Management
Konnie Martin, Chief Executive Officer
As a rural health care leader, Konnie Martin holds an important belief, “the possibilities for making a difference are endless.” In her current role as Chief Executive Officer for San Luis Valley Health (SLVH) since June 2013, Konnie has been responsible for the overall vision and operation of the organization, which includes two hospitals, both with 24/7 emergency departments—one with Level III Trauma designation, a physician service practice that provides integrated primary and behavioral health care at five clinics, and specialty services including orthopedics, oncology, cardiology, women’s health, general surgery, physiatry, and podiatry.
Through her years in executive health care leadership in not-for-profit
health care systems, Konnie has helped to ensure that residents have access
to mission-based services across the continuum. Under her leadership,
SLVH has become the region’s largest employer, with over 750 staff
and plays a critical role in providing healthcare access in this rural,
low-income southern region of Colorado.
Konnie is an active participant at the local, state and national level
on health care issues and an advocate for rural health care systems. In
2016, she earned the prestigious Grassroots Champion Award, being honored
for her work in effectively delivering the hospital message to elected
officials, helping to broaden the base of community support for hospitals,
and advocating tirelessly on behalf of patients, hospitals and communities.
In May 2018, Konnie served as a witness at the Senate finance committee hearing in Washington, D.C. testifying on “Rural Health Care in America: Challenges and Opportunities” with a plea to provide a level playing field ensuring access to necessary health care services so that children, adults, and families are able to live healthy and productive lives by getting the right care, at the right time, in the right place. From her testimony, Martin's remarks were encapsulated in media outlets with this comment, "Rural communities pride themselves on hard work and taking care of their own. However, federal payment systems and delivery models must...be updated to meet the realities and challenges of how health care is delivered today and in the future....in a country as great as ours, where you live should not determine if you live."
Respected among statewide peers, Konnie was selected as a trusted leader to serve on the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) Board as a trustee in 2025. Konnie served as a member of the American Hospital Association's Rural Health Services Council, for three years, 2021-2023 and was a board member with Western Healthcare Alliance. She previously served on the CHA board which included her role as chair in 2020.
She is currently serving Vizient on the Community Based Independent Hospital Steering Committee. She serves on the Board of San Luis Valley Federal Bank, is a member of the Alamosa County Economic Development Corporation and served as a member of The Legacy Fund for La Puente, a regional homeless shelter. Konnie served as the community liaison for the Adams State presidential search. Konnie and her husband Damon were named the 2022 Patron of the Arts by the City of Alamosa. The Martins also received the Grizzly Club Individual of the Year Award in 2012.
Ms. Martin holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Computer Science and Business from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. She completed the Advanced Leadership Training Program (ALTP) at the Regional Institute for Health and Environmental Leadership (RIHEL), the CDC-founded regional leadership institute for Colorado; the UCLA/Johnson & Johnson Health Care Executive Program (HCEP); and the AHA Health Care System Transformation Fellowship. Her classroom includes the lessons she learns every day from her staff, community, and family.
Shane Mortensen, Chief Financial Officer
Shane Mortensen joined San Luis Valley Health in 2004 as Controller and has since worked as the Finance Director and now Chief Financial Officer. He is committed to quality healthcare in the San Luis Valley. Away from work, Shane enjoys ranching, hunting and spending time with his family.
Carmelo Hernandez, MD, Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Hernandez has been on staff at SLV Health since 2013 serving in the
Women’s Health Clinic as a Board Certified OB/GYN surgeon. This
practice follows a dozen years in private practice in rural North Carolina.
He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and served in
the Air Force as an aircraft commander until 1993 when he started medical
school. Following medical school, Dr. Hernandez was awed by the birth
of his first child and chose to study obstetrics and gynecology.
Dr. Hernandez, who is fluent in Spanish, will continue providing medical
care on a part-time basis. Carmelo’s strong interest in clinical
teaching and surgical mentoring combined with his military background
will allow him to impart a diverse perspective as a leader with SLV Health.
His top two priorities are physician engagement and patient safety.
Christine Hettinger-Hunt, Chief Operating Officer
Christine Hettinger-Hunt began working at San Luis Valley Health in December 2014 as the Director of Risk and Grant Management. Prior to joining SLV Health, she worked at Valley-Wide Health Systems, Inc. (community health center) in various administrative and executive level roles, including program development and supervision, grant writing, quality improvement, and risk management. In April 2019, Christine joined SLVH’s senior leadership team as the Chief Operating Officer, bringing her experience, organization and enthusiasm for operational excellence to her role. A longtime valley resident, Christine believes our local community is best suited to take care of our local population and continually advocates for a strong, reliable, health care system and neighborhood.
Zach Weiderspon, Conejos County Hospital Administrator
Zach Weiderspon joined San Luis Valley Health in November 2020 as the Administrator of Conejos County Hospital.
Prior to joining SLV Health, he served as the Director of Ancillary Services at UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center, a 49-bed hospital serving approximately 40,000 residents in a six-county region in Central Iowa, managing the day-to-day operations for multiple ancillary service lines including Dietary Services, Therapy Services, Plant Operations, Environmental Services, HIM and Coding.
Mr. Weiderspon has also served as the Director of Integration & Planning for UnityPoint Health where he helped lead the Clinical and Operational integration of Grinnell Regional Medical Center into UnityPoint Health System. His expertise includes change management, data analytics, financial management, performance excellence, process improvement and population health.
He obtained his Masters of Healthcare Administration from the University of Iowa and has a Bachelors of Science in Health Sciences from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi.
As a native of Colorado, Mr. Weiderspon welcomes the opportunity to return closer to home and continue building on a long legacy of providing health care services for residents of Southern Colorado and the San Luis Valley. Outside of work, he is active in several professional and community organizations, and also enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and fishing.
Antonio Gurule, Clinic Administrator
Antonio Gurule began serving SLV Health in 2010 as the Physician Integration Administrator. Prior to his tenure at SLVH, he worked in community health in executive-level roles. In 2015, the veteran health care administrator joined the Senior Team with a clear aim to support the ongoing development of a system of care between SLVH’s clinics, inpatient facilities, ancillary services, and other community partners. A native of the SLV, Gurule brings a solid commitment to serve the community in a manner that improves the local landscape.
Roberta Bean, Chief Nursing Officer
Roberta Bean, MSN, RN, NEA-BC started working at San Luis Valley Health as the Chief Nursing Officer in September, 2019. As a long term resident of Colorado she is excited to relocate to the San Luis Valley. She has worked in nursing leadership for over 15 years, most recently as a regional chief nursing officer in northern Colorado with Banner Health.
Her core expertise includes quality improvement, change management, leadership development, fiscal improvement, patient safety and the patient experience. Roberta obtained her master's degree through the University of Phoenix and is board certified as a nursing executive.