10/28/2026
โจ The Women Behind Local: Meet Shawnna Rhine! โจ
Today, weโre shining a little light on Shawnna! โค๏ธ Weโre excited to share more about what she loves about her work in our local healthcare community and get to know the person behind the role. Join us as we continue celebrating the women who make our community special! ๐
Shawnna Rhine, Rural Health
1. ๐ง๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ท๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐.
I got my start in marketing over 30 years ago with the American Red Cross in Southeast Missouri. where I worked closely with all forms of local media. From there I've worked in two radio markets, a local newspaper, and even owned my own daycare business. I've been fortunate to combine my heart for non-profits and love for media on at least three separate occasions; first as Health and Safety Director, then Territory Blood Services Manager, for the Red Cross, then Community Outreach Coordinator for Southern Seven Health Department, and now Director of Public Relations for Rural Health, Inc.
2. ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ?
I simply love doing what I can to help keep our communities healthy and safe. Whether it's working with local media doing a TV or radio interview or sharing information one-on-one in the community, knowing that what I do impacts people's lives in a positive way is so rewarding.
3. ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐บ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ? People are most surprised to learn that Rural Health, Inc. (RHI) is a designated Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that provides family medical care, dental care, mental health care, and OB/GYN support services to everyone regardless of income, insurance, or residency. We also have a community Pharmacy in our Anna, and soon Metropolis, location. There are about 1,400 FQHCs operating more than 16,000 individual service sites across the U.S. RHI has five sites: Anna, Dongola, Goreville, Metropolis, and Vienna.
4. ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ?
Knowing that what I do at the end of the day makes a real difference for the people in our communities.
5. ๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐?
To me, shopping local and supporting local businesses is more than just spending local. The majority of our residents live in a "dessert" of not just food, but healthcare and other vital resources. Local businesses and agencies give residents what they need to survive without having to travel long distances. The more options that are offered, the less often people will need to travel outside the region; which will improve their overall quality of life and that of our communities.
6. ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐, ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟโ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐?
I'm most proud of the fact that Rural Health, Inc. provides people with healthcare regardless of their ability to pay. No one is turned away because of their lack of income or insurance. We accept Medicaid, Medicare, Get Covered Illinois, and most insurance carriers. And if we aren't able to help meet their need, we aren't too proud to help them find it in the region.
