McKenzie Health’s Director of Oncology and Infusion Services Wins Award

June 8, 2026

Released by: Center for Rural Health, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Strand Receives Emerging Rural Leader Award

WATFORD CITY, N.D. —Tessa Strand, registered nurse and director of Oncology and Infusion Services at McKenzie Health, received the Emerging Rural Leader award at the 2026 Rural Health Awards Banquet. The award is presented to a new professional who has demonstrated tremendous promise for and commitment to improving the health of rural North Dakota residents. The awards banquet was held in conjunction with the Dakota Conference on Rural Health on June 3 in Grand Forks.

Strand felt the draw to healthcare at an early age. She watched her father undergo cancer treatment and witnessed firsthand the profound impact nurses had on his journey. They did more than deliver medication. They lifted his spirit, brought comfort during uncertainty, and became an essential part of his support system. And they inspired Strand to a career in healthcare.

She has worked to ensure patients receive high-quality cancer treatment and infusion services without having to travel long distances away from their families and support system. Tessa was a key member of the core team established to deploy oncology services at McKenzie Health, helping to build and expand a program that meets the growing needs of western North Dakota. Her clinical expertise, operational insight, and patient-centered focus were instrumental in successfully launching and strengthening these services locally.

“In just under a year as a formal leader,” said Pete Edis, CEO of McKenzie Health, “she has helped develop and stabilize cancer treatment and infusion services in a very rural region of our state. Tessa’s rapid achievements show her dedication to patients and promise as a rural healthcare leader.”

She has also played an integral role in directing the renovations for McKenzie Health’s Regional Cancer Care + Prevention facility. Her leadership fosters a culture of empathy, teamwork, and professionalism among staff, ensuring that every patient interaction reflects the same encouragement and dignity that once meant so much to her own family. She advocates tirelessly for her patients and her team, ensuring they have the tools, resources, and education necessary to provide safe, high-quality care. Her ability to balance operational oversight with bedside compassion distinguishes her as an emerging leader with both heart and strategic insight.

During her time as director, she has streamlined operating procedures, created protocols, and expanded positions that not only work for the department but also offer job satisfaction for the nurses. She has also helped establish a sustainable infusion and cancer treatment framework, recruit and develop a dependable core nursing team, and strengthen the confidence in area residents about receiving life-saving cancer care locally.

-###-

MCKENZIE HEALTH MEDIA CONTACT
Lynn Welker-Fevold, MMHC, ACHE
307-399-4145
lwelker@mchsnd.org