JONATHAN BERGMAN, JD

Mr. Bergman earned his undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Communication Studies from the University of Iowa and his law degree from the University of Iowa. After law school, he practiced with a small general practice firm and has been with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office since 2010, practicing exclusively in workers’ compensation defense.

JOSEPH S. CORTESE, II, JD

Commissioner Cortese was a lawyer in private practice for over 30 years before his appointment. Before becoming Commissioner in 2015 (reappointed in 2021), he practiced workers’ compensation law at the Des Moines law firm, formerly Huber, Book, Cortese & Lanz, where he was a partner. Commissioner Cortese received his Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and earned his J.D. with honors from Drake Law School. He is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association, Polk County Bar Association, and Iowa Association of Workers’ Compensation Attorneys and was a founding member of the American Academy of ADR Attorneys.

PHILLIP ESSAY, MD

Dr. Essay is a University of Nebraska College of Medicine graduate and has been in private practice as a pain management specialist in Lincoln and Omaha for the past thirty years. He is a national leader in neuromodulation (spinal cord stimulation) and has helped educate hundreds of physicians nationwide on the application and execution of spinal cord stimulation. Dr. Essay has provided expert testimony to the Nebraska State Legislature, district and federal courts, and US Congressmen on bills about pain.  He has also been a standards advisor for third-party payers regarding interventional spine treatment. Dr. Essay also has a medical-legal consulting business and has been an expert witness in several multimillion-dollar malpractice, personal injury, and wrongful death cases. His work has facilitated industry and professional standards on pain and its treatment. 

RACHEL FLETCHER, LISW

Ms. Fletcher attended the University of Northern Iowa, where she received her undergraduate degree in Social Work. She then attended The Ohio State University, receiving her Master’s in Social Work in 2009. She currently works for Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion, Iowa. She started with Iowa Specialty Hospital in 2015 as a clinical social worker. In 2021, she took on the behavioral health team's coordinator role. Before working for Iowa Specialty Hospital, she was a clinical social worker for WellSource (Mental Health Center of North Iowa) in Mason City, Iowa, for six years. 

PATRICK G. HARTLEY, MD, BCH, BAO, MPH

Dr. Hartley received his medical degree from University College in Dublin, Ireland. Dr. Hartley completed his internal medicine residency training at St. Vincent’s Hospital and St. James’ Hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Dr. Hartley then moved to Iowa, where he completed a pulmonary and critical care medicine fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. He subsequently completed a residency in occupational medicine and a Master's degree in Public Health (MPH) at the University of Iowa College of Public Health. He is a Clinical Professor in Internal Medicine and Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Iowa Colleges of Medicine and Public Health, respectively. Dr. Hartley is board-certified in occupational medicine.

Dr. Hartley has over 20 years of experience in pulmonary and critical care medicine and 15 years of experience in occupational medicine, safety, and health. Before coming to UI Occupational Health, Dr. Hartley served 15 years as Medical Director of the UI Hospitals & Clinics Workers' Health Clinic. He continues to serve as Medical Director of the Firefighter and Police Officer Disability Evaluation Program and as Medical Director of the Occupational Medicine Clinic, both at the UI Hospitals & Clinics. He is also a pulmonary and critical care medicine staff physician at UI Hospitals & Clinics.

Dr. Hartley's expertise in job matching and functional evaluation leads to a more strategic approach to preventing and caring for work-related medical concerns.

MICAH C. HAWKER-BOEHNKE, JD

Mr. Hawker-Boehnke specializes in litigation and Workers’ Compensation Law in Iowa and Nebraska. Mr. Hawker-Boehnke received his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2019 with numerous accolades in trial advocacy, appellate advocacy, and academic excellence. Even before he passed the bar exam, he appeared in Federal Court, co-signed a brief to the Eighth Circuit, and was one of four students selected to argue a ‘mock’ case before the Supreme Court of Iowa and the entire law school.

Since graduating from law school in 2019, Mr. Hawker-Boehnke has successfully practiced Iowa and Nebraska Workers’ Compensation law. He handled three appeals to the Supreme Court of Nebraska within two years of graduating. While Mr. Hawker-Boehnke has exceptional experience handling cases on appeal, he has also been a force to be reckoned with in the Courtroom and at the settlement negotiation table. Mr. Hawker-Boehnke is passionate about keeping his clients informed and protecting their interests.

CHRISTOPHER IVERSON, MD, MBA, MPH

Dr. Iverson received his medical degree from the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine. During medical school, he simultaneously earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Tippie School of Business. After medical school, he completed his residency in Occupational Medicine at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. Dr. Iverson is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, offering injury care and medicolegal examinations in his clinic setting. Dr. Iverson also serves as the Occupational Medicine physician liaison to the post-COVID-19 clinic at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

KATHRYN R. JOHNSON, JD

Ms. Johnson received her law degree from Drake University. Recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America in the Workers' Compensation Law field for employers, Kathryn is a trusted partner and advisor to clients ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. As a Partner at Kidd Laflin Kilburg Johnson, she practices workers' compensation defense, specializing in risk mitigation, regulatory and statutory compliance, and Iowa workers’ compensation issues. She has successfully represented clients in all stages of litigation and appeal, achieving favorable outcomes and setting precedents for the industry.

With over 15 years of worker compensation experience, Kathryn has had the opportunity to speak at numerous conferences and seminars, sharing her knowledge and insight on navigating some of Iowa’s most complex and challenging legal issues. She is a member of the Iowa Association of Workers’ Compensation Attorneys and Alliance of Women in Workers’ Compensation. She has also served on the Polk County Juvenile Drug Court Board and the Iowa Association of Women Attorneys.

ROGER KUHFAHL, PT, CEAS II, CEES

Mr. Kuhfahl has 25+ years of experience in physical therapy and an extensive background working in an industrial setting. He provides weekly on-site services at several companies, emphasizing early injury intervention, physical demand assessments of work tasks, transitional return to work, and ergonomic evaluations. He has assisted in developing aggressive preventative programs emphasizing job assessments, job modification, education & training, ergonomics, and pre-shift conditioning. He has worked closely with engineers and safety personnel to develop successful functional ergonomics programs. He has developed and presented numerous educational and training programs in numerous industries. He has pursued additional educational training with a focus on Ergonomics.

CHARLES MOONEY, MD, MPH

Dr. Mooney is a board-certified Occupational Physician with over 35 years of experience and a consulting expert in Workers' Compensation Injuries. He holds a Master of Public Health from the Medical College of Wisconsin and a Doctor of Medicine from Indiana University's School of Medicine. He is currently the Medical Director of Occupational Medicine in the Iowa Specialty Hospital and Clinic System.

ALEXIS MORGAN, LISW

Ms. Morgan attended Buena Vista University, receiving her undergraduate degree in Social Work. She then attended the University of Northern Iowa, where she received her Master’s in Social Work. Ms. Morgan has been a Clinical Social Worker at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion since May 2016. Before working for ISH, she worked as a hospice social worker and an in-home program manager with Wright County Public Health for ten years.

RACHAEL NEFF, JD

Ms. Neff is an attorney at Ball, Kirk, & Holm, PC., where she practices personal injury litigation, workers’ compensation, and family law, including divorce and child custody. Before joining Ball, Kirk, & Holm, Ms. Neff worked for an insurance defense firm in Cedar Rapids for five years, handling workers’ compensation cases for employers and insurance companies. Ms. Neff graduated with high honors from Drake University Law School and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa.

LISA OLSON, RN, BSN

Ms. Olson is the Director of Case Management for Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. She began her nursing career after earning her RN degree from Dakota Wesleyan in 2008. She furthered her education by obtaining her  BSN from Western Governors University in 2023. Joining OHARA in 2012, Ms. Olson brings a wealth of experience from her nursing journey, including orthopedics and neuro-acute care roles at Sanford USD  Medical Center and Sanford Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. 

JILL SHUGART, BSN, MHA

Ms. Shugart has been a dedicated workers' compensation nurse case manager at OHARA Managed Care for six years. Jill completed her Master of Science in Nursing-Healthcare Administration from Clarkson College in 2015. Her nursing journey encompasses diverse experiences, including working in the kidney transplant and urology unit, the maternity unit, and the trauma, ortho, and neurosurgery unit at Unity Point Methodist Medical Center before working at OHARA.

MICKI SLYKHUIS

Ms. Slykhuis started her workers’ compensation career with OHARA as a Telephonic Case Manager in 2000. Micki advanced her knowledge and position by dwelling on every aspect of OHARA, including field case management, telephone case management, team lead, director of case management, and business development. She now serves as OHARA’s president and CEO. Her extensive background brings a unique perspective to all aspects of claim and business management. Micki specializes in strategic program development and implementation. Her hands-on approach fuels her passion for transparent communication and a collaborative culture.

GREGORY M. TAYLOR, JD

Mr. Taylor graduated from the University of Illinois with a focus on psychology and business. Thereafter, Mr. Taylor moved to Iowa City and attended the University of Iowa College of Law, where he participated in multiple Moot Court teams and was a finalist in Iowa’s arbitration team. He graduated from law school in 2011, a full semester early, to get a head start on his legal career.

Since working at Cutler Law Firm, Mr. Taylor has successfully represented clients in cases ranging from workers’ compensation claims to motor vehicle accidents and slips and falls. He has spoken at numerous seminars and training sessions and takes pride in the knowledge and advocacy he brings to his clients. He is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association, the Iowa Association of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, and the Iowa Association for Justice. 

MATTHEW TEIJIDO, DPT

Dr. Teijido is a physical therapist and Athletico Physical Therapy clinic manager in Silvis, Illinois. Dr. Teijido graduated from Des Moines University with a doctorate in physical therapy. He completed his Orthopedic Residency at A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona, and his Fellowship training in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy at Bellin College in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Dr. Teijido is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Science Degree through Bellin College.

SARAH TIMKO, JD

Ms. Timko earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of Northern Iowa and her law degree from the University of Iowa. She has been with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office since 2013 and practices exclusively in workers’ compensation defense.

ERIN WILLIAMS

Ms. Williams is a Senior Claims Consult with Marsh McLennan Agency. With over two decades of experience in the insurance industry, Ms. Williams applies her in-depth understanding of claims to reduce pain points for clients. When an unfortunate workplace accident occurs, a claim must be filed. Ms. Williams works with clients and claims administrators to ensure claims are handled timely and accurately. Her acumen allows her to navigate the complexities of claims and work towards favorable outcomes for all parties involved.