Movers & Shakers

Heritage Health’s Ruddell honored for serving the homeless

Kerri Ruddell, a nurse practitioner with Heritage Health, was named Clinician of the Year by the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved.

Ruddell works in the Street Medicine and Community Outreach program, which primarily serves Kootenai County’s homeless population. She joined Heritage Health nearly four years ago, working in Coeur d’Alene, Rathdrum and Kellogg.

“The Clinician of the Year represents the heart of our work and has demonstrated their commitment to improving the health of underserved communities through compassion and excellence in health care delivery,” said ACU Executive Director Amanda Pears Kelly. “The ACU is proud to recognize you for practicing trauma-informed, non-judgmental and equitable care. Your passion and leadership truly reflect our shared values and mission and we are honored to present you with this award.”

Ruddell is known for her compassion, leadership and her ability to handle tough situations, said Heritage Health CEO Mike Baker. “Kerri has a huge heart for the work that we do and is amazing with those we serve. She deserves this award and to be recognized for the amazing work she does with our Street Medicine team.”

The Street Medicine program serves roughly 500 individuals throughout the year via its office in Coeur d’Alene and its mobile outreach vehicles,” said Elise Cuentas, clinic director for Street Medicine.

“Our Street Med clinic’s abilities have grown significantly since Kerri came on board and our patients are definitely benefitting from the preventative and acute care measures she provides,” Cuentas said.

The Clinician of the Year award will be presented during the 2023 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., on July 25.

• • •

Evans Brothers Coffee wins Good Food Award for third time

Evans Brothers Coffee has been named a Good Food Awards winner for its Costa Rica Finca Calle Lajas Natural. This marks the third time Evans Brothers has won this award, more than any other roaster in the Inland Northwest.

With more than 2,000 entries per category, the competition for a Good Food Award is fierce in every category. Specialty coffee roasters from across North America submit their best coffees, which are cupped in a blind tasting before passing a further sustainability and social responsibility vetting process. The winners make up an even more selective group, with just three coffees chosen from each region. Evans Brothers is part of the North region, which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and Alaska.

The winning submission comes from Oscar and Francisca Chacon, owners of Las Lajas Micromill, in the Sabanilla de Alajuela region of Costa Rica’s Central Valley. EBC was introduced to this producer through Cafe Imports, and has been partnering with them for seven years. The brothers and several others from the EBC team have visited the micro-mill directly, to understand the intricacies of this mill’s process and to select their best tasting micro-lots.

“The Good Food Awards is the most important and prestigious award we have received. It has become increasingly competitive. To be honored as a GFA winner for the third time is truly remarkable. We are inspired to continue pursuing our passion of connecting our customers, both wholesale and retail, to the producers and partners that put so much of their heart and soul into producing exceptional coffee that benefits all those involved,” said Rick Evans.

Evans Brothers Coffee is a wholesale coffee roaster and retailer based in Sandpoint. EBC was founded in September 2009 by two brothers, Rick and Randy, who share a passion for quality coffee, community and sustainability. They focus on sourcing exceptional coffees from farms using sustainable and organic practices, and roasting in a style that highlights the many nuances of these high quality beans. The roasting facility and flagship cafe are located in Sandpoint’s Granary Arts District, with a second cafe operating on Sherman Avenue in downtown Coeur d’Alene.

“This is the award we covet every year. I’m truly honored that our coffee was a standout amongst so many of our region’s best roasters. To be selected as a finalist was thrilling, and then to find out we are a winner once again is just beyond intoxicating. The vetting process is intense for this award, and to be selected by our industry’s best coffee tasters and judges is validation for the hard work that our team of roasters puts into our craft,” said Randy Evans.

Evans Brothers offers a full-service wholesale roasting program for quality restaurants, cafes, resorts and others that share a commitment to quality and service. For more information, visit www.EvansBrothersCoffee.com. The EB Roastery is open from Monday through Friday.

• • •

If you have a new, relocated or expanded business, or announcement of events, promotions or awards, The Press wants to let our readers know. Email the details to hmain@cdapress.com.