Emplify Health by Gundersen Friendship celebrates Wittig as new administrator

Emplify Health by Gundersen Friendship celebrates Wittig as new administrator

When Lori Wittig started her career as a registered nurse in the Emergency Department at Emplify Health by Gundersen Friendship over a decade ago, she confirmed her passion for rural healthcare and community connection.

"Working in this setting has been incredibly fulfilling," Lori reflects. "I love serving at the hospital and clinics in the community where I grew up. Every step of my professional journey has been to better care for patients, our staff and the community."

A native of the Adams-Friendship, Wisconsin area who still lives there with her family, Lori is excited to deepen her commitment to the community as the new Administrator of Emplify Health by Gundersen Friendship/Westfield. Lori assumes the role for Frank Perez-Guerra, who is retiring after 30 years of service within Emplify Health by Gundersen, including the last eight years as Emplify Health by Gundersen Friendship/Westfield Administrator.

"The opportunity to lead in this new role is inspiring and humbling," Lori shares. "I am honored to work alongside such a dedicated team whose commitment to exceptional patient care and community service aligns perfectly with my values. I can use my experience to enhance our services, strengthen our partnerships, and ensure our community continues to receive the quality care they deserve."

"Lori is a highly respected leader with extensive experience. With more than 20 years of leadership and nursing experience, Lori brings deep, personal knowledge, strong relationships, and a proven commitment to our patients, her work colleagues, and the communities we serve," shares Kraig Schuster, Emplify Heath by Gundersen Vice President of Community Care.

Building on a legacy of excellence

Since 2013, Lori has served as Director of Outpatient Operations for Emplify Health by Gundersen Friendship/Westfield. She successfully established new service lines and achieved significant milestones in quality improvement. More recently, Lori served as Director of Inpatient Operations, overseeing complex clinical operations and leading multidisciplinary teams.

Under Lori's leadership, the Emplify Health Friendship Emergency Department achieved a successful Trauma Level Four Survey in 2024 with no deficiencies and earned multiple prestigious awards, including two Coverdell awards in 2024 and five in 2025 for excellence in stroke and cardiac care. The organization also received the Lions Eye Bank Crystal Vision Award in both 2024 and 2025, a national recognition for outstanding organ and tissue procurement efforts.

Along with local initiatives and recognition, Lori is directly involved with Emplify Health initiatives to affirm clinical care and administrative alignment to benefit patients and staff. This includes maintaining high-quality stroke care and outcomes with partners at Emplify Health's La Crosse Hospital; involvement in teams discussing and refining HR, infection control and quality processes; addressing hospital length-of-stay and outcomes for patients; and helping in the development and launch of a Community Paramedic Program in Friendship, the first of its kind for an Emplify Health Critical Access Hospital.

Leading with compassion

"It's so important to pair data with intentional listening to understand people's needs and wants. Along with this, leading with humility, authenticity and stewardship for care and community is very important to me. Staff and patients should feel valued, supported and empowered to advocate for their needs," Lori explains. "By fostering a culture of transparency and accountability, we can work together toward our shared mission of providing exceptional, patient-centered care. I'm committed to using data-driven decision-making, while never losing sight of the compassionate, personal experience that makes rural healthcare so special."

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Lori is deeply invested in community engagement and leadership development. She serves on numerous boards and committees, including the Wisconsin Organization of Nurse Leaders Board of Directors, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Abstract Review Team, and previously the Moundview Memorial Healthcare Foundation Board of Directors. She has also mentored nursing students and colleagues throughout her career, demonstrating her commitment to developing the next generation of healthcare leaders.

Lori earned an Associate Degree in Nursing from Mid-State Technical College in 2003, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Grand Canyon University in 2017, and a Master of Business Administration from Grand Canyon University in 2020. She has also completed several leadership development programs, including the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Director Fellowship, the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative Quality Residency Program, and the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative Leadership Residency.