Special Meeting Scheduled

October 8, 2026, at 3 p.m.

WCCHD Board of Directors

The West Custer County Hospital District Board of Directors oversees Custer County Medical Center and Custer County Emergency Medical Services, our funding and our communities’ health concerns. These services comprise key roles for the Hospital District, which is a special tax district formed by the voters of Custer County to serve our county, our region and our visitors. We provide a long list of services, host visiting providers and promote community wellness.

The district dates to Jan. 1, 1988, following its approval by the county’s voters. At the time, it acquired the assets and duties of the nonprofit Custer County Medical Association, which itself formed in 1970, with the goal of establishing a medical office to support a physician. Initially, the district’s rural clinic was in a building at the corner of Rosita and 5th streets in Westcliffe. By May 2000, the Hospital District had completed our Medical Center at 704 Edwards Avenue.

The district has taxing authority, collecting a total of 7.908 mils in property taxes, with 3 mils restricted to supporting Emergency Medical Services. Other revenues come from fees and reimbursements.

The board meets from 3 to 5 p.m. the last Thursday of each month in the conference room of our Medical Center. You can find minutes and agendas linked below on this page, along with other public documents, information about our board members and their contact information. Board members serve staggered four-year terms.

Meet the Board

Ron Terry, Chairman

Ron Terry serves on the WCCHD Board and has resided in the Wet Mountain Valley for 11 years. During this time he has been an EMT and

is currently President of the High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival organization. When not serving the community in several volunteer capacities you can find Ron jogging with his 5 dogs or camping with his wife Traci who is Director of Transportation for Custer County schools. Ron is a Vietnam veteran, a university administrator for 25 years and a wilderness instructor for the North Carolina Outward Bound School. Ron hopes to focus on veteran support services as related to the Hospital District.

Tom Shepard, Vice Chair / EMS Liaison

Tom Shepard, Vice Chair / EMS Liaison

  • 40 years as licensed and practicing Physician Assistant in Colorado
  • Joint venture with Denver hospital (St Luke’s), expanded a five provider Family Practice clinic to evenings and weekends with 1 PA and 1 x-ray and lab tech on site (MD on call)
  • Joint venture between St Luke’s and Lutheran Hospitals in Denver and local clinics expanded to 24/7 with PA and support staff on-site after regular hours
  • Medical advisor to Evergreen Ambulance Service and Evergreen Fire Rescue Squad
  • Medical director Climax Molybdenum/AMAX Henderson Mine and Mill for 9 years
  • Weekends with Kaiser Permanente ER and Urgent Care clinics in Denver area
  • Medical/clinical director Colorado Compensation Insurance Authority, then Pinnacol Assurance for 10 years
    Weekends for Centura Health Emergency Departments.
  • Worked with Colorado Department of Labor to develop diagnostic and treatment guidelines for Colorado providers
  • Physician Assistant 11 years for Centura Health Occupational Medicine facilities throughout Colorado
Shanna Mckellip, Secretary

Shanna Mckellip, Secretary

Shanna McKellip has worked in healthcare for over two decades, with the last twelve years focused on data analytics related to healthcare quality, patient safety, and regulatory compliance.

She has had the privilege of working in esteemed healthcare systems such as the Mayo Clinic, SSM Health, and CommonSpirit. Additionally, her experience as a former EMT has given her a deep appreciation and understanding of emergency medical services. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Integrative Health.

Shanna and her husband, Chris, have lived in the Wet Mountain Valley for the past six years. They have three adult children and enjoy spending their time foraging, camping, skiing, hiking, and fishing.

Her passion for health and wellness drives her to continue supporting the existing hospital and EMS services while also encouraging the vision for future growth and partnerships. 

Ginny Sullivan, Member at large

Ginny Sullivan, Member at large

Ginny Sullivan has been a Custer County resident for 20 years.

She began her journey in the medical field as Registered Nurse specializing in Critical Care Nursing and Open-Heart Recovery, certified by the American Heart Association.

Besides a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, Ginny also received a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. This second bachelor’s degree led to a career in Aerospace and Defense industry. Continuing her interest in technology, Ginny earned a Master’s Degree in Business with an emphasis on Data Processing and Management. During her time in Aerospace and Defense, Ginny was a Programmer, a Scheduler, and was eventually promoted to Requirements Analyst with a DOD secret clearance.  Following a career in Aerospace and Defense, Ginny pursued academia, teaching business and computer classes as an adjunct professor at several colleges.

These areas of study merged when Ginny became a professor at Pueblo Community College. At PCC, Ginny created the Health Information Technology program through a federal grant. The program received accreditation from the American Health Information Management Association, a first for the college.  To maintain compliance and keep her qualifications current, Ginny earned one more college degree in Health Information Management.  Upon completion of her HIT degree, she successfully completed the Registered Health Information Technology certification exam.

Now officially retired, Ginny trains and rides her horses, tends to her dogs, cats, donkeys and chickens.

As a member of the WCCHD, Ginny hopes to lend her experience in medicine and technology to promote quality health care and a healthy lifestyle for Custer County.

Ann Barthrop

Ann Barthrop, Member at large

Ann grew up as a minister’s daughter and a U.S. Navy dependent, living a military-connected life until age 23. Her parents were natives of Trinidad, Colorado, and Westcliffe served as the family’s home base throughout those years.

Together, they enjoyed camping, hiking, fishing, observing wildlife, and stargazing in Westcliffe and across Colorado. These experiences inspired Ann’s passion for making Custer County and the State of Colorado welcoming, positive places for everyone.

Ann earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing, followed by a Master’s degree in management with an emphasis in Human Resources. Her career has spanned international business, mental health services, and healthcare services management. In Taipei, Taiwan, she worked for a large import-export company as a liaison between English-speaking clients and Chinese and Taiwanese speaking employees, and she produced the company’s worldwide newsletter. In Louisiana, she served as an intake counselor at a State of Louisiana mental health facility. In Los Angeles, she managed five medical service departments and 50 employees in hospital and clinic settings.

Ann’s experience in medical and legal settings, management, human resources, QuickBooks accounting, and service on various boards enables her to bring an objective, collaborative approach to advancing the goals of the West Custer County Hospital District Board of Directors. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve.

Documents

Upcoming Board Meeting Agenda

10/08/2026 Special Meeting Agenda

Board Minutes

 

— 2026 —

— 2025 —

— 2024 —

— 2023 —

— 2022 —

— 2021 —

Minutes

Financials

— 2020 —

Minutes

Financials

— 2019 —

Minutes

Financials