RHAU Adds Two New Board Members

January 29, 2025

ST GEORGE, UT - The Rural Health Association of Utah is pleased to announce that we have added two new members to our governing board, Chaz Whitbeck of the University of Utah Physician Assistant Program and Enterprise Valley Medical Clinic, and Chance Hayes of the Uintah Basin Healthcare. The two were approved by the current board during the January 2025 RHAU Board Meeting. 

Chaz Whitbeck is a board-certified Physician Assistant, and currently serves as site director for the University of Utah Physician Assistant Programs’ St. George campus. Chaz grew up between Beaver and St. George, Utah, and completed his undergraduate degree at Utah Tech University (then Dixie State University), before attending PA school at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN. He began his career at Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Ogden, Utah, before relocating back to rural Utah. In addition to working with the University of Utah, Chaz also practices at Enterprise Valley Medical Center, in Enterprise Utah. He also occasionally works in the Emergency Department at St. George Regional Hospital. Chaz is actively involved in his student’s didactic year as a Clinical Associate and Faculty Advisor. He also is involved with teaching the Anatomy, Musculoskeletal, and Urology courses. Chaz's research interests include preventative pediatric medicine, alternative forms of pain treatment, tobacco prevention and cessation, and healthcare access in rural populations. In his free time, he enjoys going to his children's various events, vacationing with his family, and reading.

Chance Hayes began his career in healthcare as a Respiratory Therapist at Uintah Basin Healthcare, where he worked for five years before becoming the manager of the respiratory therapy department for an additional five years. During this time, he decided to return to school and earned his Masters in Business Administration with a healthcare focus from Western Governors University. Chance now serves as the Director of Physicians Clinics at Uintah Basin Healthcare. Chance shared “rural healthcare is a fun and challenging environment to work in. I love to engage with our physicians and help facilitate their needs.” Chance and his wife are originally from Utah County, but have grown to love the country life that they get living in the Uintah Basin. 

“Chaz and Chance will be excellent additions to our RHAU Board” stated Kasey Shakespear, Executive Director of RHAU. “Both bring unique backgrounds and insights that were not previously represented by our existing board. We are thrilled to have Chaz’s expertise working with graduate healthcare students, and Chance’s diverse experience both in respiratory therapy and in Rural Health Clinic management as a part of RHAU moving forward.” 

RHAU is currently in the process of preparing an announcement for the individuals who have been approved to join RHAU’s new Advisory Council and Advocacy Committee, both of which are expected to assume operation in April 2025. At this time, RHAU is pleased to announce that Dr. Tiffany Vickers, who previously served as a Board Member for RHAU will be shifting to the RHAU Advisory Council. Dr. Vickers accepted a position as Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Montana State University-Northern in 2024. Though she is no longer living in Utah, Dr. Vickers will continue to support RHAU and work collaboratively to develop regional solutions that stretch across the mountain west.  

Information on the RHAU Board, which is back at full capacity with 15 members, can be found at https://www.rhau.org/board.