Hope Welcomes New Executive Director

Hope Medical Outreach Coalition has named former Nebraska state senator Shelley Kiel its new Executive Director. Kiel, a longtime advocate for Nebraska's underserved members of society, will lead Hope's efforts to provide quality medical, dental, pharmacy and eye care services to uninsured and underinsured patients who live in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area. She replaces Andrea Skolkin, who has taken a position as the new Executive Director of One World Community Health Center and will continue to work closely with Hope.

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to work with Hope Medical Outreach Coalition's dedicated staff and superb team of volunteer medical professionals, who care for more than 8,000 men, women and children in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area each year," said Kiel, who formerly served as the executive director of Together, Inc., and served as the project director of the National Conference for Community and Justice.

"Most of our patients are hardworking adults who are not eligible for health insurance, don't have health insurance offered by their employer or can't afford insurance. They have to make a choice — 'Do I pay the rent or see a doctor?'" Kiel said. "People face serious consequences when they go without medical treatment. Hope’s services relieve them of those burdens and help keep them healthy."