with her roommates and spending time with the Oakwood Health Services residents. Katie, a high school valedictorian, was a member of the American College of Health Administrators for three years, volunteered with the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, and interned with Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Eau Claire, where she currently resides.