From Local to Global Impact: Ron Werft is Elected Chair of World Telehealth Initiative

We’re thrilled to share that Ron Werft, President Emeritus and former President and CEO of Cottage Health, has been elected Board Chairman of World Telehealth Initiative (WTI). Ron has served on our Board since 2019, and his guidance has been invaluable as we grow our global impact.

At the heart of that impact is WTI’s unique program model: a corps of volunteer physicians and nurses, paired with telehealth technology, who train and support clinicians in low-resource hospitals and clinics worldwide. This collaboration improves the availability and quality of patient care long term, while raising the medical skills of local clinicians. Ron notes, “Because of WTI’s unique mission, serving on the Board has been incredibly rewarding.”

WTI partners with health systems, including Cottage Health, offering physicians and nurses an efficient and fulfilling opportunity to volunteer their expertise, supporting colleagues worldwide. “This is incredibly rewarding,” says Werft. “Burnout is a major challenge for clinicians globally, but studies show that increasing the percentage of one’s day that is defined as meaningful work significantly reduces the symptoms of burnout. Expanding our global reach while providing meaningful volunteer experiences for physicians and nurses is a win-win.”

Sharon Allen, WTI Co-founder and CEO, adds, “Ron’s leadership comes at a pivotal time. We’re fulfilling 95% of partner requests for support, and with his guidance, we’ll continue expanding our reach and impact.”

We’re excited for this next chapter and look forward to all we’ll accomplish together under Ron’s leadership.