At Healthy Connections, we take pride in recognizing the employees who go above and beyond to live out our core values of Community, Compassion, and Excellence. Each month, we honor two team members—one from our East Communities and one from our West Communities—based on nominations from their coworkers and a final vote by our senior leadership team.
We are proud to announce our May 2025 Employees of the Month:
Michelle Gibson, Quality Manager based in Mena, representing the West Communities, and
Gina Autry, Radiology Tech at the Hot Springs Chippewa Clinic, representing the East Communities.
Gina Autry – Hot Springs Chippewa (East Communities)
Since joining Healthy Connections in 2023, Gina Autry has been a standout example of what it means to serve with compassion and teamwork. A coworker shared, “Gina Autry exemplifies the mission statement of Healthy Connections by voluntarily serving patients and coworkers beyond the scope of her job title and expectations.” Her daily actions support not only patients, but also improve the workflow and morale of her clinic team.
Her nomination continued: “Gina takes great consideration of others and helps with everyone’s daily workflow. She offers to watch front desk for lunches. She gladly helps nurses room patients if they get busy. She is the first to help with Telehealth patients and does a great job communicating with the provider and the front desk about these Telehealth patients’ needs.”
Coworkers also highlighted her willingness to sacrifice her own time for the benefit of others. “I have on multiple occasions seen her postpone her lunches and/or cut them short when a patient shows up for an x-ray during lunch. Gina’s communication style and willingness to help makes her a pleasure to work with and a great example of a team player who demonstrates excellent patient care.”
Her actions reflect our values in every way—and make a direct, positive impact on patients and colleagues alike.
Michelle Gibson – Mena (West Communities)
Michelle Gibson, who has been with Healthy Connections since 2016, serves as the organization’s Quality Manager. Her role is critical to maintaining excellence in compliance, training, and operational improvement across all locations. Her nomination reflected the significant difference she continues to make: “Lately, Michelle has been making meaningful differences in big ways. She’s been incredibly responsive and proactive, quickly jumping in to run reports, identify process improvements, and implement solutions that truly matter.”
A recent example noted in her nomination demonstrated her ability to translate insight into action. “Michelle recently took initiative to streamline our workflow and cut down on unnecessary costs, saving the company significant money on postage with a smarter approach.”
Beyond her analytical strengths, Michelle is also recognized for her leadership. “She continues to shine as an exceptional trainer and a strong leader in quality and risk. Her dedication, insight, and ability to drive positive change make her an invaluable part of the team.”
Michelle’s impact reaches across departments and functions—making her a vital part of both the day-to-day operations and long-term progress of Healthy Connections.
We extend our sincere congratulations to both Gina and Michelle. Their hard work, collaboration, and commitment set the standard for what community-based healthcare should look like. They are true examples of how Healthy Connections delivers not only quality healthcare—but also a culture of excellence.
