We are Black Hills Advocate
We are here to help. If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening or debilitating illness, is receiving home health services, hospice services or residing in a nursing home or assisted living facility, or perhaps you reside in the private community and your children live outside the area or have limited availability due to juggling other family obligations - Black Hills Advocate is here to help.
We can coordinate all the services necessary to ensure that you or your loved are receiving the highest standard of quality care and services possible and report to the family members so they remain involved. Our services vary between a single visit to ongoing advocate services.
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Jenny Schmidt
Passionate Advocate
Jenny Schmidt is a board certified patient advocate and has over 25 years of experience working in the health care field. She has a passion for serving vulnerable people in our community. She is a Rapid City Stevens High School graduate. After graduation, Jenny honorably served the Marines for four years as a field medical hospital corpsmen in the United States Navy. She went on to attend Elmhurst College, graduating with honors with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Communication.
Following graduation, Jenny worked in business development for large companies in Chicago including Orbitz.com during its startup and IPO as well as piloting a new sales initiative and successfully creating a new revenue stream for Cars.com. Her business background gives her a unique perspective to address financial, insurance and quality of life questions.
After her return to Rapid City in 2006, Jenny worked for 9 years at Westhills Village Retirement Community serving in the role of Director of Marketing/Business Development and subsequently the Director of Independent Living.
Seeing the need for someone to help people in the community quarterback care and ensure quality of life with an unbiased opinion and fierce allegiance only to the client, Jenny launched Black Hills Advocate in June of 2015 with a passionate focus on connecting people with the services that were right for them while ensuring delivery of the best care available.
Jenny serves on the Board of Directors of the Hope Center and is an active voice in the community for seniors and other underserved populations. Jenny makes her home in Rapid City with her spouse, children, and three dogs. On weekends, she can be found spending time with friends, reading, and enjoying the beauty of the Black Hills.
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Amber Wichmann
Advocate, Manager
Amber is a board certified patient advocate and has spent 20 years working in an operational and administrative assistant roles in a variety of settings from an engineering company, to non-profits, and chiropractic clinics. To her, every day is another chance to do better than the day before as she strives to learn, love and grow.
Amber tries to live life from her heart and understands that the most sacred times of being present in people's lives are times that can bring joy and heartache.
Amber and her husband both hail from East River, but she has fallen in love with the Black Hills, especially when she is rock climbing, running, hiking or camping. She likes to tell her two children: "Fresh air is good air!" and then live it out.
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Chase Morris
Advocate, Assistant
Chase Morris is a Colorado Mesa University graduate through the Psychology and Dance Department. She is passionate about working with vulnerable populations and contributing to her community. Whether that is teaching dance at Riverside Educational Center in Grand Junction, Colorado, or volunteering as a Victim Advocate, she sees the importance and value in being a positive and helpful person for those in need.
In Colorado, Chase has worked as a Youth Coach for Ariel Clinical Services, created a local resource guide with Psychologist, Dr. Mae MacIntire, and has volunteered as a Victim Advocate with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office. Chase strives to live her life with meaning and to be of service to the community she resides in.
Chase is originally from Rapid City. She is excited to be able to bring the experiences and lessons she has learned in Colorado and, in turn, help contribute to her hometown. Chase is a lover of the outdoors and the arts. She spends as much time as she can painting and enjoying the beauty outside.