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Fargo Staff Bios
Pauline Economon has been the Executive Director of FirstChoice Clinic since 2001. She has over 25 years of combined health care and administrative experience. Her areas of expertise include the following: sexual health and fertility care; marriage relationship skills; development of morally and professional acceptable reproductive health services; and religious program development and administration. She has a Masters of Science in Nursing from Arizona State University and Masters of Arts in Theology and Christian Ministry from Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. Pauline along with her husband George Economon (retired Chief Master Sergeant with the Air National Guard) work together to serve this region’s largest medically based pregnancy help clinic.
George Economon retired as a Chief Master Sergeant from the North Dakota Air National Guard. He served in a variety of positions in his thirty five years with the guard with most of them being in a management role. He is a full time volunteer at FirstChoice Clinic, serving as its Special Projects Director. In addition to that, he serves as a volunteer on several boards. He is a board member of the Mid America Credit Union Association, Bismarck, ND, and a board member of Freedom Community Credit Union, Fargo, ND. He also serves as Secretary on the North Dakota Catholic Conference and is a member of the Community Homes Board, an organization that manages low income HUD housing projects in Fargo, ND, and Wahpeton, ND. He is a Parish Trustee for St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fargo, serves on its Parish Council and Finance Committee, and is also the ND State Family Director for the Knights of Columbus. George is married to Pauline and has three grown daughters.
Susan Richard has worked at FirstChoice Clinic since 1994. From 1994 through 2000, Susan served as Executive Director. In 2001, Susan assumed the position of Special Events Coordinator, overseeing the fundraisers for the clinc, i.e. Banquet, Golf Marathon, and Life Walk. Susan is wife to Larry and mother of four children: Jackie, Alex, Rebecca and Elisabeth. Susan is a past educator (NDSU BA ’76). Susan states, “FirstChoice Clinic makes a world of difference in the lives of the people who seek services here. We thank all of our donors who sacrifice to make these services possible for women and families in need.”
Vicki Larson - Life issues have always ‘fueled’ Vicki’s passion. As a ’72 Concordia College grad, she served for several years on the Birthright board and then the FirstChoice Clinic board. In the summer of 2001, following 15 years working as a Parish Educator and Congregation Life Director at First Lutheran Church, Fargo, Vicki was hired as the Prevention Education Director and currently serves as Outreach and Events Coordinator. Married for 37 years to Bruce, a Fargo North biology teacher and football coach, the Larson’s have three grown daughters, two son-in-laws and two grand daughters.
Dorothy Flood joined the team in August 2007. She works as the Receptionist/Office Assistant at FirstChoice Clinic. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting with a Minor in Management from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH. She has numerous experiences to bring to the job having worked in several accounting and secretarial positions. "God bless my mom - I grew up in a actively pro-life family and since then, have deemed "life" as one of the most important causes to stand behind, since all other causes depend on it. Looking for employment where I could invest my time working in an organization with a mission I could stand behind, one I could support mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, FirstChoice Clinic seemed the perfect fit!"
Patti Allex joined FirstChoice Clinic’s team as the Receptionist/Admin Assistant in February of 2008. She has been married for 25 years to her best friend and partner, Grant. Together they have seven very special children: Preston, Makensie, Cameron, Addison, Miranda, Skylar, and Landon (aged 23-6). And 3 grandchildren: Isabella, Aurielle and Tiegan. Because children are a huge part of Patti’s heart she says, “Working at FirstChoice Clinic has been a wonderful blessing for me. I truly believe in God’s Unconditional Love and His very Special and Unique purpose for each and every life created.”
Client Services Bios
Patti Killoran has been a Labor/Delivery Nurse for 18 years at local hospitals, continuing as her time permits – she thrives on opportunities to experience the gift of life. Patti started at FirstChoice Clinic, March 2004, as Nurse Manager. She also works with pregnancy counseling and is trained to perform limited obstetric ultrasounds. As Nurse Manager, she oversees client services, medical policies and procedures, ultrasound services, and the Earn While You Learn program. Patti is married and has three children and one granddaughter. She loves being a farmer’s wife and helping out, especially at harvest time. She has a self-professed addiction to kids sporting activities. Patti volunteers as a First Responder for the Cass County EMS to provide emergency medical care in rural Cass County. She says, “I am proud to be a part of the FirstChoice Clinic Team, to help all who are facing the challenges of an unplanned pregnancy and give them the information and education they need to help give their unborn child a great start in life.”
Renae Setter is a registered nurse with 20+ years of experience as a psychiatric nurse. She worked in-patient at what was St. Luke’s Hospital and then out-patient at South East Human Services, Meritcare, and Lakeland Mental Health. Renae has served as Staff Nurse for FirstChoice Clinic since 2001. Life is never dull for Renae, as she is a mother to four daughters and grandmother to 3 grandsons. She enjoys the game of hockey and is definitely a hockey mom but not a “crazy hockey mom”. She says, “I am proud to work at FirstChoice Clinic and have never worked with more professional or caring people. I never fail to learn from my clients and God has truly blessed me to share in their life.”
Renee Johnson has worked as a public health nurse in WI & MN and an OB nurse at a clinic in Minneapolis. Joining our staff in September 2006, as Fertility Care Nurse, Renee has daily interaction with clients and is also trained in the Marquette System of Natural Family Planning. A wife and mother of five children, Renee says, “I am blessed to share a bit of myself with the ministry of FirstChoice Clinic. As daunting as the task is, visiting with an abortion-prone young woman and helping her choose life for her child, is extremely rewarding.”
Deb Roesler is a registered nurse and has experience in OB/GYN, Intensive Care Nursery and Pediatric Home Health Care. Deb is working as the Earn While You Learn Coordinator/Client Educator at FirstChoice. She has a passion for education and a desire to make family units more cohesive. Deb and her husband,
Make a Sound Choice Bios
Kay Kiefer is a registered nurse, who worked at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City , MO , before moving to West Fargo in December 1998 with her family. She worked at Prairie Psychiatric Hospital Fargo
Kay has been married to Russ for 23 years and they have three children, ages 21, 19 and 17. With her family as her first calling in life, she feels fortunate to have found a place at FirstChoice Clinic and Make a Sound Choice. “It is incredible that I get to work in an area that I am so passionate about! Every day, I know that the work being done in this organization is changing our community for the better…with God at the head of our ministry!”
Lora Miller has worked as an Administrative Assistant for over 4½ years, obtaining her Associates Degree as a Medical Administrative Assistant in 2000. Joining our staff in November 2006, Lora assists the Make a Sound Choice staff with general office tasks, coordinating travel plans, and assisting in organizing the abstinence training. Lora is from a family of six children and was born and raised on a farm in rural North Dakota, but is currently residing in Fargo. Lora is an intern with Red River Youth for Christ with their Campus Life program. She currently mentors and teaches a Bible Study with three teen girls that she has built a relationship with. Lora is also involved with the RRYFC Teen Mom’s program, conducting the child care for the young mothers at their weekly meetings. Lora says, “I have always believed in ‘saving’ myself sexually for my husband, for marriage. The abstinence message that Make a Sound Choice believes in and myself as well, goes deeper then ‘just saying no to sex,’ it equips people with the knowledge and information necessary to make an informed, healthy decision to wait until marriage to express themselves sexually. The education I have obtained at Make a Sound Choice, has been invaluable as I interact with these young teen girls and start to inform them that choosing to remain abstinent or not will have an affect on their physical, emotional, and sexual health. I am thankful for the opportunity to be working with such amazing people and such a great program that believes in the abstinence message.”
Heather is the Field Supervisor for the Make a Sound Choice program. With a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Heather has been working as a therapist for the past 3 years. Originally wanting to help people have better marriages, she set off in hopes of doing marital and premarital counseling. She quickly realized that the root of marriage problems starts much earlier in life and found herself drawn to the message of abstinence, character building, and the teaching of healthy relationships to kids in the classroom, wanting to head off the problem "at the pass," so to speak. "I've seen firsthand what destructive decisions can do to a marriage. I believe that every child in America must hear this message of abstinence and healthy relationships to counteract the strong pro-sex agenda set forth in the media and entertainment industry. I've heard it said that marriage is the backbone of a society and if we don't start teaching people how to have healthy marriages, our society at large is going to be in serious trouble."
Heather has lived in the Fargo-Moorhead area for three years with her husband, Chris, and son, Elijah.
Rebecca Meidinger has been trained as an Abstinence Educator through Make a Sound Choice and is on staff with Make a Sound Choice as the Community Outreach Coordinator. She is married to Paul Meidinger, a local Fire Fighter. They have two children and reside in
Lake Region Staff Bios
Luanne Krein joined the team at Lake Region Center as Administrative Assistant in April of 2008. She and her husband, Kyle have four children: Jarrod, Erin, Kirsten and Kaylin. She has lived in the Devils Lake area most of her life. Luanne says, "Having a FirstChoice site in Devils Lake is a tremendous asset to our community. Anyone in need can come in for information to help them make an informed decision."
Darlene Schoenfish is a Registered Nurse at the Lake Region Center. Graduating from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks Binford , ND Devils Lake
Contact FirstChoice Clinic
701-237-6530 or Toll Free 1-888-237-6530
Email: info@firstchoiceclinic.com
FirstChoice Clinic · 1351 Page Dr., Suite 205 · Fargo, ND 58103
