Meet Our Executive Director
Tara has many roles at Connect Medical. She is an RN, Sexual Risk Avoidance Specialist, Certified FEMM/teenFEMM Instructor, and RN Sonographer. Since 2021, she is also the President and Executive Director. Tara has over 11 years of experience in the area of sexual health and is dedicated to creating a safe, accessible place for informed, confident sexual health decisions through her work at Connect. Tara enjoys time with her family and especially her lhasapoo, Miss Lillian Pupperton.
Meet Our Medical Director
A native of Richardton, North Dakota, Dr. Thomas Arnold has practiced Obstetrics & Gynecology in the Dickinson area for three decades and is dedicated to the health of the community. He offers comprehensive health care for women of all ages. Dr. Arnold is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (FACOG) and is a past chair of ACOG District VI. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).
Meet Our Assistant Medical Director
A native of Grafton, North Dakota, Samantha Kiedrowski is a Board-Certified Family Physician who provides care for patients of all ages. With a fellowship in Obstetrics, she also sees patients for prenatal care and deliveries. Dr. Kiedrowski has professional interests in women’s health, pediatrics, and chronic disease management. She is also knowledgeable in Natural Birth Control and Cycle Education. Dr. Kiedrowski is committed to providing the best continuity of care possible throughout a patient’s various health events and stages of life. Dr. Kiedrowski is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Catholic Medical Association.
Meet Our Office Manager
Ann Marie has been with the Connect non-profit since the doors first opened in November, 2015. With a heart for the mission to serve and educate those in need, especially for unplanned pregnancies, Ann Marie has seen many changes and growth over the years and is honored to continue serving the mission.
A native of Dickinson, Ann Marie returned to Dickinson in 2009 and enjoys spending time with her growing family.
Meet Our Nurse Manager
Chelsey joined the Connect Medical Clinic team in December 2021 as our Nurse Manager.
Chelsey is a Registered Nurse with a background in Labor and Delivery and Behavioral Health nursing. She is excited to bring her experience from previous roles in her nursing career to Connect. While working in both of these fields was very rewarding, she has always known that working with at-risk men and pregnant women has been a calling on her life.
Her passion to serve in a non-judgmental, safe place for patients to come and be supported stems from her own personal experience. Chelsey was a teenage mother, faced with an unplanned pregnancy. Instead of feeling alone and afraid, like she did during this time, her hope is that Connect patients will feel supported and empowered.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling and spending quality time with her family.
Meet Our Nurse Practitioner
Rachael is a Dickinson native and a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who graduated from Walden University. Rachael earned her bachelor degree in nursing from Dickinson State University in 2009 and worked as a registered nurse at the hospital for 12 years.
Rachael is excited to be able to expand the services provided by the Connect Medical Clinic and is passionate about providing care to patients regarding their reproductive sexual health. She is in training to be a fertility awareness instructor with an ultimate goal to provide help for women with any problems or irregularities regarding her period.
In her free time, Rachael enjoys staying active, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Meet Our Nurse Educator
Morgan was born and raised in Dickinson. She attended Dickinson Public Schools, graduating from Dickinson High. Morgan went on to attend NDSU School of Nursing at Sanford, and graduated with her bachelor degree in nursing May 2021.
She is now a member of the Connect Medical team serving our community as a nurse educator and sexual risk avoidance specialist. Morgan is excited to work with area schools, create Connect’s first blog, and champion fertility awareness education for young women.
Morgan enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family.
Meet Our Staff Nurse
Amy has been a nurse for 15 years with hospital experience on Medical/Surgical, Pediatric and Labor and Delivery units. She has also been a float nurse, a travel nurse, camp nurse and prison nurse.
But, when she heard about Connect Medical Clinic, she knew this is where she wanted to be long-term. She began as a volunteer at the clinic when it was just getting started in 2017. Amy loves the opportunity to really talk to people about their needs and not just hurry them out the door. She is also an ultrasound sonographer at Connect.
Meet Our Clinic Coordinator
Karen is formerly from Oklahoma where she worked at a third-party administration for ten years. With her love for children, Karen then began teaching children for over 10 years in missions, music and education and attained a Certificate of Mastery in Early Childhood Education.
The family moved to Minot for five years where she gained employment with Minot Head Start. Her husband’s job moved them to Dickinson. She loves living in Dickinson and feels like this is home.
Karen started volunteering for Connect Medical Center and found she had the same desire to help and serve others. Her position here at Connect will be the receptionist/ clinic coordinator and she is looking forward to coordinating events and providing support for the team, board members and volunteers.
Karen loves to travel in their RV, ride motorcycles and spend time with family.
Meet Our Clinic Assistant
Although Kristina has lived in various locations all over the country, she has truly found a place to call home in Dickinson. Throughout her life, her passion has been to create safe spaces for those walking through difficult circumstances to receive support and empowerment. Having experienced an unplanned pregnancy herself, Kristina hopes she can help other women in some small way feel supported and seen. She is grateful to serve our community with dignity in her role as Clinic Assistant. Kristina’s interests include reading, music, improving her culinary skills, and enjoying time with her family.