Amy M. Burr, RN, BSN, CHPN
Hospice Program Director, Meadowlark Hills Hospice, Clay Center, KS                                                                      

Amy has dedicated the past decade to the hospice field. For the last seven years, she has served as KHCHA District 5 co-chair and was recently elected President-Elect of KHCHA. Nationally, she contributed as a committee member on the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Quality and Standards Committee, and with the merger of NHPCO and NAHC, she now serves on the Hospice Alliance Council.

Amy earned her Bachelor of General Studies with a concentration in Human Biology from the University of Kansas in 2000, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Baker University in 2002. Her nursing career began at Hutchinson Hospital in Hutchinson, KS, on the Medical-Surgical Unit. She later moved to Chanute, KS, where she spent seven years at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, also teaching nursing clinical rotations and IV certification courses for Neosho County Community College.

In 2013, after relocating with her family to Clay Center, KS, Amy pursued her passion for hospice care. She joined Meadowlark Hospice as a PRN nurse in April 2013 and soon accepted the role of Director in July of that year. She has taught hospice care courses for CE credit at Cloud County Community College and, in 2016, presented an overview of hospice care at the Kansas Skilled Professionals Annual Meeting. She co-taught KHCHA’s Hospice 101 course in both 2017 and 2023 and has been a consistent participant at KHCHA’s annual conferences.

Carter Olson, LNHA
Administrator, CNA/DCS, The Nicol Home Inc., Glasco, KS                                                                      

Carter came to The Nicol Home in the fall of 2018. His family connections brought him back to the area, with his great grandmother Grace Olson being a former Glasco and Nicol Home resident. He is a CDC Certified Infection Preventionist, as well as a Dementia Care Specialist licensed in the state of Kansas. He has also completed his CNA and CMA training and maintains a license working in a hands-on manner with staff and elders. He is a graduate of Kansas State University and enjoys going to sporting events or being outside in his free time. 

Since 2018, Carter and his team have led The Nicol Home through several major renovations totaling over $800,000 to ensure the facility is prepared and positioned for the next several decades. A separate project included the renovation and re-opening of the Glasco Family Physicians Clinic with operating partners at Clay County Medical Center. The Nicol Home is also currently pursuing the development of eight independent senior living cottages, with plans to open these units in 2027.

The facility was honored by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly as one of three facilities representing excellent display of support for our residents’ rights in 2025. The Nicol Home is also a PEAK Mentor Home, working towards Promoting Excellent Alternatives in Kansas through person centered senior care.

Amanda Phelan, RN, CHPN
Hospice Director, Hospice of the Prairie & Prairie Home Health, Garden City, KS

Amanda Phelan is a dedicated Hospice Director with a passion for providing compassionate, patient-centered, end of life care. Throughout her career she has focused on building strong clinical teams, ensuring regulatory compliance and fostering a culture of excellence and empathy.

Michelle Watson, MSW, NHA
Chief Strategy Officer, Douglas County Visiting Nurses Association, Lawrence, KS                                                                      

Michelle Watson, MSW, NHA, is the Chief Strategy Officer for Douglas County Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) in Lawrence, Kansas. She oversees strategic initiatives, community partnerships, and innovative programs that support home health, hospice, and community-based care.

Michelle has spent more than two decades serving older adults across the continuum of care, including long-term care, skilled nursing, sub-acute rehabilitation, memory care, assisted living, home health, and hospice. As a licensed Nursing Home Administrator and Social Worker, she brings a unique perspective on the importance of collaboration between long-term care providers, healthcare organizations, and community partners.

Throughout her career, Michelle has been passionate about improving the lives of older adults and helping them receive the right care at the right time and in the right setting. She believes strong partnerships between providers are essential to delivering person-centered care and improving outcomes for seniors and their families.