Denis MacLeod, BA

Denis MacLeod is the Communications Coordinator for the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks.

MacLeod promotes the activities of the Center though media relations, newsletter production, feature writing, editing, policy briefs, exhibiting, and special events. He is responsible for developing the Center’s CRH Update and CRH Flash, electronic communications that feature monthly and urgent-as-needed news about rural health, funding opportunities, publications, resources, and events. These communication vehicles reach more than 5,500 subscribers including state policymakers, health care providers, community-based organizations, and health care clinicians. MacLeod also directs dissemination efforts for the Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center and the Area Health Education Center, along with the national VA Rural Health Resource Center in the central region of the United States. He is a senior member of the Communications team for the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. MacLeod is editor of North Dakota Medicine magazine, with a national subscriber base of over 14,000. He delivers presentations to UND staff on professional writing.

Before joining the CRH, MacLeod was communications editor of online courses and staff communications, and a project planner for UND, assisting government and business organizations with strategic planning and staff development. MacLeod worked as a mortgage banker for seventeen years before joining UND.

MacLeod received a bachelor’s degree in social science from UND, where he graduated summa cum laude and was elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest, most widely known academic honor society and a leading advocate for excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. He delivers presentations to staff on professional writing, and he presents sessions on finance and priority setting for premarriage couples at the UND Newman Center.

Established in 1980, the Center for Rural Health is one of the nation's most experienced rural health organizations. It has developed a full complement of programs to assist researchers, educators, policymakers, health care providers and, most importantly, rural residents to address changing rural environments by identifying and researching rural health issues, analyzing health policy, strengthening local capabilities, developing community-based alternatives, and advocating for rural concerns.

Contact Information:

Tel:	(701) 777-3300
Email:	dmacleod@medicine.nodak.edu
Web site:	http://ruralhealth.und.edu

Projects

• American Indian Health Research Conference -- A venue to share current research activities concerning health risk and health promotion among Native American communities.
• Area Health Education Center Program -- The purpose of the AHEC is to improve the distribution, diversity, supply and quality of health care personnel in the health care services delivery system.
• Health Workforce Information Center -- Provides free access to the most recent resources on the nation’s health workforce in one easy-to-use online location.
• National Institute of Mental Health Outreach Partnership -- The Center for Rural Health and the National Institute of Mental Health’s effort to improve the mental health of individuals and families across North Dakota.
• Rural Health Research Gateway (Diverse Audiences) -- Examines and produces effective dissemination products and approaches for diverse audiences at the national, state and community level.
• Traumatic Brain Injury State Partnership Grant Program -- Works toward the building of a comprehensive system of coordinated services for individuals with TBI and their families.
• Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center -- Undertakes national projects focusing on quality of rural health care and other important rural health issues.
• VA Midwest Rural Health Resource Center -- Supports a number of new initiatives to enhance health care delivery to rural veterans and close gaps in quality and access to care that may result from the geographic isolation faced by rural veterans.