POY Nominee: Piper Allard — Answering the call

When Piper Allard resigned in August from her position as chief operating officer at Weston County Health Services, it marked the end of a decades-long commitment to healthcare in Weston County.

Allard, who was the hospital’s director of patient services for nearly 15 years, also served as interim CEO in 2023 from Maureen Cadwell’s retirement on Feb. 6, 2023, to Judd Dawson’s months long tenure that began around June 2023.

Carmen Allison, who worked with Allard for about 20 years and retired as the director of home health in fall 2023, is among those who believe Allard deserves the 2024 Person of the Year recognition.

Allison said Allard was “the fixer” — someone she could rely on, the “go to person” if she experienced any problems she couldn’t figure out and her sounding board when she was frustrated.

“She had the knowledge of regulations and the experience in all aspects of health care to help me provide the best patient care possible,” Allison said. “I definitely was not the only one who felt this way because often there was a line of people waiting to talk with her. Piper loves this community and was always available to help.”

Allard didn’t confine her help to regular business hours either, according to Allison. She consistently volunteered and came in to help whenever there was a crisis at the hospital, even in the middle of the night.

“She was always willing to come in and help, even if she wasn’t in the hospital, if we had a crunch,” Dr. Chuck Franklin said.

She was “always there,” he said. She consistently answered her phone, regardless of the time or whether she was on vacation.

Franklin said Allard was one of the smartest people he had ever met. Any time that he had a question for her, she was either able to answer immediately or just a few minutes later. He believes that everyone at the hospital relied on Allard as a resource and respected her.

“She just knew everything about the hospital, inside and out,” Franklin said.

Franklin also said he thinks that Allard was fair to everyone.

Angie Phillips, who served as the hospital’s director of patient care before beginning work at Weston County Public Health, said Allard is “very humble” and has always been “a bookful of knowledge base.”

“All the nursing staff always looked up to her,” Phillips said. “If you ever had a question about anything, she was the go-to person.”

Dr. Michael Jording called Allard “one of the best” and “a servant for the community.” Successful in pursuing higher education in administration of medicine and administration of hospital care, she was very supportive of the community and the rural hospital climate and helped make sure both were very strong.

Allard was inducted into the Newcastle High School Hall Of Fame in 2023. According to her biography for the honor, she graduated from Newcastle High School in 1994 and after receiving a Bachelor of Science in biology and a registered nursing degree at the University of South Dakota, she received an administrative nursing degree and a Master of Science in business administration at the University of Wyoming.

She also received certification in critical care. She became the director of patient services in 2007 after working in the emergency room and as a floor nurse at WCHS.

Jording noted that Allard exuded confidence in handling tasks and situations.

“I never had any concern when I was working with Piper. She was excellent all the way around,” Jording said. “If I needed an outstanding nurse to work with, Piper would be one of them, absolutely.”

Betty Petranek, Allard’s mother, said she believes she deserves the recognition because of her dedication to health care.

“She has dedicated her life and career to helping and caring for patients and her fellow staff members,” Petranek said.

Besides helping people in any way she can, Petranek said, Allard has something of a secret talent too — a dry sense of humor that is “quick on quips.”

“She is so quiet and reserved, most people don’t realize this,” Petranek said.

Allard unexpectedly became the focal point of unrest at the hospital during a period of upheaval in the spring after former CEO Randy Lindauer placed her on administrative leave. The community rallied around Allard, and Lindauer eventually resigned. Allard was vindicated when a “joint message” released by current CEO Cathy Harshbarger on Aug. 30, and acknowledged by Allard, announced that an investigation had been conducted into Allard’s actions and that Allard had acted appropriately in the matters that had been investigated.

Allard, who now commutes to Campbell County Health in Gillette to work in her new position as a revenue cycle manager, said the nomination is yet another example of why she never wanted to leave the community.

“To those in the community who provided their unwavering support over the past eight months, I am forever grateful,” she said.