Who We Are

About Connect Medical Clinic

Connect Medical Clinic offers a stark alternative to the average doctor’s visit.

We foster a positive, warm, and welcoming experience and our providers take time with each patient, answering any questions they may have for as much time as needed.

All our services are performed in a caring and non-judgmental environment. Our Connect Cares Coordinator will create a personalized care journey with you, so your needs are met and you are able to take authentic steps to connect with your health.

Our Medical Care Team consists of a Board-certified OBGYN, Family Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nurses, and a Connect Cares Coordinator with over 75 years of combined experience, much of which is in the areas of sexual health, women’s health, and obstetrics. We have internal resources and support and make outside referrals when needed — so you are surrounded by a community!

We are dedicated to delivering the highest standards of care because we believe everyone deserves to be nurtured and cherished. Our faith-informed approach patients spiritual support from a Christian perspective when that is desired. The Board of Directors and every Care Team member are committed to practicing radical hospitality, dignity care-centered, nonjudgement care-because that is what you deserve.

Connect Medical Clinic is a member of the Dickinson Area Chamber of Commerce. Our staff are members of Rotary International, Knights of Columbus, and serve on community organizations like Foster For’em, Women Empowering Women, Dickinson Police Auxiliary, Friends of the Public Library.

Meet the Care Team

Dr. Thomas Arnold

Medical Director

Dr. Thomas Arnold is the Medical Director of Connect Medical Clinic and a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist with more than three decades of experience serving women and families in southwest North Dakota. He offers compassionate care in gynecology, well-woman health, and infertility treatment. A native of Richardton, ND, Dr. Arnold serves as Clinical Professor and Vice Chair at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences and is Chair of the North Dakota Maternal Mortality Committee. He is also the Vice President of the Central Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology and chairs the UND School of Medicine Advisory Council. Dr. Arnold is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOG), a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), and a past Chair of ACOG District VI. He has been repeatedly recognized as Best of the Western Edge OBGYN Doctor. Dr. Arnold and his wife, Marie, have five adult children and 13 grandchildren. When he’s not caring for patients, he enjoys hobby farming, running, and spending time with his family. Read more

Rachael, FNP-C

Nurse Practitioner

A proud Dickinson native, Rachael is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who joined Connect Medical Clinic in 2021 after earning her bachelor’s degree Cum Laude from DSU in 2009 and her master’s degree from Walden University in 2021. With extensive experience spanning medical, surgical, pediatric, and ICU settings—and having recently become an RN Sonographer in 2024—Rachael is passionate about advancing reproductive and holistic health services. Her mission to support women with menstrual irregularities and broader reproductive concerns was fueled by becoming a certified fertility instructor with specialized training in cycle management in 2022. Even more impressive is Rachael’s recognition as the #1 MOM trophy winner in 2020. Her expertise is matched by her vibrant energy. When she isn’t at work, she enjoys staying active, traveling,spending treasured time with her family, and assisting in coaching her daughter’s basketball team, all while ensuring every patient experiences the warmth and empowerment of holistic, dignity-centered care.
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Chelsey, RN

Director of Nursing

Chelsey, Director of Nursing at Connect Medical Clinic, joined the team in December 2021 as Nurse Manager and stepped into the role of Director of Nursing in 2024. A Registered Nurse since 2011, Chelsey’s professional journey has been centered around women’s health, labor and delivery, and behavioral health. In 2021, she earned her certification as an RN Sonographer and has recently completed additional training in 3D ultrasound scanning, further expanding her skill set.
Chelsey is passionate about creating an environment where patients feel safe, respected, and supported, with a strong emphasis on providing compassionate, non-judgmental care. Outside of her work, Chelsey enjoys reading, traveling, and spending quality time with her family, reflecting the values of holistic, whole-person care that Connect Medical Clinic upholds.
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Katrina, RN

Care Team Nurse

Katrina brings a decade of nursing experience to Connect Medical Clinic, with a specialized focus on Labor and Delivery, as well as clinic case management and travel nursing. A proud DSU alumna with a BSN (RN since 2017), she previously served as an LPN and honed her skills with seven years of RN Obstetrics, Labor & Delivery, and NICU Level 2 training. Her expertise extends to RN Sonography and Neonatal Resuscitation, reinforced by her role as a travel Labor and Delivery RN in Washington State in 2021. Beyond her clinical credentials, including recognition as a Whole Health Champion with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Katrina’s vibrant background features leadership as a girl’s varsity soccer team captain, a stint as a professional barista, and a long-term partnership with Crossley’s Country Brew. Her love for outdoor recreation, travel, and family time complements her unwavering commitment to providing compassionate care to diverse communities.
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Madison

Connect Cares Coordinator

Madison (Madi) is a Dickinson native who is getting back to her roots. She is joining the team after living in Bismarck for the last 8 years. During that time, she attended the University of Mary where she earned her Bachelors of Science in Radiologic Technology while lettering in softball all 4 years, met and married her husband, worked in various clinics around Bismarck, and had their first child.
Madi believes everyone is entitled to excellent healthcare. As Connect’s inaugural Connect Cares Coordinator, she will be encountering patients daily in a different number of roles from intake to education to connecting them with community resources. It is her goal to make every patient feel safe, understood, and valued.
Madi and her family are spending their free time settling into life in Dickinson. Personally, Madison enjoys spending quality time with family, cooking, and making her family’s new home feel beautiful.
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Director of Administration
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Kelley

Patient Experience Manager

Kelley, a California native who has grown to love North Dakota, is our dedicated Patient Experience Manager. With 17 years of experience at a local curriculum company and as the editor and publisher of the monthly community paper Heart River Voice, she brings exceptional communication and leadership skills to the Connect team. A graduate of California State University, Chico with a B.S. in Family and Consumer Science, Kelley also serves as a current secretary and board member of Foster For’em, and has held leadership roles with the Trinity Fine Arts Boosters. Her deep commitment to Connect’s mission of dignity-centered healthcare and education is evident in every interaction. Married with four grown children and six grandchildren, Kelley enjoys reading, creative pursuits, and camping, all of which enrich her passion for community engagement and patient-centered care.
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Mike

Director of Advancement

Mike joined Connect Medical Clinic in August 2024, bringing over 35 years of fundraising expertise that has reshaped our approach to creative giving, major gifts, and planned giving. A Certified Fund Raising Executive since 2009, he has enriched his career through roles in both private education and faith-based media. His storied background includes serving on the Dickinson State University Blue Hawk Board of Directors, earning induction into DSU’s Athletic Hall of Fame, and holding leadership positions in the Rotary, Elks, and Knights of Columbus. Celebrated as part of the 2017 ND Knights of Columbus Family of the Year and a former DSU football record holder, Mike’s deep roots in the community shine through. Married for 41 years with four children and fourteen grandchildren, he enjoys yard work and mountain biking on the Maah Daah Hey trail near Medora, reflecting his lifelong commitment to community and excellence.
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Director of Development
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Jillian

Chief Operations Officer

A true Dickinson native, Jillian brings a unique blend of artistic flair, academic excellence, and community leadership to her role as COO. A Trinity High School alumna and University of Dallas graduate, she balances her roles as wife, devoted mother, and family dog’s best friend, all while engaging passionately with her community. An international jazz and choral artist with expertise in theological disciplines—including morality, bioethics, and canon law—Jillian has been honored as the 2016 Special Olympics Partner of the Year. Fluent in Spanish, Latin, and ASL, she has served as a University class representative and as secretary for the City of Dickinson Police Auxiliary. As the Assistant Director and host for Springs in the Desert and an educator at Veritatis Splendor Institute, Jillian’s dynamic leadership is complemented by her hosting of the Springs in the Desert Podcast and presentations at Benedictine College’s 2025 symposium on Transforming the Culture. In her free time, she delights in reading, studying languages, and enjoying wine tastings and two-stepping in the kitchen with her husband.
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Tara

President/CEO

Tara has been a driving force at Connect Medical Clinic since 2018, when she first felt the call to our mission while working as a registered nurse. Once onboard, she expanded her expertise as a Sexual Risk Avoidance Specialist, Certified FEMM Instructor, and RN Sonographer. In 2021, Tara answered the call to lead as President and Executive Director and became President/CEO in 2024. With a career as an RN dating back to 2001, she has also served as President of the Dickinson Area Friends of the Library, been a panelist for the World Youth Alliance’s International Solidarity Forum on Dignity and Sexuality Education, and participated in the 2022–2023 Change Network Cohort. Tara is celebrated for publishing the Status of Women’s Health Report, being an active member of the Dickinson Area Rotary, and having been voted “Best Hair” by her senior class. Her boundless curiosity, love for learning, and cherished family moments with her husband, children, and their spoiled llasapoo, Miss Lillian Pupperton, inspire us every day.
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Mike

Director of Advancement
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Tara, RN

Chief Executive Officer
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Careers

At Connect Medical Clinic, joining our Care Team means becoming part of a community dedicated to delivering holistic, dignity-centered care to every patient. We believe that each team member plays a vital role in creating a warm, non-judgmental, and empowering environment where people can truly thrive. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to share your expertise, cultivate meaningful relationships, and make a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve. If you’re passionate about compassionate care and driven by a desire to nurture and empower others, we invite you to join us on our mission to transform healthcare and build a community where everyone is cherished.

Join the Care Team!

Open positions at Connect Medical Clinic are available, they can be found by swiping right.

Interested applicants for open positions can apply by submitting a resume and cover letter by email.

Positions are open until filled.

If you have an interest in joining the Connect team and making a difference, reach out to us for a job description or email your resume and cover letter and indicate which position you are interested in applying for.

Email Us

Director of Development

Salary; Exempt. 32 hours/week.

Join the Advancement Department!

Connect Medical Clinic is seeking a Director of Development to lead community engagement, donor relations, and development strategy—ensuring the long-term growth and sustainability of our mission. This role is ideal for a charismatic, relational leader who excels in communication, collaboration, strategic planning, and fostering generosity. The right candidate will be flexible, optimistic, and solution-oriented, thriving in a fast-paced environment while fostering a unified, connected community.

If you’re passionate about building relationships, motivating others, and advancing dignity-centered, holistic healthcare, we’d love to hear from you!

Email Us

Director of Administration

Salary; Exempt. 32 hours/week.

Join the Administration Department!

Connect Medical Clinic is seeking a Director of Administration to oversee administrative operations, manage financials, and support human resources functions. The ideal candidate is a strategic, detail-oriented leader with experience in business or healthcare administration, financial management, and team leadership. A degree or experience in business or healthcare administration is preferred, as well as familiarity with QuickBooks, Google Workspace, and nonprofit management.

If you are passionate about combining your administrative expertise with a life-affirming mission, this is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a faith-based, whole-person environment.

Email Us

Hope and Healing After Sex Trafficking

This story was written by a Care Team Nurse. Names have been changed to protect the identity of the patient.

As Lana sits across from me, by looking at her, no one would be able to tell she’s been a victim of sex trafficking. She’s dressed like any other teenage girl, though to my eye, she looks younger than 16, carrying herself more like a girl than a woman.

She’s matter of fact about her experiences, in what I believe an attempt to appear brave, instead of being actually at peace with them.

Because how could she be? At just 16, she’s been a victim of something so dark, it breaks my heart.

I take the time to tell her it’s ok to be real with me. Connect is a safe place and she is worthy and deserving of my time, attention and quality healthcare and education.

She’s been rescued; she’s a survivor. Getting tested for the potential risks to her ongoing sexual health and fertility is just one step of many she’ll have to bravely take towards healing. And we are positioned to be one piece of that healing process, winning the right to speak life and love to the patient in front of us.

Lana is just one story of sex trafficking victims we have had the oppportunity to serve at Connect Medical Clinic. Since the beginning of the year, we’ve seen a number of these patients, more than ever in CMC history, and we even alerted law enforcement to a suspected trafficking network coming through our facility. (Investigation is on-going, but the instincts of our nurses were deemed correct.)

Because of you, we can connect our vulnerable patients with the resources and support they need, even when facing sexual risks and repercussions they never intended or were forced upon them. We have the unique opportunity to identify those who are at-risk for being trafficked and can connect them with the area organizations who serve tirelessly to rescue and mentor those who have been victims.

Support Our Patient Success

Every day, men and women in our community face a culture that devalues dignity and human connection. Thanks to the generous support of our community, Connect Medical Clinic serves as a beacon of hope and holistic care. Financial donations, along with gifts of time and resources, enable us to provide transformative health services and education that honor the inherent dignity of every individual. Together, we are rewriting the narrative to create a culture where life is valued and respected, families thrive and receive support, and every person is nurtured and cherished.

Make a Donation

Meet Our Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors provides visionary leadership that ensures every decision reflects our commitment to holistic, dignity-centered care and compassionate service to our community.

Colleen Moenkedick

Board Chair

Maria Renicker

Secretary

Deb Schweitzer

Flo Friedt

Chris Desilets

Matt Ellerkamp (interim)

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Designation
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Designation
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2023 Status of Women’s Health Survey

Our CEO, Tara Zettel, through the North Dakota Change Network, published this report on the status of women’s health. The subsequent expansion of services and space in 2024 was informed by the results of this report.

See Health Survey

Recent Newsletters

Connect through our bi-annual printed newsletter.

Spring 2025

When Tarrense first walked into Connect Medical Clinic, he kept his hood up and his eyes to the ground…

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Winter 2024

Elaina came to Connect Medical seeking help and support as a first-time mom. She and her husband had recently moved to Dickinson from Alaska…

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See more Newsletters

Awards and Achievements

The unique mission of Connect has been recognized by the community.

IN THE NEWS

Our expansion, which began December, 2023, was completed in 2024 and was highlighted by the Dickinson Press. Dickinson Press 1 | Dickinson Press 2 | Dickinson Press 3 | Dickinson Press 4

BEST OF THE WEST

Dr. Arnold was awarded Best OB/GYN Doctor of 2025 for his work at Connect Medical Clinic.

CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD

Dr. Arnold and Rachael received an award for Outstanding Customer Service from the Dickinson Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors.

NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR

During a year of tumultuous circumstances, Connect Medical Clinic was recognized for their enduring mission of hope and light at the 114th Annual Banquet and Chamber Choice Awards.

Be Part of the Movement

Our values of connection, care, choice, and centeredness situate our practice around the Center:
being grounded, focused, and confident in the sanctity of all human life. Here’s how you can get involved.

Make a Donation

Invite us Over

Join the Fun

Make it Your Own

Share Your Skills

Stay Connected

We offer a whole-person, holistic, comprehensive consultation so that patients have a connection between their biological, spiritual, mental, and social dimensions of humanity, to see themselves as a whole.

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