The purpose of the Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation is to support Southwest Health System, Inc. in providing high-quality, accessible health care for the people of Montezuma County and surrounding areas, and to assist in meeting its need to recruit and retain physicians and other medical providers, obtain new equipment and furnishings, continue to provide effective and efficient emergency care, and other services in partnership with the hospital.

Raised in a small town in the rural Midwest, Abby graduated cum laude from Wake Forest University. As a remote worker in the Denver commercial construction market, Abby’s career has focused on bringing multiple stakeholders together to deliver projects on budget and on schedule. She relishes in the small-town feel of Montezuma County that fondly reminds her of her childhood and enjoys exploring the Four Corners by bike, paddleboard, snowshoe, ski, or whatever new form of outdoor gear that she can find.

Karla Demby, MD, FACP is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician.  She grew up on a wheat farm in Gypsum, Kansas.  She achieved a B.A. in chemistry from Bethany College and received her MD from the University of Kansas School of Medicine.  She completed a three-year Family Practice residency in Rockford, Illinois before focusing on Internal Medicine with three more years of residency at St. Joseph Hospital Internal Medicine Program in Denver.

Karla came to Cortez with her physician husband, Brian, and son, Max, in 1994.  Four years later she delivered twins, Rachel and Nicole.  Karla practiced with Internal Medicine Associates for six years before founding Southwest Internal Medicine in 2000.   She brought several other Internists to the practice over twenty years and retired in December 2019.

Karla is enjoying retirement with Brian traveling, mountain biking, kayaking, and skiing.  She has added the SHS Foundation Board to her list of retirement activities because of her commitment to maintaining quality health care in Montezuma and Dolores Counties.

Austan was born and raised here in Cortez, Colorado. Currently an EVS Technician at the hospital, he is in the process of developing a broad skillset and finding a lifelong career where he can be of service to others.

He spends his free time with school work, small projects at home, or curled up at his desk with an electric blanket and his cat.

He’s very excited at the opportunity to help lead the foundation and collaborate with professionals in our community.

Jaycee was raised in Cortez, Colorado, where she developed a passion for agriculture and the outdoors. Jaycee currently serves as the Marketing Specialist for Southwest Health System.

Jaycee graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications and a Master of Arts in Mass Communications. She gained experience working for Texas Tech Athletics’ in the Promotions and Fan Engagement Department for five years before transitioning to college recruiting in the College of Education at Texas Tech.

Jaycee returned to her hometown in 2021, working for the Montezuma-Cortez School District before joining SHS as the Marketing Specialist in May 2022. She joined the Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation in June 2022 to assist in organizing fundraising events benefiting the hospital and the community.

In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities like golfing and lake visits, as well as traveling and supporting the Texas Tech Red Raiders with her husband and family.

Bob Eytalis, Joined Southwest Health System as the Laboratory Director in April 2024. He has worked in a variety of laboratory environments throughout his >40 years working in healthcare, including 20 years of service in the Navy as a hospital corpsman and Advanced Medical Laboratory Tech, worked as a CAP inspector, Laboratory Director, Laboratory Manager, and in various leadership and technical roles throughout the United States. He has a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Old Dominion University and a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management from Southern Illinois University. Bob grew up in Illinois and hopes to make Southwest Colorado his forever home. He enjoys hiking, cooking, and getting involved with local activities.  

Molly Greenlee is a recent graduate of Emerson College’s Communication Sciences and Disorders (MS) Program. Molly also holds a Master’s degree in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies from the University of New Mexico. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at Bennington College in Bennington, VT, where she majored in Spanish. Molly has been lucky enough to live in many different states and countries, but returned to her hometown of Cortez, CO in 2017. As a speech-language pathologist (SLP), Molly loves working with adult clients with a broad spectrum of communication and swallowing disorders. She is looking forward to serving on the Board in its mission to ensure high-quality, accessible healthcare for the people of Montezuma County and surrounding areas.

Trent Woods was born and raised in the Four Corners region, where he developed a deep connection to the area and its community. With over 20 years of diverse experience in healthcare, Trent has built a career spanning roles in medical laboratories, emergency medicine, medical practice management, clinical quality improvement, education, and medical data science.

Currently, Trent serves as the Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager in public health, where he is dedicated to ensuring community resilience and readiness in the face of emergencies. His academic background includes studies at Pueblo Community College, Fort Lewis College, and Metro State University Denver, focusing on Emergency Medicine, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Human Nutrition, and Holistic Human Health and Development.

Trent is passionate about fostering healthy, resilient communities and believes that supporting a strong local health system is vital to ensuring a thriving future for the region. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the wild areas of the Four Corners with his family. As a board member of the Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation, Trent is committed to advancing community health and wellness through meaningful collaboration and support for local healthcare initiatives.

Jeanne grew up in southern Rhode Island.  She majored in environmental education at Cornell University and met her husband Joe when serving as a math and science teacher in the Peace Corps in Lesotho, southern Africa. They raised their two children near Joe’s family in Deerfield, Illinois. After working as an environmental planner for over fifteen years, Jeanne settled into the role of non-profit administrator. From the mid-90’s until her first retirement in 2013, she wrote grants, managed fundraising events, directed programs, measured program impacts, and coordinated Board activities for several non-profit organizations in Chicago. After moving to Dolores, Colorado in 2013, Jeanne came out of retirement and has done fundraising and event management for the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in Cortez for the past ten years. As she approaches her “second retirement,” Jeanne identified the Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation Board as an organization where she wanted to share her fundraising expertise.

Jeanne has served on several local boards, including the Dolores Library Board and the Montezuma Land Conservancy Board. As a volunteer grant writer, she has helped raise funds for Southwest Colorado Concerts, the Mancos Valley Chorus, and the Galloping Goose Historical Society. Jeanne enjoys the fiber arts and weaves, spins wool, embroiders, and sews clothes for her three grandchildren in her spare time. She loves to travel throughout the world, including taking cycling cruises in Europe with Joe, where they ride their tandem bicycle. You can often find her at the Cortez Rec Center, swimming laps in the pool, or working out in the gym. She loves this community and is honored to help support good quality health care for the residents of Montezuma County.

Bio Coming Soon

Joe Theine serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Southwest Health System.

Theine brings compassion for, and an understanding of, local healthcare. He has a particular interest in how local healthcare providers contribute to economic stability and growth in rural communities.

His past experiences include being the CEO at Animas Surgical Hospital and the Practice Administrator at Four Corners Eye Clinic. He has also served as Executive Director of the Durango Network the Executive Director for San Juan Basin Public Health Department and worked at Mercy Regional Medical Center. Early in his career, Theine worked for GlaxoSmithKline in roles with increasing responsibilities, including supporting leaders in 24 states for a specialty division of the company.

Theine earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education with an Emphasis in Sports Medicine from the University of Puget Sound, a Master’s in Business Administration with an Emphasis in Healthcare Management from Regis University, and a Master of Health Care Delivery Science from Dartmouth College.

Joe has lived in Southwest Colorado since 2005, is married, and has one son.  Together with his family, Joe enjoys biking, hiking, skiing, and time together in the outdoors.

Bob is at a point in his life where he has the time and the desire to pour back into his community. Bob is happy to serve as a board member for the Montezuma County Hospital District Board. Bob has taught Auto Shop classes VoTech department at Northern Arizona University, he was a Reserve Arizona Highway Patrol officer for many years, was on the Flagstaff Public Schools Site Council and was in the Flagstaff Leadership Program. Bob is involved with his church and is a member of the Southwest Colorado Livestock Association. He has sung with the Flagstaff Master Chorale for many years and with the Mancos Valley Chorus. He served on the board of the Southwest Colorado Concert Series and was Elected Precinct co-chair for the County Republican Party in February 2022.

Bob and his wife purchased their farm in 2009 and moved to Cortez permanently in 2010 from Flagstaff, AZ. He and his wife own a small farm where they raise grass-fed beef, farm fresh eggs, and produce. They have been vendors at both the summer Cortez Farmer’s Market and the winter Four Seasons Farmer’s Market. Bob built a shop in his farm where he operates an auto shop.

In late 2009 my husband, David, and I moved to Montezuma County after many years of visiting the area to explore the natural and cultural wonders it offers. The presence of a rural hospital was a key factor in our decision to relocate here. All of our experiences with the hospital, both as tourists and residents, have been exemplary.

In response to the potential closure of the Family Birthing Center in 2023, I joined with other community members in forming Friends of the Hospital, which has taken a strong advocacy and leadership role in ensuring the continued success of our hospital and healthcare system. I’m dedicated to the long-term viability and success of our rural healthcare system because I believe that we deserve high-quality healthcare close to home, and its success is critical to the continued viability of Montezuma County and the greater region.

Prior to 2009, I had a varied career as an early childhood professional that began in the Special Education Program at the University of Texas at Dallas, teaching and supervising student teachers and interns, and that culminated 28 years later as a clinical faculty member there, teaching and directing research in early childhood disorders. In between I provided home and center-based services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities and their families in inner-city Dallas, and was the executive director of an early intervention program. I’m most proud of being a co-founder and first chair of the board of a free medical clinic that provided (and still provides) comprehensive services to children of undocumented workers in Plano, TX. My career didn’t end when I moved, as I’ve held many local, regional, state-level, and national leadership roles in the fields of infant and early childhood development and mental health, and served on many nonprofit boards.

I earned my BA from UC Berkeley in Social Sciences, and my MA from Northwestern University in Language and Learning Disabilities, and have advanced certifications in fields related to infant and early childhood disorders and mental health.

I believe some of the qualities and skills I bring to the board include the ability to develop, organize and implement workplans and strategic plans; teaming and conflict management skills; an understanding of rural issues and needs; and a strong sense of social justice.