Business Connections for Winter 2022

BUSINESS connections Winter 2022 7 Returning toYour Roots In this magazine, we periodically highlight people in our community whose career path brought them back to their roots in Northeast Kansas. For this issue, we feature Margo Chartier, Director of Rehab Services at Amberwell Health. Margo Chartier grew up on the family farm outside of Willis, near Horton, Kansas. She said, “I think my favorite part of growing up where I did was that I got to be a member of many little towns. I had grandparents in Everest and Powhattan. I went to school in Horton and Everest. And Willis had the local elevator co-op.” Chartier left the area to continue her education. She went to Fort Hays State University for a bachelor’s degree in athletic training, then to the University of Kansas Medical Center to earn both a master’s degree and doctorate in physical therapy. “After I got married, my husband Steve and I settled in Leavenworth. He grew up in rural Atchison County, and it didn’t take long for us to realize that city life wasn’t for us. We were fortunate enough to return to Brown County and live near the farm where I was raised,” Chartier said. She continued, “I began working at Amberwell Health in 2003—Atchison Hospital at the time—as a part-time athletic trainer for local high school football and basketball games. I was able to do this job while I attended physical therapy school. After graduating with my physical therapy degree, I became a staff therapist for the hospital. I was promoted to Director of Rehab Services for Amberwell Health in 2019.” What is Chartier most proud of about her work? She replied, “As a physical therapist and an athletic trainer, I’m most proud of the accomplishments my patients and athletes achieve. I’m honored to work with them and encourage them to meet their goals. As the Director of Rehab Services, I’m also extremely proud of the accomplishments of my team. It’s exciting to watch them grow as healthcare professionals in many different fields, including cardiac rehab and occupational therapy as well as physical therapy, and see them build connections with their patients and help them make progress. It’s hugely fulfilling to provide a service to the community that reaches so many different types of patients.” This is what Chartier would tell a friend considering a move from a city to a small town to return to their roots: “To choose to come home is filled with many rewarding opportunities to be involved on many levels—through family, work, and community. For example, to be involved in the local schools is a huge blessing. You can feel like you’re making an impact every day.”

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