Executive leadership

Steve Reintjes Sr., MD

President, Chief Executive Officer

Steve became the president and chief executive officer of NKC Health in May 2020.

He is a well-respected neurosurgeon and has been an engaged member of the NKC Health medical staff for 30 years. During that time, Steve has held numerous executive leadership positions, including director of spine surgery and medical staff president.

Steve graduated from Rockhurst High School and Georgetown University. He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Darla Easley

Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer

Darla provides leadership for Nursing Administration, overseeing education, professional development, nursing research and related programs such as Magnet designation. She leads teams across all inpatient units, including critical care, medical-surgical, telemetry, rehab and obstetrics. She is also responsible for several outpatient areas, including emergency services, trauma, pain management, diabetes, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation.

Darla joined NKC Health as a patient care technician and has served in a variety of bedside and leadership roles throughout her tenure, most recently as the vice president of quality and care optimization. She also served as senior director of Case Management. She earned a master’s degree in nursing from MidAmerica Nazarene University and a master’s degree in business administration from Northwest Missouri State University.

Richard Green

Senior Vice President, NKC Health Medical Group

Rick manages Meritas Health’s provider network and develops strategies for operational growth, which includes continuous quality improvement of patient care, patient safety and patient satisfaction. He has more than 25 years of healthcare management experience. Prior to joining NKC Health, Rick served as director of primary care operations for a multispecialty medical group in Tampa, FL, where he was responsible for 240 primary care providers.

Rick earned a master’s degree in business administration from Bentley University in Waltham, MA.

Kristen Guillaume

Vice President, Chief Digital & Information Officer

With more than 20 years of experience in information services and healthcare technology, Kristen provides oversight and direction for clinical and administrative information technology priorities across our health system, ensuring advancements create value and support our goals. Prior to joining NKC Health in 2018, Kristen held several leadership roles at Cerner and Netsmart. Kristen earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Rockhurst University.

Kerri Jenkins

Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

Kerri leads the health system’s business operations with more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She constantly strives to develop services that enhance patient care. Before joining NKC Health in 2019, Kerri was the executive VP/COO at SSM-St. Mary’s Hospital in Jefferson City, MO; COO at Abrazo West in Goodyear, AZ; and chief nursing officer at Mission Regional Medical Center in Mission, TX.

Austin Jones

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Austin oversees our strategic and operational financial services, which includes financial planning and reporting, revenue cycle, managed care contracting, supply chain management, decision support, the employee retirement plan and the health system’s general investments. Before joining NKC Health in 2021, Austin held several financial leadership roles at health systems throughout Texas. His career started in public accounting and he holds a CPA license.

Jennifer Kozinn, JD

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer

Jennifer manages all aspects of legal services for NKC Health. In addition, she oversees Compliance, Risk Management and Employee Health. She also frequently works with physicians in matters of contracting and compliance.

Nic Riesenberg

Vice President, Facilities

Nic leads Facilities Engineering, Design & Construction, Property Management, Food & Nutrition and Environmental Services. Prior to joining NKC Health in 2019, he held similar leadership positions at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, MD and at the University of Kansas Health System. Nic serves as a board member on several community organizations supporting the health, education and economic development in the Northland. He earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering from Iowa State University.

Christina Robertson, JD, MBA

Vice President, Human Resources

Christina leads Human Resources for the health system, driving strategies and programs that support every phase of the employee experience—from recruitment and onboarding to engagement, compensation, talent development, and culture-building efforts to ensure a thriving and inclusive workplace. Before joining NKC Health in 2025, Christina spent a decade at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in several roles, including Strategy and Innovation Officer, Vice President of Human Resources, Privacy Officer and OFAC/AML Compliance Officer. Christina was also a licensed attorney and adjunct instructor in communications and media law at Avila University.

Rob Schlicht

Vice President, Physician Enterprise

As Vice President of Physician Enterprise, Rob provides leadership and strategic direction to support the growth, alignment and operational excellence of NKC Health’s physician enterprise, both employed and aligned. Prior to joining NKC Health in 2019, Rob gained over 20 years of healthcare management experience working for several healthcare organizations. He earned his master’s degree in physical therapy from Rockhurst University after completing his bachelor’s degree in finance and banking at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Steven Starr, MD, FACC

Chief Medical Officer

Steven manages medical staff operations and contributes to strategic planning and the management of ongoing cost and quality directives. He has been in practice with NKC Health Heart Care since 1994 and was recognized by Ingram’s as one of Kansas City’s top doctors. Dr. Starr is certified in cardiovascular disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine and specializes in diagnostic cardiac catheterization and noninvasive imaging. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Starr earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas where he also completed his residency, internship and fellowship.