Jane Friona, M.H.S.A., has been named the executive director of the Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center.

Friona was most recently grant writer and special projects coordinator in the Division of Outreach and Engagement at USI.

She earned a master’s degree in health services administration from Arizona State University, and an undergraduate degree in marketing from University of Indianapolis.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to expand the successes of SWI-AHEC to promote a robust health care professions workforce, ensuring that health care services throughout southwest Indiana are accessible, diverse, and of the highest quality,” said Friona.

Founded in 2008, the Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (SWI-AHEC) strives to ensure a qualified health care workforce across 10 counties in southwest Indiana. SWI-AHEC is hosted by the College of Nursing & Health Professions at the University of Southern Indiana,

Through innovative partnerships and programming, SWI-AHEC encourages youth to pursue health professions, engages clinical students in educational opportunities in rural and medically underserved areas, develops continuing education programs for health professionals, and participates in activities to address public health issues.

The Indiana AHEC Program, based at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, provides administrative oversight for SWI-AHEC, as well as seven other regional AHECs. SWI-AHEC serves the following counties: Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick.

Friona can be reached at jefriona@usi.edu, or by phone at 812/461-5446.