Meet The Team at Premier Medical Staffing Services
At Premier, we are with you every step of the way. From our Compliance Team to the Executive Team, we all have a hand in making sure you’re taken care of in your healthcare career or healthcare staffing journey with us. In everything we do, we believe it will make a positive difference in those we serve.
Welcome to the Premier Experience
Laura Hanoski
Owner, Managing Member
18 years ago Laura co-founded Premier Medical Staffing Services (“Premier”), a Wisconsin Certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise, with her husband, Mark Hanoski. Laura is a nurse by trade and has worked in a variety of specialty areas as a pool nurse, including 6 years in orthopedics. She has a passion for healthcare and improving quality of life for patients. Laura oversees all the clinical aspects of Premier, from medication teaching to maintaining Joint Commission standards. She works alongside Mark to help grow and plan the future of Premier.
In 2017, Laura Hanoski started a non-profit called Heroes for Healthcare. This organization helps military personnel transition to civilian life and Veterans find their career in healthcare. Learn more by visiting heroesforhealthcare.org
Laura attended a Tony Robbins conference and walked across fire.
Laura's Fun Fact
Mark Hanoski
Owner
Mark is an experienced manager with expertise in the understanding of the complexities in delivering health care services to the medical industry. Mark is versed in healthcare requirements and operational issues that face and challenge healthcare systems today such as the Affordable Care Act, cost containment, joint commission, census fluctuation and budget concerns. Sound clinical background, including 8 years of extensive professional experience as a healthcare professional, has helped Mark in his ability to see and understand the whole healthcare picture. His ongoing, long-term goal is to continue his professional growth in healthcare and to support his company by managing and creating unity within the organization for a better work environment and a smoother running organization.
Mark originally went to college to become a professional piano player (Performance Major).
Mark's Fun Fact
Cherise Strzok
VP of Operations
Cherise Strzok wears a multitude of hats in her executive leadership role managing operations of Premier Medical Staffing Services. She has been a family member growing with Premier since 2007. Cherise began her career at Premier holding a dual role of Account Management in Therapy & Pharmacy; working in business development, client management, as well as recruiting establishing/maintaining relationships with over 150 hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and private practice groups through-out the Midwest. She began managing daily operations for the company in February of 2014 and transitioned into her role as Director of Operations in December of 2016. She graduated with her Bachelors of Science in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism management from UW-Stout. Combined with years of management experience within restaurants and healthcare, Cherise brings an extensive knowledge in the elevated customer service experience, leadership and business acumen.
Cherise had participated in a Royalty Spaghetti Eating Contest where she was able to mow down a pound of spaghetti noodles in under 90 seconds!
Cherise's Fun Fact
Lindsay DeGroot
Director of Client Management
Lindsay is a graduate of UW-Milwaukee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications. Her role as Division Manager at Premier Medical Staffing Services is a great fit for Lindsay given her precise communication skills and penchant for relationship building with her staff and clientele.
Lindsay is a lefty!
Lindsay's Fun Fact
John Brock
Client Manager
John comes to Premier with 5 years of recruitment experience and 30 years of management experience in the service industry. He strives to incorporate his leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills into any role he is in; and believes communication is the key piece to any successful team. He enjoys music from Johnny Cash to Mozart, any WI sporting event, movies of all genres, and spending time with family and friends. John is here to ensure his clients enjoy the adventure of the healthcare industry and build a long-lasting professional relationship.
John gets a kick out of making others laugh and is always quick to drop an "Anchorman" quote (we’re sure his home is full of mahogany and leather bound books)
John's Fun Fact
Brian Houchens
Client Manager
Brian comes to Premier with 9 years of hospitality management in hotel operations. He specializes in customer and employee engagement and satisfaction. Brian believes that communication is key to driving success and building strong and lasting relationships with clients and coworkers.
Brian has two dogs!
Brian's Fun Fact
Ashley Allred
Client Manager
Ashley comes to Premier with 10 years of healthcare management experience. She believes communication is the key to building lasting relationships and cultivating success. Her years of management experience have allowed her to hone her skills in coaching and inspiring others. Ashley strives to give the best "people experience" in all her interactions. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family; you can find her at the park most everyday with her son. She loves to golf, fish, and disc golf.
Ashley absolutely loves Christmas. Come November you may catch her jamming out to Christmas tunes in her car.
Ashley's Fun Fact
Regina Jones
Client Manager
Regina has been on a healthcare career path for the last 20 years, working as a clinician and now getting to sit on the other side of the table. She is always ready to learn something new and wanting to grow with the company she is involved in. When she is not at work she is spending time with her 4 children and getting them prepared for the world. Her hobbies include hiking, kayaking and horseback riding. She is not afraid to go out and get what she wants out of life!
Regina has played City League Softball for the last 33 years and plans to continue until she has to retire her cleats
Regina's Fun Fact
Joel Kapke
Client Manager
Joel graduated from Carroll University with a degree in Music Business. He brings a combined ten years of experience in sales and recruiting. Joel truly believes that building strong relationships is the key to success in anything you do in life. In his free time, you can probably find him playing hockey!
Joel is a trained cellist and self-taught drummer
Joel's Fun Fact
Chris Barnes
Client Manager
Chris graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a degree in English, which led him to a variety of employment opportunities that focused on customer service management. His experience utilizing communication skills to build relationships and problem-solving serves as a great strength in his role as a client manager. Chris is a self-admitted pop culture “nerd” and spends his free time listening to music, watching movies, and spending time with his dogs.
Chris has 3 dogs and owns over 3,000 records
Chris's Fun Fact
Micah Bloom
Client Manager
Micah graduated from Southwestern Assemblies of God University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership. He comes from a broad range of experiences in Retail Management, Business Operations, and Client Engagement in the field of Optics and Vision. Micah has a passion for creating and sustaining strong authentic relationships with his clients and co-workers while serving their needs as effectively as possible. Some of the many things that he loves to do include going to Milwaukee Bucks games, camping, rock-climbing, running and beach volleyball!
Micah rides a motorcycle whenever the Wisconsin weather allows him to!
Micah's Fun Fact
Cristina Larson
Client Manager
Cristina comes to Premier with over 17 years in the healthcare industry and a love of organizing & being organized. With 4 kids, 3 dogs, and 2 cats, figuring out systems to stay on top of things has been key to maintaining balance. Cristina enjoys working with people and believes that communication is key to creating a successful relationship.
Cristina once took Clown Philosophy with Patch Adams!
Cristina's Fun Fact
Amanda Padilla
Recruitment Manager
Prior to joining Premier Medical Staffing Services, Amanda was new to the recruiting world and being a recent graduate from Concordia University Wisconsin, she was eager to apply her knowledge to helping medical professionals. She graduated with a Bachelors degree in Biomedical Sciences and has past experience in healthcare, customer service, and management. She was drawn to this position at Premier because of her outgoing personality and love for helping others be successful. Outside of the office, Amanda enjoys being active, spending time with the ones she loves, and is a major dog lover.
Amanda is a “dog mom” to an English Bulldog named Bane.
Amanda's Fun Fact
Brianna Hahn
Talent Acquisition Manager & Corporate Trainer
Brianna is a local Wisconsin girl and graduated from UW-Stout with a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism and a Minor in Business Management. She has experience in Hotel and Retail Management with a passion for customer service, personal attention, and a drive to go the extra mile. Brianna spends her time with family and friends exploring the city, vacationing in Northern WI, and finding new restaurants and breweries to try. She loves to cook and ride her bike along the Milwaukee lakefront.
Brianna is a great cook. She can take any dish or leftover and make it into a gourmet feast!
Brianna's Fun Fact
Brandon Bobb
Talent Acquisition Manager
Brandon graduated UW-Milwaukee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and has had a wide range of experiences. After college he worked in recruiting and quickly fell in love with the aspect of helping others find their perfect career. He recruited for roles such as Merchandisers, Warehouse Workers and even Truck Drivers! Brandon also had some healthcare experience thanks to an internship during college working with a Mobility Company. Brandon loves sports, rock climbing and having a good laugh with friends!
Brandon was a racing sausage with the Milwaukee Brewers for 2 summers, unfortunately he never won the race but taking pictures with the fans was his favorite part!
Brandon's Fun Fact
Lauren Kermendy
Talent Acquisition Manager
Lauren was born and raised in New Berlin, WI. She recently graduated from Carroll University where she received a Bachelor's of Science in Athletic Training plus a minor in Healthcare Administration. She has always had a passion for healthcare and helping others be successful. Lauren has spent 5 summers with Premier working as an intern learning several different roles and is excited to grow and become a full-time member of the Premier Family. Outside of the office she enjoys spending time with friends and family and staying active.
Lauren has been a gymnast for 16 years and also sang in an Acapella group in college
Lauren's Fun Fact
Leigh Tracy, COTA, CKTI
Talent Acquisition Manager
Leigh comes to Premier with over 28 years of healthcare experience in the field of Occupational Therapy. She has worked in a multitude of specialties and began her relationship with Premier as a field staff member back in 2011! Outside of work she can be found cycling, hiking, paddleboarding, kayaking, reading, playing ukulele, and spending time at her seasonal camper in Door County with her family. Aside from healthcare, her passion are her therapy dogs and has trained golden retrievers for over 18 years, having used them in her treatments as a therapist. She now rescues Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and is starting therapy dog training all over again!
Leigh is one of two COTA’s in the world that are Certified Kinesio Tape Instructors.
Leigh's Fun Fact
Sarah Koeppel
Talent Acquisition Manager
Sarah graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Healthcare Administration. She grew up in a small town outside of Jefferson, WI on a hobby farm where she raised animals to show at the local county fair. Her favorite things to do outside of work are walking her rescue dog, Luna, watching crime-dramas, listening to music, and exploring breweries throughout Wisconsin and nationwide.
Sarah sang with a professional jazz combo at the Cotton Club in New York City.
Sarah's Fun Fact
Rebecca Daniels
Talent Acquisition Manager
Rebecca graduated from Bryant and Stratton College with a degree in Medical Science. She has worked within the healthcare field for 12 years and staffing for 9 years.
Rebecca is a twin!
Rebecca's Fun Fact
Allie Torres
Talent Acquisition Manager
Allie has spent nearly 15 years working in customer service. Her strong work ethic, motivated attitude, & drive to create meaningful relationships makes her a great fit for the Premier Team. She considers herself a “workaholic”, and somewhat of an entrepreneur, with a traveling event bartending side business. In her spare time she likes hiking, DIY home projects, cooking ANYTHING and experimenting with mixology. She’s also a big fan of horror movies.
Allie has 3 dogs – a Great Pyrenees, a Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepherd mix, & a Beagle
Allie's Fun Fact
Lauren Polahar
Talent Acquisition Manager
Lauren graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Social Work. Over the last 4 years, she has worked as a Case Manager and a Program Supervisor at a special needs program for kids. Lauren feels Premier is a great place to continue fueling her passion to help others. Outside of work she enjoys hanging out with family and friends and surrounding herself with dogs!
Lauren is allergic to fuzzy caterpillars
Lauren's Fun Fact
Cailey Moran
Talent Acquisition Manager
Cailey graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and has experience in the service industry, childcare, and case management for children with special needs. Approachable and dependable, Cailey considers her knack for relationship-building and her passion for helping others her most notable strengths. Outside of the office, you can catch Cailey spending time with friends and family, cooking, exploring new restaurants and bars, listening to live music or bowling.
Cailey did some modeling and acting as a young child
Cailey's Fun Fact
Dominick LaGrossa
Talent Acquisition Manager
Dominick graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a Bachelor’s in Human Resources Management. He comes to Premier with experience in recruitment and is excited to get health professionals plugged-in to great opportunities. Outside of work, Dominick enjoys going to the gym, playing music, and Marvel Movies.
Dominick is a drummer!
Dominick's Fun Fact
Jamie Janiszewski
Talent Acquisition Manager
Jamie was born in Virginia and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a degree in Human Resources. As a people person, she has a passion for the talent acquisition side of HR and loves to build meaningful relationships with those she works with. When Jamie isn’t recruiting, she loves makeup, fashion, and anything creative!
Jamie lived in Germany for three years!
Jamie's Fun Fact
Matthew La Berge
Talent Acquisition Manager
Matthew graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a bachelor's degree in political science. He joins Premier with a diverse array of experiences, including recruiting, technology repair, office management, and customer service. He is passionate about building relationships, communication, and collaboration—all of which he brings to his job as Talent Acquisition Manager. Prior to Premier, Matthew recruited for an international security company. He also spent nearly five years as an office manager for a school for youth on the autism spectrum in the Bronx. Outside of work, Matthew enjoys exploring hiking trails, watching WI sports, and spending time with his friends and family!
Matthew has a black cat named Stella, who loves eating cardboard and howling at all hours of the night!
Matthew's Fun Fact
Olivia Wright-Mass
Talent Acquisition Manager
Olivia joins the Premier team with 4 years of recruiting experience in both the medical and corrections fields. She enjoys all aspects of being a recruiter, especially connecting with people and building relationships. She believes to be a great recruiter is to be a great listener. Outside of her work life Olivia enjoys being with her family, caring for her dog Melo, listening to music of all genres, creating DIY projects, and cooking exquisite meals.
Olivia is a trader on the foreign exchange and loves quantum physics
Olivia's Fun Fact
Samantha Mortensen
Talent Acquisition Manager
Samantha grew up in a northern Chicago suburb (go Blackhawks) and has been living in Wisconsin since graduating college from Carroll University with her Bachelor’s in Exercise Science in 2016. After graduation, she went on to get her massage therapy license and then practiced for 5 years at a chiropractor’s office before coming to Premier. Outside the office you’ll find her spending time with her German Shorthaired Pointer, Chloe, or working on projects for her Etsy shop! In her free time, she enjoys going fishing with her husband, yoga, or planning her next Disney trip!
Samantha has been to Ireland & kissed the Blarney Stone!
Samantha's Fun Fact
Hannah Travers
Talent Acquisition Manager
Hannah is from the northern Chicago suburbs (go Cubs!) and has a background is in speech pathology; she got her undergraduate degree at Saint Louis University, in St. Louis, MO and her graduate degree at Marquette University. Her experience as a Speech Pathologist is primarily with preschool and school-aged children. Most recently, she worked with American military children at a pediatric private practice in Ramstein, Germany. In her free time, you can generally find Hannah outside – hiking, camping, or at the beach with her dog.
Hannah’s dog, Gina, has her own pet passport! While Hannah was living in Germany, she adopted Gina from a shelter in Romania and brought her back to the US with her. Hannah and Gina have travelled to 10 countries and counting together.
Hannah's Fun Fact
Chris Behling
Talent Acquisition Manager
Chris comes to Premier with a rich sales background spanning the Midwest. After graduating from Ripon College in 2006, he went on to grow his book of business as a Regional Sales Director with clients such as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Star Tribune (MN), and the Washington Post. Chris is the proud father of four boys and is married to an RN, which gives him personal insight into the world of medicine. He is an avid sports enthusiast, having played NCAA football and golf and coached high school baseball and basketball. While outside of the office, he enjoys golfing and traveling, with Hawaii being a favorite destination.
Chris’ golf accomplishments include making a 190-yard hole in one & and scoring an Albatross (a 2 on a par 5)
Chris's Fun Fact
Chelsea Wise
Talent Acquisition Manager
Chelsea has 10 years of bedside experience within LTC & Memory Care specialties and is currently in school to become an NP specializing in Behavioral Health. She's always had a passion for helping others and volunteering and believes she gets her love for healthcare from her mom, who was a Memory Care Nurse for 25 years. Chelsea loves playing rugby, spent 5 years with a dance company, and enjoys painting (expressionism).
Chelsea once auditioned for American Idol!
Chelsea's Fun Fact
Jessie Oberhofer
Talent Acquisition Manager
Jessie has been in the assisted living field for the past 5 years as an Executive and Regional Director where the recruiting process from start to finish was a top priority. Jessie enjoys recruiting because she loves to find the right fit for each candidate and build genuine rapport with those she works with. She is excited to bring her experience and knowledge to Premier Medical Staffing Services. When not working, Jessie enjoys the outdoors, spending time with her husband and two children, and working on anything creative.
During Jessie’s childhood, she owned two horses and competed in show jumping competitions, winning two 1st-place blue ribbons!
Jessie's Fun Fact
John Helm
Recruiting Coordinator
John prides himself on positively impacting the lives of others. He joins Premier with 5 years of recruiting experience where his skills in communication allowed him to effectively assist those in need of his services. John believes that relating to others is the key to truly understanding his clinicians. His motto is that “teamwork makes the dream work!”
John is the lead vocalist of the band "The New Grey!"
John's Fun Fact
Brenda Denk
Compliance Lead
Brenda is a graduate of UW-Whitewater and has a BBA in Human Resources Management. She has a rich background in healthcare, mainly focused with practice plan management. The Compliance Lead role is a perfect fit for her talents and experiences. Brenda is a good listener and enjoys drawing people out. She has two ‘grown’ children - both currently attending college.
Brenda and her family foster dogs for the Humane Society taking care of them in preparation to find their forever homes.
Brenda's Fun Fact
Karly Dudzek
Compliance Specialist
Karly joins Premier with 8+years in the recruiting field with expertise in support and compliance. She strives to provide efficient and accurate support and assist in any way possible to help make the onboarding process as seamless as possible. She has worked in medical billing and has had some experience in the long-term care and chiropractic fields. Karly currently lives in Brown Deer, WI with her husband and three children. In her free time, she loves to cook following old family recipes and making new memories with her family and friends.
Karly was the first baby born of her birth year & her daughter shares the same birth date!
Karly's Fun Fact
Tim Schulz
Compliance Specialist
Tim comes to Premier having worked in Occupational Health Services and conducting background checks, most recently with the Milwaukee County Courthouse. He believes that building a rapport with others is a powerful tool in creating positive outcomes, and holds to the belief that Optimism and Courage are some of best qualities to bring into your personal decision-making. In his free time Tim loves hiking and climbing. Over the last few decades, he has travelled extensively and in his own words, enjoys “Going to strange locations and climbing tall things…”
Tim once drank Kumis with Desert Nomads, it’s fermented, fizzy sour horse milk and blood filtered through charcoal.
Tim's Fun Fact
Lisa Primus
Director of Finance
Lisa has a vast 20+ years of experience within finance, operations, leadership, training, HR & IT; all from a variety of industries: Fortune 500, manufacturing, healthcare, financial, law, and hospitality. Lisa attended Lakeland University where she received an MBA and BA with a triple major in Accounting, Business & Marketing. Her knack for organization and passion for helping others fits right in with Premier’s culture. Outside of work she loves crafting, tending to her houseplants, and spending time with her family; husband, 2 children, 4 grandchildren, & 4 fur-babies.
Lisa taught at WCTC & was a wedding caterer!
Lisa's Fun Fact
Lyndi Mirkes
Billing and Payroll Specialist
Lyndi graduated with a BS from UW-Oshkosh. She was a gymnast her entire life until the age of 23. She has a husband, 2 teens and a dog. Lyndi is busy carting them around and coaching competitive gymnastics at night.
Lyndi can still walk on her hands!
Lyndi's Fun Fact
Jenny Augustynowicz
Billing and On-Call Specialist
Jenny has been employed with Aurora Health Care for 14 years. For the past 11 years, she has worked in Labor and Delivery in the Aurora Women’s Pavilion at the Aurora West Allis Medical Center. Jennifer grew up in Oak Creek and lives in Caledonia with her boyfriend, Paul, their crazy, sweet, funny son, Gavin, their cat, Jack, and their 2 Vizsla dogs, Mollie and Callie Rae.
Mollie broke Jenny's knee in 2014, and it took over a year to heal! She still loves her, though!
Jenny's Fun Fact
Alex Kermendy
Billing and A/R Specialist
Alex was born and raised in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of Carroll University with a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in communications. Communication and building positive relationships is very important to him. In his free time he likes to do anything that keeps him active, especially baseball or golf, and enjoys spending time with friends and family.
Alex has been playing baseball for 20 years and currently plays on the weekends
Alex's Fun Fact
Nicole Baehring
Accounts Receivable/Collections Specialist
Nicole brings 20 years of experience in banking, finance, and accounting to our Premier Team! Outside of the office she enjoys indoor gardening and decorating. In addition she loves spending time with her young kiddos crafting, baking, and playing games.
During the pandemic, Nicole taught herself how to finger knit blankets!
Nicole's Fun Fact
Debbie Travanty
On-Call Scheduler
As On-Call Scheduler, Debbie is available for staff and clients during non-business hours. She is a graduate of Carroll University with a double major in Business and Psychology. Debbie lives in Waukesha, WI with her husband and 3 children. In her spare time, Debbie enjoys volunteering at her children’s schools, attending their sports and activities, long walks, and biking.
As a teenager she modeled for retail stores, featured in TV commercials and magazines.
Debbie's Fun Fact
Janelle Thompson
Director of Marketing Operations
Janelle is the Marketing Manager at Premier Medical Staffing Services. What gets her up every morning is the variety of branding projects her team creates and executes that showcase Premier's Core Values and the Premier Experience. Previously, Janelle worked in marketing for a marketing agency, assisted living corporation, and commercial real estate firm. She graduated from UW-Eau Claire and her love for hot chocolate is endless.
Frank Sinatra, Jr. winked at Janelle.
Janelle's Fun Fact
Meaghan Hoadley
Digital Marketing Strategist
Meaghan brings her passions for content strategy and content creation together in her role at Premier. From engaging content to digital community spaces, she uses her skillset to share and promote the Premier Experience. After college Meaghan picked up a love for photography and can usually be found walking around the office with a camera in hand. When she's not behind the lens, she also enjoys yoga and hiking with her pup, Mia!
Meaghan is chipping away at her goal of visiting every National Park!
Meaghan's Fun Fact
Emily Burton
Content Marketing Coordinator
Emily comes to Premier with diverse marketing experience under her belt. Although a Milwaukee native, Emily pursued her educational and professional endeavors on the East Coast. After graduating from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania in 2017, she completed the Columbia University Publishing Course in New York City, where she fell in love with digital media publishing. In New York, Emily held marketing positions at a tech company, a wellness magazine, and even a law firm. Emily loves being outdoors and can often be found hanging out with her dachshund Stanley.
Emily is fluent in Spanish!
Emily's Fun Fact
Nicole Roost
Independent Contractor - Recruitment
Kelly Foley
Independent Contractor - Recruitment
