About Us

About Us

Our Four-Part Mission

The Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center (gpTRAC) helps healthcare providers develop and implement telehealth programs.  We are housed within the Institute for Health Informatics at the University of Minnesota, and we are funded by the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, an agency within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  All of our services are free.  Our mandate is to promote telehealth through training, technical assistance (consultation), and outreach activities.

We do this by:

  • Building Telehealth Awareness - Working to increase the positive impact of telehealth on communities in our region.
  • Providing and Promoting Telehealth Education - Offering educational opportunities for healthcare providers and other organizations.
  • Providing Individualized Consultation - Helping to make telehealth work for your organization and your specific needs.
  • Collecting, Reviewing, and Disseminating Region-Specific Telehealth Information - Taking the best and most recent information and making it relevant for the Great Plains region.

Staff

Jonathan Neufeld, PhD
Director

Jonathan Neufeld is a licensed clinical psychologist and the director of gpTRAC. Dr. Neufeld joined gpTRAC in 2017, having previously served as the Clinical Director of the Upper Midwest Telehealth Resource Center in Indiana. He has consulted on many rural health and telehealth projects over the past 15+ years. He has presented at numerous regional and national conferences and published peer-reviewed articles in the fields of telemedicine, clinical decision support, and mental health services evaluation.

"We try to create and share resources, and create opportunities for others to share their experiences and expertise. The openness and generosity we've found among programs is inspiring."

Mary DeVany, MS
Associate Director

Mary DeVany is gpTRAC's Associate Director. Mary assists programs in our region with the development, implementation and growth of their telehealth services. Ms. DeVany has been involved with telemedicine efforts since 1993 when she served as the first state-wide telemedicine activities coordinator for the State of South Dakota. She has also served as the Director of Telehealth at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Director of Avera Telehealth, and Telemedicine Coordinator for Sanford Health.

“Every time I visit with someone just beginning to think about telehealth, I get excited and re-energized about the many possibilities and for what the future holds.”

Zoi Hills, MHI
Program Manager

Zoi Hills is our Program Manager. She has been involved with telemedicine since 2002. Prior to her time at gpTRAC, Ms. Hills served as Project Manager for the Minnesota Telehealth Network (formerly known as The Fairview-University of Minnesota Telemedicine Network), the first major telemedicine program in the state. Ms. Hills serves as a board member at the Greater Minnesota Telehealth Broadband Initiative (GMTBI). In 2009, Zoi received Tandberg’s Video Champion Innovation Award for her telemedicine demonstration program at the Minnesota State fair.

"Telehealth policies are constantly changing, and keeping in touch is critical to staying informed."

Adrian Zhongran Niu
Graduate Research Assistant

Adrian is a Research Assistant with gpTRAC. Adrian is currently a PhD student in the Health Informatics Program at the University of Minnesota. Adrian received his Master of Science Degree in Health Services Research Policy & Administration from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

"Telemedicine is growing as a popular, safe, and convenient way to see a medical provider."